Research Psych Class

[sean mcfadden]

Hello Everyone! I am very sorry to budge into these forums but my job in my psychology class is to teach the class about post traumatic stress disorder. I would hope someone with living with PTSD can help me and answer a few of the questions.


1.What it’s like to live with the disorder? Do you feel that you are treated differently because of it? How so?

2.What are your symptoms?

3.When were you diagnosed and who decided to take you for diagnosis?

4.Are some days worse than others? If so, what are the causes?

5.What have you done to cope with this disorder? (Therapy? Medication?- If so, specify what kind) What seemed to work best if anything at all?

6.Are you treated different than others?

7.What is the biggest struggle with this disorder?

8.Are you able to work and live a normal life with this disorder?

Thank you for your time :)

 

[Chimera]

Chuckles...

 

[ladee]

My suggestion would be for you to read around the forum. Many different threads here that will answer your questions and probably cause more questions to arise. It is a very complex disease and has no simple answers as each of us are different... hope you find answers here... just go to any of the threads or diary's and see how confusing it can be for us on any given day.
I'm pretty sure that is why @Chimera simply said " Chuckles".

 

[EveHarrington]

I dunno you guys-----I don't think we should be chuckling or even liking the chuckling cuz I mean we all complain that nobody understands us, the whole world is stigmatized against us, etc-----but then we laugh when someone does take time to ask (rather than assume)------but since they don't ask just the right questions in just the right way then it's not good enough?

Perhaps these questions are a bit simplistic to those of us who have lived with the disorder, but they're valid questions for someone who knows nothing about PTSD. I'm glad that this person is reaching out to us as individuals. Maybe we could steer him toward the forums so he can read a lot of what we deal with that never really gets put into those PTSD/trauma books.

I've had to do these types of presentations before-----dumbing it all down to a simplistic level so that a total noob can understand an incredibly complicated subject. It's not easy.

OP I'm glad you came here. Have you read any books on PTSD/trauma? Have you explored the forum to get an idea of common struggles?

I don't have time to answer your questions tonight but hopefully will in the next few days.

I'm glad that someone who is going to make a presentation on PTSD is consulting with those who deal with the disorder. Books-----while helpful, don't always give a complete picture.

:)

 

[Chimera]

I firmly stand by my chuckle.

 

[Chimera]

I don't ask for understanding, nor do I complain about the lack of it..
I chuckled because of the list of questions...how exactly could any of us answer these questions as PTSD changes the response daily. It's presumptuous to think that PTSD could actually be clarified by such inquiries.
And to me, this is humorous...
Nothing personal OP, just find the lack of comprehension a constant source of dark humor.

 

[Sideways]

@EveHarrington - totally get what you're saying, but as I read through the questions, my answers would be more like chapters in a book...and it would be my book, totally different from books written by any other member trying to tackle those questions.

So to the OP, yeah, sorry, it is kinda hard to keep a straight face. Like asking a 90 year old to dot point their life. But if you wanna scratch the surface, my Trauma Diary is in the public access forum. Knock yourself out!

 

[The Albatross]

Yeah, read around the forum and take a look at the articles and in the archives on the home page. Personally I think I'd dig a bit harder on the fact that it's or it was a survival tactic gone maladaptive and is a spectrum of wide experiences but of a relatively lower percentage than supposed of people exposed to trauma(s). I would also distinguish in the lesson plan the difference between PTS and PTSD. Just food for thought.

P.S. I would also likely include the trending toward people using buzz words like "triggering" and how being offended or "feeling" triggered isn't exactly or even nearly the same as what people with PTSD go through... there is a great article here about "stressor versus trigger". Will try to find it. Other buzz word examples are disassociation, flashback, depersonalization, and about complex PTSD (article here: https://www.myptsd.com/threads/understand-complex-ptsd-cptsd.83518/ )

 

[The Albatross]

Here's the "stressor vs trigger" thread: https://www.myptsd.com/threads/stressor-vs-trigger-what-is-a-trigger.9903/

 

[Zanshin]

I was agreeing with the chuckle on the grounds that joining a PTSD forum and asking such questions instead of reading more areas in the forum to find out answers seems a bit too hasty to teach anything more than a cursory pass about the topic. Like asking for the Cliff's Notes of a book...

 

[Zanshin]

I should have also included that my trauma diary is here and I will also answer followup questions to some degree to help.

I appreciate wanting to teach and raise awareness, but it can take so many forms that quick answers may not be the way to go... Definitely an long essay answer format here. One person's answers will not be fully representative of PTSD and the many forms it can take.

 

[Whyteferret]

Hello Everyone! I am very sorry to budge into these forums but my job in my psychology class is t...

1.What it’s like to live with the disorder? Do you feel that you are treated differently because of it? How so?
It can brutal sometimes. Other times, not so bad. It interferes with me being able to work. Or have a social life. Am I treated differently? I don't know. I avoid many social situations. Is the isolation due to that or people just not wanting to deal with my shit?

2.What are your symptoms?
Anxiety, nightmares, it's impossible to have relationships, feeling a sense of doom. Fatigue, intrusive thoughts. Feeling of being unreal. Depression, hyperarousal, increased startle response, repetitive behavior. A lot of this is also related to brains injury. In my case, i think the two are "together"
(Go to the DSM V for a complete list of symptoms. You might want to put it in your paper)

3.When were you diagnosed and who decided to take you for diagnosis?
My first formal diagnosis was a rule out back in 2003. I was actually just below the criteria to diagnose. A friend in my military unit suggested I go talk to someone.

My actual diagnosis was four years ago. I went myself to a psychologist for cognitive therapy related,to brain injury. It was fairly obvious since it was much worse in terms of symptoms and my ability to cope.

4.Are some days worse than others? If so, what are the causes?
Yes. If I have trouble sleeping. Get overwhelmed with sensory overload. Tired. New places.

5.What have you done to cope with this disorder? (Therapy? Medication?- If so, specify what kind) What seemed to work best if anything at all?
Therapy, meditation, yoga, physical exercise. I have an anti anxiety medication, mood stabilizer (doubles as my anti seizure medications, journaling.

6.Are you treated different than others?
People do give me odd looks when I start having issues in a store. Truth is, I can't tell.

7.What is the biggest struggle with this disorder?
Being normal. That's all I want. Dealing with people.

8.Are you able to work and live a normal life with this disorder?
Not anymore.

Thank you for your time :)

Good luck with the paper.