Sufferer The truth about a girl. ptsd that may be cptsd.

[KerriJ]

My name is Kerri. I am 21 years old. Love reading and writing. I love psychology and crime dramas.
I have been diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Mood Disorder Not Otherwise Specified, and they have thrown around Borderline Personality Disorder.

I personally believe I have Complex PTSD, rather than this long list. My childhood was chaotic at best. Abusive, at worst. Repeated physical abuse, and extreme emotional abuse and neglect. I often had threats of abandonment from my mother, and deal with an extreme fear of abandonmen. I, though I hate admitting it, was also sexually abused by my father in covert ways.

Sadly, this pattern of trauma continue in adulthood. I got assaulted on a college campus, and later became involved in an emotionally & sexually abusive relationship.

These traumas have messed me up greatly, and I have such severe symptoms right now. I am hopefully starting EMDR soon.

 

[anthony]

I personally believe I have Complex PTSD

Hi and welcome. Look, you probably do, but there is no such diagnosis just yet. Everyone you read stating they're diagnosed with CPTSD, not factual. It is a categorisation right now, not a diagnosis. Like saying, severe PTSD, or combat PTSD -- all just PTSD. There is only PTSD at present. The ICD is running trials on an actual CPTSD diagnosis, is in beta draft, and will be formalised later this year or next. Then there will an actual diagnosis of CPTSD.

Everyone claiming it but right now... will not fall into that diagnosis. They would need to be formally reassessed and classified with that diagnosis once it is released in the ICD 11 final.

So don't feel bad. Your physician is simply diagnosing you based on what is actually, factually, available as diagnoses right now. Yes, those diagnoses will in future be wrapped up as CPTSD most likely once final.

 

[KerriJ]

Hi and welcome. Look, you probably do, but there is no such diagnosis just yet. Everyone you read stating t...

Thank you for the information! As someone who has been in and out of therapy for years, I did have prior knowledge of that. I know they are only diagnosing me with what is currently provided in the DSM. I'm okay with that, but it does provide trouble in getting effective help for my trauma and the symptoms. My symptoms are that of disorders of extreme stress, a chronic prolonged trauma syndrome that results in many more symptoms than the traditional PTSD diagnosis. I can only hope this new therapist and EMDR will help

 

[anthony]

disorders of extreme stress, a chronic prolonged trauma syndrome

Yer, I was shocked to see that booted from the DSM 5 inclusion myself. I thought that was the best attempt for CPTSD in the DSM.

Have you seen the soon to be CPTSD diagnosis from WHO? I think that will do it for most, as it doesn't go into PTSD, it only requires PTSD to be diagnosed as a criterion, then CPTSD if met, is the diagnosis. It covers additional to the PTSD criterion requirement:

1. severe and pervasive problems in affect regulation;
2. persistent beliefs about oneself as diminished, defeated or worthless, accompanied by deep and pervasive feelings of shame, guilt or failure related to the traumatic event; and
3. persistent difficulties in sustaining relationships and in feeling close to others.

Source: WHO, ICD 11 Beta draft public.

but it does provide trouble in getting effective help for my trauma and the symptoms

How so? EMDR / PE / TFCBT would all suffice based on trauma being causation. Have therapists not used any of these yet?

I honestly believe the CPTSD diagnosis becoming official, will be one of the best things for those who have endured prolonged traumatic effect that has caused deep rooted behavioural / personality implications, yet not to the excess of a personality disorder specifically.

 

[ladee]

welcome !! glad you found us, regardless of the reason... you will find many people here you will relate to and their story or parts of their story will resonate with you and help you to know you are not alone in these feelings and thoughts that make no sense to any one but us...
While we wait for the 'official' title, we still need to do what we can to connect with people who understand... so , hope you keep posting and finding some answers ,or to simply not feel so alone.... glad you are here...

 

[KerriJ]

Yer, I was shocked to see that booted from the DSM 5 inclusion myself. I thought that was the best attempt...

Thank you for the info on the soon-to-be-diagnosis! I feel like that will help greatly!
I've been in therapy for 7 years and no one reccommended EMDR until recently. It took me about half of my counseling years for someone to finally diagnose me with PTSD. They wrote me off as someone with severe mood disorder and/or a personality disorder. Now, they see my PTSD and say I have Borderline Personality Disorder. My new therapist however believes it is the trauma-related issues causing the difficulty regulating emotions, difficulties with relationships, poor self-image, etc.

welcome !! glad you found us, regardless of the reason... you will find many people here you will relate...

Thank you so much! This makes me feel very welcome! :)

 

[EveHarrington]

Your story is sadly not uncommon in that many of us are incorrectly diagnosed for years before someone FINALLY says its PTSD! I say this to let you know you are not alone in these struggles. :hug:

 

[anthony]

My new therapist however believes it is the trauma-related issues causing the difficulty regulating emotions, difficulties with relationships, poor self-image, etc.

Absolutely. Which is why I'm baffled nobody before hand realised this. Diagnosis is never the solvable issue... its the underlying mechanism, i.e. trauma in this case. Its always the trauma, never anything else, with BPD, DID, PTSD and many others. There is no solution to be had in looking at the diagnosis, as its just a label to describe what you're enduring.

Super weird its taken your help systems this long to recommend a trauma therapy. Good to hear you have someone looking after you though now, treating the cause, not the symptoms.

 

[Kerry Swyer]

My name is Kerri. I am 21 years old. Love reading and writing. I love psychology and crime dramas.
I ha...

My partner has complex PTSD has had it for 20 year but wasn't diagnosed until around 5 year ago he's tried everything under the sun to cure it (not even to cure it just to ease it a bit). What I hate about the term PTSD is most people refer it to a war veteran. Anyways I'm starting to ramble on my partners also been referred for EMDR and all I can say is good luck to you hope it works out the way I'm praying for my partner x

 

[KerriJ]

I sympathize with your partner so much. The "War vetern" stigma is what caused mine to be undiagnosed for so long. Covert child abuse/abuse in general is so under the radar as a cause for PTSD; so are accidents and natural disasters. I can't wait til that stigma starts to let up.
I have not started EMDR yet, but my dear friend has and it's help her so much. Good vibes and prayers to your partner.
I have started doing some inner child work and it's helping quite a bit.