Lets Create A Ptsd Diagnosis - Off-topic Discussion

[lostforgottensoul]

Im just going to back away from all of this for now, I thought I was contributing and understanding, really loved the simplifying of it all until it all got confusing for me and am trying to really hard to understand criteria A but now Im just apparently not contrubting anything.

 

[Deleted member 28740]

I'm not opposed to it being in the CA. Not at all, would broaden to included domestic violence.

Domestic and Sexual Violence.

I have experienced all the CritA. and have tried hard to be heard here. Done.

 

[Deleted member 28740]

@Ragdoll Circus

@Changeling Link Removed
"I'm not opposed to it being in the CA. Not at all, would broaden to included domestic violence.
Domestic and Sexual Violence."

 

[anthony]

My working through post (self editing)

------------------------------------------------------------

B. Intrusive symptoms:

1. (Retraumatization)
2. (Nightmares)
3. (Flashbacks)
4. (Triggers)
5. (Fight / Flight)

C. Avoidance symptoms:

1. (Distraction)
2. (Isolation)

D. Affect & mood symptoms:

1. (Recollection)
2. (Distortions)
3. (Confusion)
4. (Depressed)
5. (Social)
6. (Withdrawn)
7. (Alexithymia)
8. Somatization???

E. Arousal symptoms:

1. Irritable behavior and angry outbursts (with little or no provocation).
2. Reckless or self-destructive behavior.
3. Hypervigilance.
4. Exaggerated startle response.
5. Problems with concentration.
6. (Restlessness)

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F. Regulation symptoms (3 or more diagnose complex):

1. Chronic fear of abandonment and trust.
2. Inability to regulate feelings of guilt or shame.
3. Recurrent suicidal behavior, self-mutilation or threats off.
4. Severe dissociative / depersonalization episodes.
5. Inability to regulate self-destructive behavior.
6. Perception of the perpetrator, including incorporation of his or her belief system.

Symptom List

upsetting memories
flashbacks
nightmares
distress
intense physical reactions when reminded of the event (sweating, pounding heart, nausea)
avoid activities, places or thoughts
feel detached from others
emotionally numb
lose interest in activities and life in general
sensing only a limited future for yourself
trouble sleeping
irritability or outbursts of anger
difficulty concentrating
feeling jumpy and easily startled
hypervigilance (on constant “red alert”).
Guilt, shame, or self-blame
Feelings of mistrust and betrayal
Depression and hopelessness
Suicidal thoughts and feelings
Physical aches and pains

 

[lostforgottensoul]

Who decides?

My therapist, thank god!

 

[Friday]

Secondly, do people with, say, cancer join together in a group to discuss their legitimacy? .

Yes! :) Absolutely. Less so, now, than when cancer was new. But that's always been how science has worked. At least, since the 1600s. https://royalsociety.org/about-us/history/

Not just questioning legitimacy (although "Is this real" is a pretty smart place to jump off from, whether it's PTSD, or the Galileo asking if sun orbiting the earth is real, or a Dutch fabrics tradesman grinding lenses trying to determine if microbes are real), but taxonomy, comparing symptoms, expressions, coping mechanisms, treatments, the whole shebang.

In science...where the subject matter is new, barely understood, or rare, it's always been -and probably always will be- highly motivated laypeople who are the initial driving force. PTSD? Is very new. Neurology itself is a baby science. Psych? Still a soft science, not even a baby science, yet. It's going to take generations to build a correct cannon of understanding. Until then? We're literally writing the books on these subjects. Defining edges. Trying to move to better understanding.

Let someone else do it? Why? Why not contribute what we can? Why not try and help ourselves & others like us, instead of just waiting on someone else to get around to it, but actively help try and figure this damn thing out?

 

[KwanYingirl]

@FridayJones i see your point. Typically they organize and raise funds for research. They don't buy Bunsen burners and Petri dishes to figure it out themselves. Advocacy groups inspire no question about that.

 

[EveHarrington]

@KwanYingirl

Based on your posts I can't help but feel that you view this exercise in more tightly/correctly defining the PTSD diagnosis as an attempt to judge the suffering of others, per response #76.

Why?

Do you see PTSD as the ultimate in suffering and by telling people that they don't have PTSD that it's telling them they're not suffering (as much)?

