theoskier said:
How badly do you have to be abused to develop ptsd?
Hi TheoSkier, welcome to the community.
There actually isn't a standard to obtain PTSD, more a set of guidelines that professionals use to identify each symptom, and how bad each symptom can get. What one perceives abusive, and another perceive abusive, are two different things. 10 people can experience the exact same trauma, but only one ever develop PTSD from it, because thats the way their structured.
Trauma is not always a direct reflection of having PTSD, because trauma by itself can be cured. When you see a counsellor, they will be able to tell or not, whether you have PTSD from just speaking with you one or two times generally. A good one will anyway. If you have PTSD, trust me, you couldn't hide it if you wanted too when talking with a professional in this field. If you read the [DLMURL="http://www.ptsdforum.org/thread6.html"]symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder[/DLMURL], you will see what is generally required to be diagnosed with PTSD.
Its not even about having all the symptoms at once, but more the intensity of each symptom.
theoskier said:
But looking back on my childhood, I was assualted 9 times before I was 21, but only once by my mother. That was when I was 15 though. Can verbal abuse cause ptsd?
It is what each person perceives within themselves as traumatic. Abuse can actually be cured, but where your showing a possibility of contracting PTSD, is that the problems where never counselled early within the peace, thus they have been building and building within you over years.
theoskier said:
I was also molested by my doctor but only once that I can remember.
To me these things don't seem that serious.
Are some people just kind of wimpy and maybe dissociate more easily?
These are all reasons that your body could develop PTSD. It has nothing to do with the makeup of a person, ie. perceived wimpy or tough. It has to do with partially our genetics, and mostly our capacity to handle a certain tolerance of mental abuse (trauma).
This is why I say, most things can be cured if gotten too early enough, but the problem is, is that only society today is learning that all traumatic events of any size need counselling to find any possible future long term problems, and rid them now, before they develop into PTSD.
A better definition would be:
Traumatic vs Nontraumatic Memory
The critical differences between memories of traumatic events & significant, personal, nontraumatic events are:
- Non-traumatic memory is narrative, autobiographical, stored/activated in Broca’s area in left hemisphere (responsible for translating personal experiences into language), and
- Traumatic memory is dissociated, sensory fragments with no linguistic components, stored/activated in parts of the amygdala in right hemisphere (responsible for emotional arousal)
What does all that mean? You can see the diagrams on the [DLMURL="http://www.ptsdforum.org/thread163.html"]Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) with PTSD[/DLMURL] thread that I just made live.
theoskier said:
Is it possible I was abused worse but can't remember?
Yes! Often the brain can suppress memories of trauma.
theoskier said:
Thanks for any insights. I am planning to go to conselling I think I definately have ptsd possibly disociative identity disorder.
I began to examine this because I persistently have an almost overwhelming urge to fight joggers when they come up behind me suddenly.
Upon further examination, I think I also avoid social situations and am "hyper vigilant" in public.
Thanks
Counselling sounds like a great idea, and probably sooner rather than later to be honest. If you believe you have problems, and possibly a disorder, the longer you leave the problem, the worse it will get. You may possibly only have Post Traumatic Stress Syndrom (PTSS), which is quite curable if treated. If left, can easily develop to PTSD (non-curable), and if you don't have it already, your then in a world of shit.
