The discussion of casual use of the term PTSD did show up in a search, but the last reply is almost two years old, so I thought it would be better to start a new thread. It's about people using the names of psychiatric conditions to describe normal, everyday, justifiable emotions. That's so frustrating to me, for two reasons.
1.) Some people don't understand that it is a medical illness, not merely a strong emotion.
2.) Once they finally get the "illness" part, from then on you can't HAVE a normal emotion without it being taken for a symptom of relapse.
Just wanted to say:
When your pet dies, and you cry about it for a week, you probably don't have depression. You're very sad. That's a normal reaction, and you have my sympathy for your loss.
When you noticed your back gate was hanging open, and then it took you a while to find your toddler, you were not having a panic attack. You were terrified. That's a normal reaction, and I'm glad it worked out well for you in the end.
When you keep teasing, needling, and picking at your wife, no matter how many times she asks you to stop, and she finally breaks down and yells at you, she is not being a psycho. She is angry. That's a normal reaction, and may I add, you're a jerk.
When you always make sure your gate is securely closed because you don't want your toddler sneaking out again, you probably don't have anxiety. You are being careful and making wise choices. Good for you.
When you fall down a flight of stairs and hurt yourself, and from then on you're cautious when you take stairs, you probably don't have PTSD. You don't want to injure yourself again, so you learned from what happened. Good for you.
Got any more?
1.) Some people don't understand that it is a medical illness, not merely a strong emotion.
2.) Once they finally get the "illness" part, from then on you can't HAVE a normal emotion without it being taken for a symptom of relapse.
Just wanted to say:
When your pet dies, and you cry about it for a week, you probably don't have depression. You're very sad. That's a normal reaction, and you have my sympathy for your loss.
When you noticed your back gate was hanging open, and then it took you a while to find your toddler, you were not having a panic attack. You were terrified. That's a normal reaction, and I'm glad it worked out well for you in the end.
When you keep teasing, needling, and picking at your wife, no matter how many times she asks you to stop, and she finally breaks down and yells at you, she is not being a psycho. She is angry. That's a normal reaction, and may I add, you're a jerk.
When you always make sure your gate is securely closed because you don't want your toddler sneaking out again, you probably don't have anxiety. You are being careful and making wise choices. Good for you.
When you fall down a flight of stairs and hurt yourself, and from then on you're cautious when you take stairs, you probably don't have PTSD. You don't want to injure yourself again, so you learned from what happened. Good for you.
Got any more?
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