siniang
Policy Enforcement
The good news is that PTSD isn’t caused by drug use
Criterion H: exclusion (required)
Symptoms are not due to medication, substance use, or other illness.
I could be totally wrong and I'm totally willing to be told so and learn, but it was my understanding that Criterion H does refer to ongoing symptoms, not the initial Criterion A trauma.
Something being traumatic vs. something having the potential to cause PTSD based on the current DSM are different things.
Could that event be traumatic? Absolutely, though I still have lots of questions but that’s besides the point. Can it cause PTSD? According to the current DSM- no. It doesn’t meet any Crit A and therefore would exclude him from an official diagnosis.
Also, keep in mind that the ICD-10 isn't as specific in regards to trauma as the DSM-5.
A. The patient must have been exposed to a stressful event or situation of exceptionally threatening or catastrophic nature, which would be likely to cause pervasive distress in almost anyone.
What constitutes "exceptional", obviously, could be up for debate.
Because what I'm reading from the poster's description isn't "just" a bad trip or drug use, it does sound like a life-threatening (or threat of) situation (which is qualifying even under the DSM-5). See Freida's post.
So there is a thing called Excited Delirium which can be life threatening and it sounds similar to what you experienced. Not just a random high but an actual medical condition brought on by an excess of drugs. Maybe that helps? To see it as a medical emergency?
I'm not saying @Traveler has or hasn't PTSD. This is not for me to decide and I highly second the recommendation to get help of a therapist. Because regardless of whether or not this is PTSD, whether or not this is PTSD from this event or some other, prior trauma, therapy will help you greatly. However, I'd be careful to dismiss this notion as easily (I mean, it's not a "wife cheated on me" case as we had the other day)