I think this is the very attitude we need to get away from. People flock to PTSD (in part) because they feel that it gives an answer to why they're suffering so much after something bad happened to them, regardless of whether or not the symptoms truly match. I think that PTSD needs to be seen for what it actually is and not the go to diagnosis when an adverse event happens.

The truth is that while PTSD is/can be horrific, it's not the end all and be all of suffering. Tightening the diagnostic criteria isn't a matter of judging someone's suffering; not in the least. Someone can be suffering like crazy and it does them a disservice to label them with PTSD just because the symptoms seem to fit although they are dealing with another (similar) animal altogether.

And also, as PTSD is an VERY experiential disorder, the professionals are only going to know what we as sufferers tell them. Yes, brain scans are coming into use, but as a diagnostic tool? Still years away. Why should those of us who deal with this every day stay mum when we could potentially bring insight to the issue of diagnosing?

I'm not sure where all of this pushback is coming from. Why do you see this as an exercise in judging others suffering (when it's not)? Why do you think that intelligent PTSD discussion should be left to the professionals when the most that most of them know comes from second hand learning (classroom, textbook, working with others who have the disorder)?

 

[KwanYingirl]

I'm not a critic of the DSM. I'm just more concerned that people have greater access to quality care where they can get their unique situation treated. I'm not interested in splitting hairs about who does or doesn't meet Criteria. That is the job of professionals. There are other stress related disorders in the DSM. There is also a separate category for Dissociative disorders. The sufferer deserves quality care to get the right diagnosis and appropriate treatment. I do not quantify suffering and I think this is where you are confused about my opinion. As an American I write to my representatives in the Legislature to advocate funding for all of mental health disorders. I'm not about saying my PTSD is worse than yours. Jesus how could I even pretend to know that? How I handle people that come here self diagnosing themselves is to affirm their suffering and urge them to get professional advice from a trauma specialist. I hope that helps them. What really breaks my heart is to hear how difficult it is for sufferers in some countries to get care. For me, that is the highest priority.

 

[EveHarrington]

@KwanYingirl

If this discussion doesn't interest you, why are you so interested in putting it down? Writing congressmen is nice, but not for everyone. (I'm very well aware of the state of congress and I find it hard to believe that is the best way to get real change in the world of PTSD.) If you like writing, then great; all the more power to you. However why join this discussion to dissuade others from thinking deeply about the diagnosis?

I have a LOT of ideas about what PTSD is and what it is not. I happen to believe that the current diagnostic criteria is still quite rudimentary. I like the idea of being able to discuss my idea with others who are dealing with the disorder themselves because they will listen to me. Who else would I talk about this with? Most psychologists/psychiatrists would dismiss me because I don't have a degree in psychiatry or medicine.

If writing letters is your thing, why not start a letter writing thread? You could probably bring a lot of attention to the cause.

We're all on the same team so I don't understand the dissuasion of deeper thinking regarding the PTSD diagnosis.

Experts? Having dealt with more than one top person in the field of PTSD, I can honestly say that we're nowhere near where we need to be and IMHO PTSD is by and large incredibly misunderstood. I don't feel comfortable leaving the future of the field to a body of individuals who study PTSD from the outside.

 

[KwanYingirl]

Your experience with professionals is a far cry from mine. I've had the honor of speaking with Bessel Van Der Kolk several times. A more devoted, intelligent and sympathetic PTSD expert you will not find. Please don't ask me to jump on a bandwagon that is the polar opposite of my treatment. I live near Boston and have access to the best of the best. That's not fair, but unfortunately, it's true. I'm not a hater. Are you?

 

[lostforgottensoul]

Somatization

You have a question mark by this one meaning unsure if it should stay?

I had to google to define it but in its defintion online, which is physical and medical things happening which has no medical cause thus deemed mental.

If thats a question on whether it should stay and if you care of my opinion, yes, I have a shit load of medical symptoms of my mental state, no not all are PTSD but a lot are and on my medical records as caused by mental reasons as theres zero medical reasons.

Therefore, in my opinion that should stay

I also have every single one of those symptoms B, C, D, and F if it matters.

Unsure of what else to add as I have cormobilty and unsure of what would be another disorder.