People Faking Ptsd

[Izac]

Who are these "PTSD malingering types"???

Honestly, it's usually not hard to spot. They tag themselves as 'sufferer'. They go to great lengths to explain how their specific experience has caused PTSD, and also generally admit that they are missing some 'typical' (i.e. required) elements/symptoms. They have not been to a doctor.

They are here looking for confirmation or validation that they have PTSD.

It's easy to tell them what a criterion A trauma is, and ask if they've got any of that in their past - because it might be a reason for PTSD being activated by whatever recent event set things off. And many of them confirm that, yes, they do - even though they weren't thinking of it as being involved in what was happening to them, now.

So, that's a good thing. No-one is being invalidated, there. And yes, of course they need to go to a doctor, but I never see anyone here telling someone overtly that they don't have PTSD, when they do meet the criteria as to possibly having PTSD.

Or, it all goes down a different road. The person believes they should have PTSD because they experienced a trauma, but aren't really having the symptoms - so they are scratching to justify PTSD, where the proper diagnosis might be depression, anxiety, bi-polar, or one of many others.

These people don't want to hear that they probably don't have PTSD, because they believe that PTSD happens for a reason, and those other mental illnesses are somehow worse, or carry more stigma. They would rather have PTSD as an explanation for their depression, anxiety, mood swings, etc.

Personally - I'd rather see them get the right help. They can get some help here on specific symptoms, absolutely. But not all the right kinds of help. That's the generous side.

And, the selfish side? I'd rather not read long, strong, prescriptive advice from someone who does not have PTSD. It ends up being invalidating at least half the time. Because the non-PTSD person can say, 'I ate better and it all went away', or 'I understand because that's exactly what happened to me, except I wasn't in combat, I was battling my ex'.

Really? one or two or ten posts, OK. A hundred, a thousand, and it's frustrating.

So: I'd rather ask, 'Have you been formally diagnosed'? and at minimum, know who I'm dealing with.

This place is only as useful as what gets put into it. So, I'd prefer it if MyPTSD had mostly PTSD experience put into it. I don't think there's anything wrong with that.

 

[Fica]

Some of you here have such misguided faith in the dsm!!
Trauma is trauma.
The dsm separates out "mental illnesses" as...

You act as if trauma only causes one disorder.

Actually trauma can cause just about every disorder under the sun.

It's important to know what you're dealing with as different disorders have different healing requirements.

I urge you to educate yourself a bit more about trauma effects.

 

[Cijowe]

I don't think you can equate physical illnesses with mental/ emotional illnesses. The DSM is fatally flawed in this way....

If you don't experience PTSD as a physical illness too then thank your lucky stars that your disorder isn't as bad as it could be.

PTSD is very much a physical disorder for many of us.

 

[Isoli]

Honestly, it's usually not hard to spot. They tag themselves as 'sufferer'. They go to great lengths to explain how the...

I'm so laughing here!

You're woefully unaware that the intro forum has 3 main tags for intro posts.

Sufferer

Supporter

Other

People who join the forum and make an intro post who have PTSD pick the "sufferer" label for their post!

I really wish people would stop being so judgmental. This is a basic forum function for crimes sakes!

 

[Telaj]

If you find someone you don't want to listen to, just put them on ignore. It's easy to figure out if you value someone's opinion within a few posts. I put someone on ignore because they really don't know much about PTSD and give bad advice. That way I don't waste my time on them. Problem solved.

 

[Lare]

You're woefully unaware that the intro forum has 3 main tags for intro posts.

No - my point was, people who may not have PTSD pick 'sufferer' quite often. They don't all choose 'other'. That's all.

I don't think treating it as an illness with diagnostic information is being judgmental - it's just factual, and it allows the other members reading to offer more specific support and advice. That's not anything bad.

 

[Caba]

No - my point was, people who may not have PTSD pick 'sufferer' quite often. They don't all choose 'other'. That's all....

I think you take those labels waaaay too seriously.

People come here in distress and legitimately feel like they are suffering. That is why they check that box. Maybe they don't have PTSD. It's up to us as individuals to weed out the fakers from those who actually have PTSD when determining who we interact with here. And what about people who aren't diagnosed because there is no mental health care in their country or cannot afford a doctor or therapist?

You can sit here and complain about fakers until the cows come home OR you can learn to weed out the nonsense and ignore it.

I prefer to ignore it. My time is too valuable to be worrying about people faking PTSD.

 

[Anun]

I was just sexually batteried by a law enforcement officer, one who holds 20 weapons and im sure im going to here the words by one man or another on the cities force.

 

[Edi]

I was just sexually batteried by a law enforcement officer, one who holds 20 weapons and im sure im going to here the wor...

Maybe start your own thread?

You will get a lot more support that way.

 

[Adurej]

Maybe start your own thread?

You will get a lot more support that way.

Yes i did, im just scared of future run ins with them all i guess...everybody talks. Thanks.

 

[Lowap]

I think this is a good point to create a discussion about and I don't take your message as rude. I know people who have said, "I think I have PTSD because I always get a bit nervous before going to class. Last time I went, I was ready to roll in a ball and disappear," when in reality they probably just had some sort of general anxiety or social anxiety.. or normal anxious feelings that everyone gets before class when they've forgotten to do homework or have to present. (Not including those who may have GED or other Anxiety Disorders.)

It is possible for people to get PTSD from their dog dying if, in their minds, it was that traumatic. People can experience events differently. What may be traumatic for one person won't be for the other. An example would be someone that develops PTSD from an earthquake. They may have felt helpless, alone, no one was there for them, and maybe they were a young child which makes their perception even more different than an able, independent, adult. Some kids may have been around their family during an earthquake and felt safer than the one who didn't, therefore that child may have not developed PTSD. Does that make sense?

 

[Vugoji]

Yeah, getting PTSD from getting spanked as a kid ... Hell ... That would mean 90+% of the world's population should be diagnosed with it. I used to get spanked and I mean really spanked and it was a walk through a rose garden compared to the other horrid crap I went through.

But then, what does 'spanking' mean. Beating someone up is one thing .. Receiving a few slaps on the hand or a butt ... Yeah, not a human in this world that could have PtSDon account of that.

this is not a reaction to anyone's post, just me reflecting on that topic.