Undiagnosed Seeking Support for PTSD-Like Symptoms

Hi. I'm a 31 year old web developer who's been diagnosed with autism, and I've had PTSD-like symptoms for over 10 years.

I went to multiple therapists telling them that I've been feeling horrible from negative memories that I've had, mainly from 2013 to 2018, but no one diagnoses me with PTSD.

I've read a book called "The PTSD Workbook" (I think it's from Mary Beth Williams), and I have all the symptoms from PTSD.

I've been feeling horrible the past 3 days, and I read that finding an online support group may help me in feeling better. That's why I decided to join. Also, many of the posts in this forum seem relevant to what I feel.

I'll try to keep this post relatively short, for the time being.

Thank you for accepting me into this forum!
 
Welcome to the myptsd.com community! I'm glad you decided to reach out and join us here. It sounds like you've been through a lot, and it's important to find a supportive space where you can connect with others who understand what you're going through.

It's not uncommon for individuals to struggle to find the right diagnosis, especially when experiencing symptoms that align with PTSD but haven't been officially diagnosed. Remember that seeking professional help from a therapist or mental health professional who specializes in trauma can provide you with the guidance and support you need.

I'm glad to hear that you found "The PTSD Workbook" helpful. This community can provide additional support and validation as you navigate your healing journey. Feel free to share as much or as little as you're comfortable with, and know that there are specific forums on myptsd.com dedicated to different aspects of PTSD and Complex PTSD that might be beneficial for you to explore.

Once again, welcome to the community, and I encourage you to take advantage of the resources and support available here. You're not alone in this, and there are many others who can relate to your experiences and offer understanding and empathy.
 
Welcome to the community!

Every single symptom PTSD has is found elsewhere, in other disorders & conditions... so it's not surprising to have ptsd symptoms & not have PTSD.

Sourcing exactly where those symptoms are coming from, however? Is HUGELY helpful in sorting them.

I have ADHD+PTSD, and there is a lot of symptom overlap. Over the years I've learned to USUALLY know where a symptom is coming from (A or P or A+P), but sometimes I still have to throw coping mechanisms at it from both sides to see what "sticks".

Autism +_________ (symptoms above & beyond your known Dx) would take a skilled diagnostician familiar with the Spectrum to source out.
 
Welcome to the community!

Every single symptom PTSD has is found elsewhere, in other disorders & conditions... so it's not surprising to have ptsd symptoms & not have PTSD.

Sourcing exactly where those symptoms are coming from, however? Is HUGELY helpful in sorting them.

I have ADHD+PTSD, and there is a lot of symptom overlap. Over the years I've learned to USUALLY know where a symptom is coming from (A or P or A+P), but sometimes I still have to throw coping mechanisms at it from both sides to see what "sticks".

Autism +_________ (symptoms above & beyond your known Dx) would take a skilled diagnostician familiar with the Spectrum to source out.
Thank you! I've never thought of the overlap between PTSD and other mental conditions which may make it difficult to diagnose.
 
Hi and welcome. It doesn't make PTSD difficult to diagnose. PTSD diagnosis all stems from the first criterion which must be met:

A. Exposure to actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violence in one (or more) of the following ways:
  1. Directly experiencing the traumatic event(s),
  2. Witnessing, in person, the event(s) as it occurred to others,
  3. Learning that the traumatic event(s) occurred to a close family member or close friend. In cases of actual or threatened death of a family member or friend, the event(s) must have been violent and accidental.
  4. Experiencing repeated or extreme exposure to aversive details of the traumatic event(s) (e.g., first responders collecting human remains; police officers repeatedly exposed to details of child abuse).
Note: Criterion A4 does not apply to exposure to electronic media, television, movies, or pictures, unless the exposure is work related.

Then you have criterion G: The disturbance causes clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.

These are all violent events, not your normal stuff that you are reasonably expected to endure as part of life.


Mental health diagnosis is not really just about symptoms, its a combination of social, environmental and possibly genetic factors. There are only x symptoms the human body experiences, and they cross between nearly everything mental health has attempted to create and apply a label upon.
 
Hi. I'm a 31 year old web developer who's been diagnosed with autism, and I've had PTSD-like symptoms for over 10 years.

I went to multiple therapists telling them that I've been feeling horrible from negative memories that I've had, mainly from 2013 to 2018, but no one diagnoses me with PTSD.

I've read a book called "The PTSD Workbook" (I think it's from Mary Beth Williams), and I have all the symptoms from PTSD.

I've been feeling horrible the past 3 days, and I read that finding an online support group may help me in feeling better. That's why I decided to join. Also, many of the posts in this forum seem relevant to what I feel.

I'll try to keep this post relatively short, for the time being.

Thank you for accepting me into this forum!
Welcome, I'm autistic too.
 
Welcome @survivorocean10!!

Thank you! I've never thought of the overlap between PTSD and other mental conditions which may make it difficult to diagnose.
Partly because there is a core shared disorder called Executive Dysfunction. I always say you get your "own brand" because parts and pieces could have existed before trauma, therefore they get magnified by trauma adding its own dysfunction to what was already there.

This is a great place for learning to manage the day to day of PTSD.
 

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