Question About 'help' Post (re Dissociation)

[shimmerz]

Okay, an honest question here. It wasn't until AFTER I melted down completely and realized I had PTSD that a trauma doctor helped me understand my dissociation. A whole bunch of things made sense in my life after that. I had dissociated all of my life without knowing it.

So there was a post today that @anthony raked me over the coals for regarding a post of a person who said he was losing time. He seemed very afraid. As another user stated, (after I posted to him) if it was dissociation, it was most likely trauma based. He didn't know about dissociation. I pointed him in that direction (using online psyche tests - I know, shouldn't have done that) and mentioned he talk to his doctor about it. Now, I know that if someone had helped me understand this before I completely had my life explode on me I would have gone to my doctor about it. They may have been able to help me before I lost my entire self.

So the question I am asking is, I get why no pointers to psyche tests but what do we say to people who potentially are dissociating (losing time) without leading them down a garden path? It feels wrong to ignore them because they haven't been diagnosed with PTSD. I don't want to create an issue where there isn't one but to shoo them away seems wrong to me.

 

[anthony]

I didn't rake you, or anyone else, over any coals. I only stated that members should not lead people to conclusions based on their assumptions. We are not internet doctors and should not assume someone is dissociating, and instead should only advise them to seek medical help, especially as they ruled out PTSD from themselves already. Biological factors can make someone lose time, not merely psychological. It is biased to think someone is dissociating when in fact they could have one of numerous biological issues that need medical treatment.

When enough information is given, you can make informed opinions better, but they are just that, opinions. Again, we're not Internet doctors and shouldn't try to be. Things possibly fit, or do not fit, a diagnosis, but we should not be leading anyone towards any conclusion, as that is what doctors are for.

Its like people asking the most obvious question here, do I have PTSD? Well... they provide information and you can give an informed opinion based on the diagnostic criterion, however; we also tell them to seek psychological assessment, as we nor them can diagnose. Someone saying they're losing time and state they don't have PTSD... do a search and you will find 40+ possible medical conditions they could be suffering, none of which are a dissociative disorder.

 

[shimmerz]

lol. Yes, you are right you didn't @anthony. It was me. I think I was a bit emotionally invested in that posting. Good to know. I truly did not want to just leave him hanging and I am guessing based on my 'throw myself all in there' that I was reliving something and lost my head.

I didn't realize 40+ different things could cause losing time. So then, losing time could be a ton of things, see your doctor and tell them that you are losing time. That is the correct answer yes?

 

[Deleted member 1860]

It could be early onset Alzheimers disease, it could be a TBI, it could be past drug use.....the list goes on and on as there are a ton of reasons for memory loss. It could even be poor nutrition! The guy didn't even mention trauma, but if pointed in the direction of trauma, he could possibly start to fit pieces together and self diagnose, which isn't good for him.....especially since many people have had a past trauma which would qualify as a criterion A trauma, but only a small percentage of people actually get PTSD. So he's sent off on a bunny trail of thinking its a psychological disorder when it could be something else.

 

[KwanYingirl]

@shimmerz i understand where you're coming from. You genuinely wanted to help the guy and I'm sure you were helping the best way you knew how. It is a PTSD forum after all. I notice lots of posts that come very close to clinical responses. The trick is to articulate your opinion in a fashion that doesn't sound clinical. For instance, you can tell someone you can relate to them, and you did "so and so" and it helped you. We can share our experience but can't make clinical statements.

 

[Intrepid]

If we don't want to sound clinical, does that mean we have to dumb down our posts and comments?

But then, I get it. I always try to state my stuff the way you suggest, @KwanYingirl

The thing is, anyone who asks for a diagnosis needs someone who can diagnose. I don't think its very easy to do on this forum, no matter how much information someone types in to a post.

I have my ways of getting out of being honest, or pretending to be someone or something I'm not, and I know others do too. I read posts often enough where I have to think "what's really behind all that?"

And I don't think anyone who really wants help will leave the forum because someone doesn't fix the situation. If someone wants help, then that person will do what it takes to find it.

 

[anthony]

You don't have to not sound clinical or dumb down anything... there are lots of facts available to us which you can use, regurgitate, whatever you want... but nobody should ever push a person in a direction. Give your opinion, and ensure it is an opinion. If factual based, then give the evidence to show it. Anyone can write a factual answer. Factual only derives from current known statistical / medical certainties / knowns, it may change in the future... but still may be wrong for the person, yet doesn't make the answer less factual.

Someone can tell you they got PTSD from a relationship breakdown, for example, which you can clearly state factually that that does not meet the criterion A for PTSD, as you have access to the current diagnostic criterion and what defines a criterion A trauma. They may not like the answer, but it doesn't make any less factual, which isn't your opinion.

Nothing wrong with clinical or factual responses... but when someone talks about a symptom, it is all guesses and opinions as responses, as none of us have the person to assess, and unless you have the clinical qualifications to make that assessment in person, then it is only our opinion. But leading someone in a direction of psychological issue based on only stating they're losing time, is not extremely wise IMHO, because it can be any number of biological issues which are easily found on WebMD or such.

This comes back to me often saying... state your opinion and leave it at that. Instead, people often get argumentative over their opinion, wanting to push a person to their belief / opinion. State it, ignore any responses that you feel you need to argue, as that is pushing onto people your belief.

People read something I say here, this happens a lot, then somehow conclude that my statement as the administrator is pushing onto them, when in fact that is how they read it, and at no stage do I say that my opinion is right. If I state something more factual, I leave it at the facts, and the person can jump up and down all they want, it doesn't change the facts, nor does it make it right for them personally.

The web is complicated, is my opinion.

 

[shimmerz]

I have my ways of getting out of being honest, or pretending to be someone or something I'm not, and I know others do too. I read posts often enough where I have to think "what's really behind all that?"

This is something I am really not good at and I need to remember it. I take people at face value all the time and it gets me into trouble a ton personally. So trusting..... *heavy sigh*. Thanks everyone for your views on this. Call me on it please if you happen to see it again. :hug: