Sufferer Recently Diagnosed With Delayed Onset Complex Ptsd

[Shellbell]

Hi all, hope you are having a god day and if it's a bad one, big hugs to you.

I have recently been diagnosed at 41 yrs old with delayed onset complex PTSD for acute trauma. This due to being abandoned by my birth father as a young child, followed by abuse as a child - including sexual abuse from a neighbour and emotional and mental abuse from my mother and step father. At 16 I was removed from my family by a man who groomed my family and then subjected me to nearly 4 years of severe abuse of every kind - keeping me seperated from all other persons under threats of killing me (using guns and knives as a threat) and threats to kill my family. I had no contact with any other person during that time. I escaped this at age 20. Following this I had a physically abusive husband in my first marriage of 5 years at age, which ended when I was aged 30. I have been with my current husband for 12 years and we have 2 boys.

I've had chronic insomnia since being a child, and had nightmares and some anxiety, but functioned highly for the last 20 years, but the PTSD symptoms have worsened considerably in the last 12 months. I was assessed a few weeks ago and then prescribed medication (Mirtazapine) - which I am finding a difficult to adjust to and have had the first counselling session. I think my counsellor will be doing exposure therapy which I don't know if I have the strength for. Mt PTSD symptoms are severe now, to the point where I can't work, socialize, can't tolerate crowds, noise etc.

I am finding this forum really informative and educating me in PTSD and my husband also will be using the supporters section.

 

[Lady of Longbourn]

Welcome. :)

 

[anthony]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

Whoever told you that you have complex PTSD needs to be smacked sideways, as there is no such diagnosis. Please ask them for the diagnostic criterion upon which they diagnosed you... I guarantee it isn't Complex PTSD.

Complex trauma is being recognised under the DSM 5 PTSD diagnosis as a sub-type. Please read [DLMURL]https://www.ptsdforum.org/c/threads/wow-the-apa-really-got-the-new-ptsd-diagnosis-right.27151/[/DLMURL] for the official information stated by the APA. WHO has not yet released any classification for complex trauma at this stage, being the only two organisations that distribute mental health diagnoses.

 

[Shellbell]

I read this on anothe post and asked if it is still a draft - to be released in 2013, is that why the term Complex PTSD is still being used, particularly outside of America?

I read the criteria on the diagnosis criteria and more than fulfil every one, most having all, rather than one or two in each section. I will ask my psychologist when I next see her, will be interesting to see her view on it.

 

[anthony]

Responded where you asked. Asked your psychologist to show you her actual diagnoses... it cannot say CPTSD, because there is no criterion to diagnose it upon. You have complex trauma. You're diagnosed with PTSD + Dissociative / personality disorder, other cormorbid disorders. CPTSD cannot be presented anywhere for legal or medical use, as it doesn't exist in the APA or WHO.

 

[Shellbell]

I will ask her, as I'd like to know that she knows what she's doing and talking about! It will be interesting to see her response ;-)

 

[anthony]

[DLMURL]https://www.ptsdforum.org/c/wiki/complex-posttraumatic-stress-disorder/[/DLMURL]

 

[Shellbell]

Thanks Anthony, there is a lot of good information on this site. Good to be fully and correctly educated in this :)

 

[BeeBea]

Shellbell I too suffer from Complex PTSD [multiply traumas especially during youth] and have gone through some similar things that you described. Read my intro if you get a chance. What is most important is that we need get the support we need, not the terms we use. Some people have suffered from one trauma, which is horrible, and others have suffered over and over. The imprint of repeated suffering can be different and more ingrained. Recovery takes a great deal of patience. I am at the point where I am dealing primarily now with the leftover physical effects....the grief and attention grabbing memories are rare now, but it has taken years.

 

[Shellbell]

Hi BeeBea,

I have read you intro post and your multiple trauma's reasonated with me. It gives me hope that there can be healing - even if it does take years. Thank you. I am the start of the counselling stage and it causes me so much anxiety to think of the exposure therapy I need to do. I have huge chunks of memory missing and I don't want to remember more than I do now. But I keep getting flashbacks of new memory as well as old ones. And I have dreams about things now that I haven't remembered for over 20 years. It's horrible. I think the counselling is going to teach me how to deal with it better though. Wish I could fast forward the next 12 months! I think you are right that the terms don't necessarily matter, but the help and support we have.
Hope today is a really good day for you.

 

[KP the nut]

Welcome to the forum.

 

[Deleted member 1860]

Hi ShellBell,

Glad to have you here on the forum!

In my experience, some professionals throw around the CPTSD term even though it isn't official. Chances are your chart just says "PTSD", as I know mine does. Anything legal can only have a DSM diagnosis, at least here in the states. And with the DSM-V being released in the not-so-distant future, there will be even more clarification. (Heck, I don't even fit under the dissociative aspect of the newly revised diagnosis but have had the CPTSD label thrown at me more than once.) Really, in the end the label isn't the make-or-break aspect, its the treatment you receive that helps you to heal.

Welcome!