siniang
Policy Enforcement
I keep wondering how one is to distinguish between actual trauma (that may or may not cause PTSD) or something that's merely been an "unfortunate event" in life.
I know the criteria for trauma in the DSM-5 are pretty concrete. The ICD-10 is more vague: "The patient must have been exposed to a stressful event or situation (either brief or long-lasting) of exceptionally threatening or catastrophic nature, which would be likely to cause pervasive distress in almost anyone."
During my initial assessment, T had asked me about 'trauma' in my life. When I asked what she means by 'trauma', she replied with 'things that felt traumatic to you'.
Thing is ... even my initial trauma that has clear PTSD symptoms/triggers, didn't feel 'traumatic'. Still doesn't. Just an unfortunate event. Shrug.
How am I supposed to know whether event xyz in my life was actually traumatic/bad and potentially impacted me in one way or another without me realizing it?
I know and understand that all kinds of things can have all kinds of lasting impacts on mental health, not just PTSD. And sometimes - often? - they don't. Just like most people experiencing even qualifying trauma, don't go on to develop PTSD.
So, parsimonically, if you're not experiencing concrete symptoms/distress regarding things related to event xyz, they more likely than not did not have a lasting effect.
Only. We have minimalizing of symptoms. We have things like repressed memories. We have compartmentalization and dissociation.
It matters insofar that in order to work on improving my mental health (not necessarily specific to PTSD)? I need to identify what caused it to plummed in the first place. To process traumas, to remove stressors/triggers, etc. I need to know what to process/remove.
I default to just not talking about 'stuff'. Because I default to 'they weren't a big deal'. Didn't impact me. Nothing to see here.
Only. Did they really not?
And I don't want to make a fool out of myself by bringing up random event xyz to T (or anyone, for that matter), which probably might have been distressing to almost anyone (or maybe, not?), but I don't have any particular emotions towards or reactivity whatsoever, so probably didn't leave any lasting mark. You know how when we start looking for ghosts we tend to end up seeing ghosts? Doesn't mean the ghosts suddenly become real. We can totally work oursevles into thinking something was more important/impacting/whatever than it objectively and actually really was. Overinterpretaion is very powerful and very human. Kind of like when you learn about certain symptoms for some disease, good chance you start seeing those symptoms in yourself. And most people have really bad judgment, particularly when it comes to themselves. We either minimalize or blow completely normal things compeltely out of proportion. Depending on your end goal (that you may or may not be aware of).
When I joined the forum, one of the things I read in one of the threads was that it's super common for newly diagnosed PTSD folks to look back every single event in their life, regardless how teeny tiny, to evaluate whether or not that's been traumatic and adding to the development of PTSD or other mental disorders. And in most cases, no, there's nothing to be found. But sometimes there is? As many threads here are testament to.
I'm a cause-and-effect person. I don't believe someone can 'feel like utter shit' for no particular reason - cause - at all. And when working on specific things doesn't bring progress, chances are there are still puzzle pieces missing, no?
I'm also a person that prefers cold facts. Anything that's open to interpretation and manipulation? Really uncomfortable. Broken bone? Yeah, easy. Broken mind? You sure you didn't merely work yourself in a frenzy? You sure you don't just want 'pity points'? Because, ya know, shit tons of 'bad' stuff happens to a shit tons of people every single day (with and without consequences on their mental health). And what someone considers 'bad' is such a vague thing so severely open to interpretation to begin with.
Sorry for this incoherent mess of a post. My brains been cartwheeling and, between pretty bad emotional dysregulation AND imposter syndrome, been pulling me in very different, conflicting, directions.
I know the criteria for trauma in the DSM-5 are pretty concrete. The ICD-10 is more vague: "The patient must have been exposed to a stressful event or situation (either brief or long-lasting) of exceptionally threatening or catastrophic nature, which would be likely to cause pervasive distress in almost anyone."
During my initial assessment, T had asked me about 'trauma' in my life. When I asked what she means by 'trauma', she replied with 'things that felt traumatic to you'.
Thing is ... even my initial trauma that has clear PTSD symptoms/triggers, didn't feel 'traumatic'. Still doesn't. Just an unfortunate event. Shrug.
How am I supposed to know whether event xyz in my life was actually traumatic/bad and potentially impacted me in one way or another without me realizing it?
I know and understand that all kinds of things can have all kinds of lasting impacts on mental health, not just PTSD. And sometimes - often? - they don't. Just like most people experiencing even qualifying trauma, don't go on to develop PTSD.
So, parsimonically, if you're not experiencing concrete symptoms/distress regarding things related to event xyz, they more likely than not did not have a lasting effect.
Only. We have minimalizing of symptoms. We have things like repressed memories. We have compartmentalization and dissociation.
It matters insofar that in order to work on improving my mental health (not necessarily specific to PTSD)? I need to identify what caused it to plummed in the first place. To process traumas, to remove stressors/triggers, etc. I need to know what to process/remove.
I default to just not talking about 'stuff'. Because I default to 'they weren't a big deal'. Didn't impact me. Nothing to see here.
Only. Did they really not?
And I don't want to make a fool out of myself by bringing up random event xyz to T (or anyone, for that matter), which probably might have been distressing to almost anyone (or maybe, not?), but I don't have any particular emotions towards or reactivity whatsoever, so probably didn't leave any lasting mark. You know how when we start looking for ghosts we tend to end up seeing ghosts? Doesn't mean the ghosts suddenly become real. We can totally work oursevles into thinking something was more important/impacting/whatever than it objectively and actually really was. Overinterpretaion is very powerful and very human. Kind of like when you learn about certain symptoms for some disease, good chance you start seeing those symptoms in yourself. And most people have really bad judgment, particularly when it comes to themselves. We either minimalize or blow completely normal things compeltely out of proportion. Depending on your end goal (that you may or may not be aware of).
When I joined the forum, one of the things I read in one of the threads was that it's super common for newly diagnosed PTSD folks to look back every single event in their life, regardless how teeny tiny, to evaluate whether or not that's been traumatic and adding to the development of PTSD or other mental disorders. And in most cases, no, there's nothing to be found. But sometimes there is? As many threads here are testament to.
I'm a cause-and-effect person. I don't believe someone can 'feel like utter shit' for no particular reason - cause - at all. And when working on specific things doesn't bring progress, chances are there are still puzzle pieces missing, no?
I'm also a person that prefers cold facts. Anything that's open to interpretation and manipulation? Really uncomfortable. Broken bone? Yeah, easy. Broken mind? You sure you didn't merely work yourself in a frenzy? You sure you don't just want 'pity points'? Because, ya know, shit tons of 'bad' stuff happens to a shit tons of people every single day (with and without consequences on their mental health). And what someone considers 'bad' is such a vague thing so severely open to interpretation to begin with.
Sorry for this incoherent mess of a post. My brains been cartwheeling and, between pretty bad emotional dysregulation AND imposter syndrome, been pulling me in very different, conflicting, directions.
Last edited: