Stereotype Of Ptsd In Society

[InHell11]

the degree to which sleeplessness not only is impacted, but can impact daily functioning/state of mind is, in my opinion, greatly understated/misunderstood.

The longest I've gone with no sleep for me was 4 days twice. I only count the second time though, since the first time It was kind of my fault for screwing around taking adderall for 4 days in a row. At the time I was doing too many drugs for my own good and not much else so that was a result of that.

Anyways, the one time was more recent and it was on a very bad road trip I went on. I finally got some sleep soon after it got so bad I was hearing things. Things looked a bit weird to but I am kind of used to that since I generally don't get enough sleep and when I do I either wake up repeatedly or just have terrible dreams all night if I dream. The only way I can really describe how the lack of sleep feels is like a bad psychedelic trip but maybe a little mellower since I am not always in the corner afraid to move.

 

[InHell11]

The trauma does have to fit the diagnostic criteria to be a trauma that is severe enough to cause the victim to believe their (or witnessing someone else's) existence is threatened.

I think recently I've read it can also be a threat towards mental or physical well being or prolonged exposure to things like bullying and or mental abuse so I am not entirely sure. I know one thing I've experienced was a threat towards existence and involved someone I knew dying though I did not witness the death.

 

[Shellbell]

Yes, if the person thought they were going to be severely harmed, or could die. But different people react differently in those potentially critical situations.

The diagnostic criteria is getting tightened up on this soon. It does have to be critical threat incident.

 

[Brinsanity]

I am also struggling with people and their misconceptions of PTSD. I do not have only one trauma, but multiple traumas. My diagnosis came after a violent rape, but I was also a victim of child abuse and had severe anxiety to begin with. I believe each trauma is relative to the mental capacity of the one surviving it. Two people could have experienced the exact same thing. One could cry and move on, and the other could wind up with emotional distress, flashbacks and other intense PTSD symptoms.

It is so common where I live, to see billboards for military related PTSD hotlines. Because I live very close to a navy base and an air-force base, and there is a very large army base just a few short hours from our home as well. There are pamphlets at every doctors office about military PTSD for active, non-active and retired military. But there are NO pamphlets for non-military trauma, for PTSD caused by abuse. No big billboards for rape support hotlines.

There is no publicity for the kind of things non military trauma survivors are going through. And what is portrayed are crying, lonely, desperate men in uniform and not the anger, sadness, fear, rage, sympathy, inability to find comfort or belonging, and the loss of who you once were and the acceptance of who you are now that we really suffer through. Sure I cry, and I feel lonely, but that's just the tip of the iceberg. I wish there was more of a knowledge and acceptance in the world, so we wouldn't have to feel so misguided and alone. I feel very fortunate to have found this forum, where there are so many like me.

 

[InHell11]

I think whats most important is if someones symptoms fit regardless of what the specific trauma is so long as it was a trauma that caused the symptoms. Along with I suppose the genetic and environmental factors as some are more likely to develop PTSD than others.

Also, things like mental and physical health are pretty important so prolonged exposure to any threat towards that, or having those things severely threatened one time would constitute critical threat. I mean I know they don't lobotomize people anymore at least I would hope not. But I could see having your very mental functioning under direct threat like that potentially causing PTSD for example.

Or if one is abused as a child but not exactly under the direct threat of being 'killed' they can develop PTSD from the prolonged exposure to the abuse even if it wasn't their parent threatening to kill them or worse actually trying.

 

[InHell11]

Self diagnosing, is interesting, there might be some people who try to fake disorders to get benefits. But the idea that one should just ignore they have a problem because they cant just go and get a proper diagnoses right then can be very dangerous.

I mean after my trauma I tried to get help because I thought I might have PTSD, no one took it seriously so than I decided maybe I should just try to get over it and move on and guess where that got me? worse of than I might have been.

Even so I still only have my self diagnoses confirmed by a therapist who's worked with PTSD as well as addiction/alcoholism. I am still working on the official diagnoses from a psychiatrist. I mean it should be kept in mind not everyone who starts exhibiting symptoms has the resources to get an official diagnoses at least not right away. So I suppose I will say stigma towards people in that position is also a problem.

I mean if you don't suspect something is wrong, why would you go in for treatment of any kind anyways? Its not impossible to read up on various conditions and recognize you have symptoms of certain ones. Or be sitting in psychology class learning about a symptom you're suffering from that very moment which is quite uncomfortable by the way.

I think if someone suspects they have PTSD its a bad thing to ignore, like I tried to do.

 

[matthios]

I find the "it used to be shellshock so it's okay everyone thinks it's just military-related" thing to be entirely bogus. At the same time that was "shellshock," there was another mental condition called "hysteria." Its name reveals the belief of its cause: ever heard of a hysterectomy? that's an -ectomy (where they cut out) of the hyster... yup- it means uterus. Thus, only women could have hysteria or be hysterical. Some doctors thought the "manipulation of the womb" could cause... This wasn't just a funny bit written into _The Road to Wellville_.

Now, it's considered insulting and barbaric to suggest such a thing... *headdesk*

 

[Shellbell]

But the idea that one should just ignore they have a problem because they cant just go and get a proper diagnoses right then can be very dangerous.

I think if someone suspects they have PTSD its a bad thing to ignore, like I tried to do.

I agree ignoring symptoms like those experienced in PTSD could be dangerous. It's never good to ignore any mental health issues and seeking the right treatment is necessary. The only danger with self diagnosis, is that certain factors can be ignored. I'm not saying this in your case - just generally people can sometimes see certain symptoms and then assume this must be what they have.

It is very necessary for correct treatment and medication if possible - to accurately establish the mental illness. Even mental health professionals get this wrong.

PTSD does require in the first instance for the trauma to be of a certain type - specifically due to how it affects the brain. This is why the APA are tightening up on the diagnostic criterion, to move away from mis-diagnosis in the mental health profession, as well as those self diagnosing. It will remove diagnosis of PTSD completely for incidents such as watching scary movies, workplace bullying, divorce etc - where there is no severe threat to the persons physical intergrity, or threat to existence.

Every mental illness requires different therapy. Severe depression can be life threatening and requires specific treatment and therapy. The same with Bi-polar and Borderline Personality Disorder, which often currently get mis-diagnosed as PTSD - often due to similar symptoms. These don't require a critical level trauma. PTSD does.

 

[JustBe]

Shellbell said :

" The brain needs to switch into that survival mode to cause PTSD. There are many trauma's that can cause this e.g. car crash, rape, child sexual abuse, severe physical assault, witnessing a sudden death."

That's how I explain it to the few who really ask with a genuine interest. Mostly I keep it to myself. If people ask why I have a service dog I tell them she's a medical alert dog. That usually ends the conversation.

 

[InHell11]

I agree ignoring symptoms like those experienced in PTSD could be dangerous. It's never good to ignore any mental health issues and seeking the right treatment is necessary. The only danger with self diagnosis, is that certain factors can be ignored. I'm not saying this in your case - just generally people can sometimes see certain symptoms and then assume this must be what they have.

It is very necessary for correct treatment and medication if possible - to accurately establish the mental illness. Even mental health professionals get this wrong.

I agree to a point, though even mental health professionals get it wrong how is one to know if they even have a proper diagnoses if they do get one? Not to mention having multiple mental illnesses can complicate things. Even so that is why I am working on getting proper help because its gotten quite bad.

PTSD does require in the first instance for the trauma to be of a certain type - specifically due to how it affects the brain. This is why the APA are tightening up on the diagnostic criterion, to move away from mis-diagnosis in the mental health profession, as well as those self diagnosing. It will remove diagnosis of PTSD completely for incidents such as watching scary movies, workplace bullying, divorce etc - where there is no severe threat to the persons physical intergrity, or threat to existence.

I read the thread on that topic, and I'll look again but even there it does not say it has to be a direct threat to existence...it mentions other trauma. But in my case it was anyways, even so I don't think the new criteria disqualifies people who got PTSD through long term but not exactly deadly abuse. Also I think its a slippery slope trying to disqualify things like bullying but that is not the impression I got from the APA thread.

Every mental illness requires different therapy. Severe depression can be life threatening and requires specific treatment and therapy. The same with Bi-polar and Borderline Personality Disorder, which often currently get mis-diagnosed as PTSD - often due to similar symptoms. These don't require a critical level trauma. PTSD does.

I can somewhat agree here as well, then again as far as I know Borderline PD symptoms don't start after a trauma nor does Bi-Polar I suppose symptom wise I can see how people could mix those up but I would thing whether or not there was a real trauma created the symptoms seems to be the factor there. I had symptoms after such a trauma and they've gotten worse and worse.

 

[InHell11]

I find the "it used to be shellshock so it's okay everyone thinks it's just military-related" thing to be entirely bogus.

Well I mentioned that term in one of my posts, and that it was used before PTSD but I was not implying people should think it has to be military related as that is obviously inaccurate.

 

[NarcSis]

Here's a good one - if you remove the person from the trauma situation, then they should be fine. Ummm, trauma is far more generalized than that single situation, there are aspects and reminders hidden in daily life that will set us off, sometimes without us even recognizing the link to the trauma until well after we've reacted. Other non-sufferers think they can speak for what is best for us and in that mindset, wipe out our own ability to speak for ourselves in what we can / can't deal with. It's completely frustrating to be treated this way.....like I'm somehow "mentally incompetent" because I have PTSD.