Mother Doesn't Think I Have Ptsd

[Miaoqing]

Hello everyone,

So my mom refuses to believe that I'm suffering from PTSD. She believes instead that I have mild depression and GAD-- and I do have GAD and depression, but my depression is severe-- and that I don't have PTSD at all. I don't know how to convince her otherwise. I've been suffering from PTSD for years. She's one of the only people who actually know my diagnosis, and she treats me like a dumb, irresponsible teenager who doesn't know what's good for herself. Even when I was hospitalized in July, she refused to believe that there's anything wrong with me. I'm extremely hurt by this, since my mother has historically been one of my greatest supporters, and now she's treating me like I'm overreacting to something minor in my life. First she didn't think I had an anxiety disorder, and now she doesn't think I have PTSD. What's up with that? Does anyone else have experiences like this? xx

 

[Gs172003]

Hello everyone,

So my mom refuses to believe that I'm suffering from PTSD. She believes instead that...

She sounds alot like my mom except mine never said I have "such and such,". It's hard when the people closest to us aren't really there

 

[JEKBreatheandBelieve]

First she didn't think I had an Anxiety disorder, and now she doesn't think I have PTSD. What's up with that?

Perhaps it's the fear of labels and the fear of not understanding what this means? Who gave you the diagnosis (the hospital, therapist, self)? Do you have a therapist that she could come in and talk with to get some education on what PTSD is? Sometimes educating them helps. It helped with my husband. It has taken a lot longer with my parents. Parents are supposed to be our protectors when we're children and it is hard for parents to accept what is truly going on sometimes. Fear and guilt are powerful emotions. It's that syndrome of I don't like this or I know this is my fault, so I am going to pretend it doesn't exist. Or I can't face my child's reality because it hurts too much. Sometimes, you can't make people understand, but you can do all in your power to help them and then if they still don't, you have to accept that they need to do it on their own time in their own way, but you can work on how to live together and tell her you still need her support.

 

[Miaoqing]

I was diagnosed at the hospital, by a psychologist, and by a psychiatrist. I was thinking along the same lines as well; I think I'm going to ask my therapist to talk to her and explain my diagnosis to her. I think that will help her understand what I'm going through. I think she's also experiencing a certain amount of guilt over my traumas. It's exactly what you said, I think.

 

[Beemo3780]

I'm in the same boat. My father is really Catholic and most of my family doesn't believe mental illness exists. My mother was diagnosed bipolar, and no one in the family would take it seriously. I was diagnosed with PTSD and I am prone to having panic attacks on occasion and my father told me I was just trying to make him look bad, and that my therapist was turning me against my family. My father and I are no longer on speaking terms, but that's for unrelated issues.

I think you have to trust your doctors over your family, and do what you need to do to get better.