Undiagnosed Is It Ptsd And If So, Now What?

[ghotiff]

Welcome :)

Do you know how to self soothe. It took me a while to learn this skill and when to apply it but it really helps the trick is to use it before you even get close to overwhelm.

My suggestion is to start tracking some of your thoughts over time and also when overwhelm hits. I did this and learnt that how I park my car is a huge indicator of my emotional state and that I'm heading into overwhelm, and I need to do more self soothing. Cars and/or parking have nothing to do with my traumas so I never would have found it without systematically tracking myself over time.

Hope that helps.

 

[EveHarrington]

I think that in order to definitively rule out a trauma diagnosis, you would need to see a trauma specialist. It sort of means beans for someone who is trauma ignorant to say your symptoms don't point to trauma. I'm not saying what it is one way or another, but I think the great danger that many of us face when first seeking medical help for severe medical issues is that we don't seek out the right kind of doctors. (I say this in reference to all medical conditions, not just PTSD.) The truth is that many trauma symptoms aren't "textbook". (Which is why many abused children are seen as "problem children" instead of abused children.) I don't honestly think that latching on to a bipolar diagnosis is good until you've been evaluated by a trauma professional and have taken the written diagnostic PTSD tests given that you suspect trauma issues. I'm not trying to hand out a trauma diagnosis. I am trying to say how you can seek out those who can give you a highly educated opinion as to what you're really dealing with.

 

[joeylittle]

One suggestion to think about - take on a referral to one of these specialists, even if it's months away, and keep looking. If you find someone who can take you on earlier, go with that.

This is such good advice. I know, @forestree, you mentioned you'd already done this - I only wanted to echo it, because it goes for so many different kinds of things. It's frustrating when your appointment is months away - but at least it's there.

Yes I do think I have a complex variety of things going on including possible brain injury (multiple concussions, one was unconscious for 10 minutes).

You will probably need to be aggressive, but for this, start with your general practitioner and get referred to a neurologist, so this can be properly examined.

And I hope you can find the site helpful to your struggles.