Sufferer Medical student w/ ptsd working on perception of ptsd in medical community.

[aworldapart]

After some challenging experiences of my own, I am trying to better understand the disconnect between what health care providers know about disorders like PTSD and how people actually experience them. I am a third year medical student so I've decided to start a project that examines the difference between what you experience and what your doctor is taught in medical school.

 

[anonymous]

Is this a research project or do you have PTSD?

 

[aworldapart]

Both. Having PTSD has made me extremely aware of how much more there is to PTSD than we learn as medical students. The project is more of a "narrative medicine" one than research- I want to look at people's stories, not just a collection of data, to talk about what doctors don't understand about PTSD even if they know, from a clinical perspective, what PTSD is.

 

[EveHarrington]

Have you posed this question to people with PTSD who have gone through medical school?

Welcome! :)

 

[highwaybeauty]

Welcome! I think it's great that you are so passionate about making sure health practitioners know more about the experience of PTSD. I think that more people who have experience various mental health issues should be the ones providing support (obviously once they are in a place of wellness themselves). One can only truly understand what PTSD might be like for someone if they have experienced it themselves. Good on you :)

HB x

 

[The Albatross]

Welcome, there's a broad spectrum of experiences here. Glad to meet you.

 

[Justmehere]

Physicians like you are much needed! Welcome to the forums!

A recent experience of mine:

Orthopedist: you should relax, stop panicking
Me: oh, WHY in the world didn't I think of that? I'll just stop having anxiety because someone told me stop. Problem solved.

I believe all doctors should watch this funny but poignant video: Bob Newhart-Stop It

 

[jade53]

Fantastic. I'm not exaggerating that if it weren't for so many pretending to know all there is to from books about the intrinsic disorders, probably more than just me might not feel more threatened after seeking help. (That should be a Canadian flag).