How Do I Know

[Adrian2016]

This is my current situation. I was triggered when I saw a man that had assaulted me.This story is very hard to talk about but you all seem well informed and I wanna get this off my chest and hear your thought on it...Okay, later at one point in my life(adult life now)...I was involved heavily in drug use and also drug dealing. I made significant amounts of deals with many bad people. I had many suppliers all over my city and then redistributed it....I'm not proud of this...I became addicted to the drugs I was selling...I sold to a lot of friends and they got addicted and commited crimes...eventually one of my friends told the police after blacking out and commiting a burglary that I sold him the drugs he took before doing what he did...some others had done the same in other instances...I was contacted by a detective and coerced into working as a confidential informant..otherwise my best pal and myself would face hard time...I agreed...I did a sting operation on my biggest supply..they were scary people...you cant imagine the fear I felt walking in the house with a tape recorder bug on me....seconds after I left the authorities raided...it came to light that I was the informant due to sloppy police work.....ever since then I have been a target to these people...they came to my mothers house where my siblings lived at the time..caught me by suprise...3 of them beat me in my yard in front of my siblings..I defended myself...tons of police came this happened with many witnesses and in broad daylight...I thought I had a concussion and went to hospital in an ambulance...a few days later I was hearing word of mouth that they had solicited individual's to " take me out in the woods somewhere and kill me" they were unsuccessful but one of the guys they had offered was convicted of murder a year later....this has been a ongoing problem to this day I do not go outside because of it...when I saw one of the guys at a store recently I snapped...if he had not locked his car doors I may have killed him in broad daylight with witnesses...I never felt so much careless powerful rage in all my life...I literally saw red.... sorry this is so long...Im sober and engaged now..no longer a criminal..I feel horrendous guilt and shame admitting this even happened but it did..

 

[Adrian2016]

Does this meet criteria? I have been different ever since...much more paranoid and hypervigilant then I already was....so I guess C-PTSD could be more accurate?
But I heard something about C-PTSD is not a medical diagnosis?

 

[Adrian2016]

I really do apologize if I just sound ignorant. This is all new to me so I suppose I am when it comes to this..

 

[joeylittle]

Nothing to apologize for, @Adrian2016.

Honestly, it's just impossible to really diagnose without a full interview.

You're right, Complex PTSD is not a medical diagnosis, currently.

What credentials does your therapist have? Not everyone is actually trained to diagnose - only a psychiatrist or psychologist can. Doesn't mean your therapist is no good, just means they can't actually make a medical diagnosis.

And insurance is a funny thing. Im diagnosed with general anxiety disorder (GAD) along with MDD and PTSD. The anxiety is really just an offshoot of my other two conditions - but, the separate diagnosis gives my psychiatrist the most options in terms of how my insurance will cover my treatment.

Most most important in the early days is that you keep an open mind, understand that yes, people get misdiagnosed - you can help best by reporting everything as honestly as you can, without having an unconscious bias towards one diagnosis or another.

Whatever happens - you're struggling, you've been through some very tough stuff, and now you are taking steps to support your mental and physical health. Everything else, you'll keep learning as you go.

Never be afraid to ask questions, here or with any of your treatment providers.

 

[Adrian2016]

She is a LMSW, ACSW

 

[Adrian2016]

From my understanding she is trained and accredited to diagnose..she told me she diagnosed me as PTSD at our last meeting and that she beileved it was clear it was not bi polar as I had been previously diagnosed. Which my fiance agreed to her diagnoses and so did my mom who was actually one of the causes of my traumas ironically..

 

[Adrian2016]

She is a LMSW, ACSW

@joeylittle

 

[joeylittle]

That's what I get for sloppy reading.

So, you learn something new all the time around here. Turns out that in the US, this is a state issue - not surprising - and the permissions vary wildly.

Because she's an LMSW, (licensed master of social work), not LCSW (licensed clinical social worker), it's possible that she cannot diagnose formally; quick reading showed there were a handful of states that only allow LCSW and above, and then, some of those require a co-signature from a psychiatrist or psychologist.

So, let's just assume she probably can. You can look it up if you are curious.

She could likely diagnose you with anything, and still bill your insurance. I doubt that would be the reason. Ruling out bipolar is important tho because that's the sort of thing that restricts what medications you can safely take.

And yes - it's pretty standard to have a full physical recommended around the time of a psych diagnosis. The thorough ones certainly do.

 

[Adrian2016]

Thank you you've been super helpful...very informative...I'm sure that this will all come together in time...or hopeful at least lol

 

[Ronin]

I have always looked at myself as a solider, not literally but figuratively.

Well, there's a couple of us soldiers (literally, not figuratively) around, and we're here why, because PTSD.
So perhaps changing associations linking mental illness & neurodivergent brains with 'weakness' might help you?

 

[Adrian2016]

I didn't mean any disrespect or offense to anyone. I applaud and commend all service members active or veterans my mom is a brat and my grandfather a lifer in the army, uncle did 3 tours in Iraq. If I had not screwed myself by getting a criminal record i would be in the military right now. Thank you for your service and I apologize for offending anyone ..i did not mean to

 

[Adrian2016]

Well, there's a couple of us soldiers (literally, not figuratively) around, and we're here why, because P...

To clarify, maybe that was not the best analogy given that many like you are literal soldiers. i am truly sorry i came across as insensitive. I doubt any respectable American would say that our vets are weak, I personally know many vets that could break me in half with one arm...was just describing my feelings..and part of my ptsd is manifested by never thinking I am deserving or am allowed to be vulnerable..once again Im sorry for any offense I caused you