How Might PTSD Affect Me Later In Life?

[creative123]

Hi,

I have recently been diagnosed with PTSD following an assault that occured a few months ago. I am only 19 and I am wondering how having PTSD will effect me in later life once I have recieved my treatment and been cleared. For example, can companies use this against me? Many people have told me that companies and agencies will know I have had PTSD and this will affect me much later in life. Is any of this true?

Thanks.

 

[Mina]

Welcome to the forum, Creative123. :hello:

Is any of this true?

Possibly, at least in the US. It depends what you mean when you say "companies and agencies." Are you talking about, say, law enforcement agencies? In that case, the fact that you have/had PTSD may very well come out in the process of a background interview and investigation, psych evaluation, or medical and psych history. Pre-PTSD, I went through and passed all the testing with a police agency, but I know for a fact my PTSD would come out if I were to go through that process now. I've also developed triggers that I didn't have pre-PTSD that would make it very difficult to do certain jobs, such as in law enforcement or the medical field.

Please understand that PTSD is not necessarily something you can "get treatment for and get cleared" like you can with an ear infection. It's not like taking antibiotics and then you're fine...nowhere near that simple. For one, treatment - such as talk therapy, EMDR, cognitive behavioral therapy, etc. - can be really hard work in and of itself. Then there are a lot of factors in play, such as the severity of your PTSD, severity of your symptoms, what happened in your assault and how this plays out with triggers, how you respond to various treatments, your ability to handle stress, etc.

The fact that you were diagnosed fairly quickly after your incident (in a matter of a few months, not years) is a very good thing, which should work in your favor. Starting treatment now is a great idea...sort of a "nip it in the bud" thing, in my opinion.

This is just my personal perception based on experience...others' assessments may vary.

 

[sigh]

You know, I think this is all highly premature. Four months is the DSM cut off--not a fast and held true amount of time. And you're 19. If you're planning on joining the Army, I'd vote against it. If you're planning on walking in a garage at night, I'd plan against it. But working on your trauma may be the best thing for you now because your relationship to these "agencies" will differ according to how you recover and whether another doc in the future decides to "label" you with that dx.

s.

 

[SunnyBrookFarm]

My daughter was diagnosed with PTSD when she was 17. It was a difficult time, she was not able to work for well over a year and she was hospitalized at one point. However, now she is 21 (almost 22) and she is surviving, working and very aware of her symptoms and how to help herself. A good therapist is a must. Being diagnosed early and receiving treatment were all things that helped her improve so much.

Will she always have symptoms, probably, but her quality of life is so much better now. I wanted to make sure that you knew there are encouraging stories out there and people do improve.

I'm not sure what you mean by agencies and companies either. If you were to apply for a government job etc. - it might come out, if it's a job that having PTSD would prevent you from having, more than likely it's not the job for you. In most cases, I don't think it will be an issue.

I hope you continue to feel better.