Psych Says I Don't Have Ptsd Because I Don't Have Nightmares?

[estelle beninson]

Okay, so I really came to the conclusion I have PTSD a few weeks ago and have been waiting to see my t...

You probably do have PTSD, from what you say, but dont be surprised if any psy you see disagrees with you. Psys seem reluctant to diagnose PTSD. I have been diagnosed with complex ptsd but I still found a psy who said there was nothing wrong with me and I should take up voluntary work!

The NHS psych service seems to be worsening rapidly due to budget cuts, although I get the impression...

I have never had nightmares, in fact I have repeat dreams of love for the person who abused me. However, I cant stop going over and over the events, even years later and my ability to take in new information is impaired. Ptsd is a collection of symptoms, not all will apply to you. Some people have flashbacks, some dont.....

 

[Tinyflame]

For decades I thought I didn't dream or have nightmares (rare, anyway), except people told me I cried or cried out in them (no memory of it) . :rolleyes:

I did realize the times I had proof to connect the 2 it helped explain as a possible explanation why I woke up feeling so awful because it did corelate. :meh:

 

[estelle beninson]

Personally I don't trust psychiatrists. Not entirely sure why.

Only half of my reply was posted. You probably do have PTSD. However, psys are reluctant to diagnose it. I suspect this is because a diagnosis of ptsd means you are blaming events for a persons mental condition an d they want to blame the person e.g. you have these symptoms because you have some personality prior fault . They seem to think that if your emotions were sound you could deal with anything fate throws at you. Anyway, whether or not that is the case, you may find lots of psys who dont believe you. In fact, actually getting help for ptsd can cause secondary trauma from the experience of not being believed. I have now been diagnosed with complex ptsd but it took about twenty years.

You could try a person-centred counsellor. They try and see things from your point of view, and this can sometimes be less hurtful than always being disbelieved.

PTSD is not one condition. It is a range of symptoms. Some people have nightmares, some have flashbacks, some dont. I just feel numb all the time, I dream of the events, but they are not nightmares, and I used to go over and over and over the events to the exclusion of everything else, although I am getting over this now.

Good luck with finding treatment. It took me years and years.

 

[BuckarooBanzai]

She deducted from these answers that I don't have PTSD. Feel like total dirt. Feel like I've dragged all this stuff to the surface for absolutely no reason. I asked if EMDR would help me and she said she didn't know much about it but probably not. F

Not everyone who experiences severe trauma develops PTSD.

A diagnosis of PTSD requires not only the evidence of signs and symptoms, but a certain threshold of such symptoms. So, for instance, while I used to have PTSD, I no longer own that diagnosis even though I still have some signs and symptoms; my signs and symptoms just no longer rise to the level of PTSD. So, my guess is, your therapist or psychiatrist doesn't believe your signs and symptoms are severe enough to merit the official diagnosis.

This needn't mean you've fabricated your symptoms or brought up the topic for no good reason. Not at all. Please don't take your therapist's professional opinion as an indication of your level of self-worth or personal integrity.

Regarding EMDR, I found it remarkably helpful. If you go this route, please make sure to see only an EMDR practitioner well-known for expertise in that particular mode of therapy. Not every EMDR practitioner is good at EMDR; there's a certain amount of art to EMDR, and not every practitioner has the touch.

 

[Stickler]

My symptoms come and go. Spike and fade.
So I could come in and not present with the full range of symptoms. At other times I would.

 

[honeycomb]

I would say focus on your issues and not your diagnosis or lack there of. I have been misdiagnosed so many times over the years and each time there was a new diagnosis, I bought into it. This wreaked havoc on my self esteem on top of all the trauma that I have been through as an adult and child. I just want to get better any way that I can. Now days, I don' define myself by my diagnosis because who know? maybe tomorrow they will come out with something new LOL Also, be careful to not give your own power away to a therapist. Trust your intuition. They don't know everything any more than we do. I like what Friday had to say on the topic. I would read that post again. hang in there...I admire anyone willing to take a look into the dark side that wants to bring light and healing to it. Sounds like you are a person that believes in improving themselves. Hats off to you. Welcome

 

[selfcompassion]

Okay, so I really came to the conclusion I have PTSD a few weeks ago and have been waiting to see my t...

Wow, such invalidation..you need to see someone else. Complex PTSD is what it is...try reading Peter Walker's books..look him up on the Internet with complex PTSD. You will know what resonates with in you.