What Is Ptsd For You/ Is This Ptsd?

[littlelion]

I've been emotionally abused for a long period of time and I suspect that I have some sort of PTSD (judging from tests online). I don't experience flashbacks, and that's one of the first things I think of when I hear "PTSD".

So I wonder, what is PTSD for you? Do you have to have flashbacks to have the condition? I often feel that I get a lot of anxiety and the same thoughts and feelings as those I had when the abuse was going on when I'm reminded of the abuse in my daily life - someone raising their voice, having a certain attitude etc. I feel like the way I react to it (someone yelling for example) isn't a "normal" reaction, at least not for people who isn't triggered by it, I guess...

I just feel like I'm overreacting... I know there's nothing dangerous about the current situation happening for the moment, but still I have the same feelings and thoughts as when the abuse was going on... although I know it's nothing to be upset about really... the yelling doesn't even have to do anything with me, just hearing someone being mad at someone else is triggering and makes feelings and thoughts from the abuse come back.

Please write whatever comes to your mind about what I've written... I don't know if what I'm experiencing is some sort of PTSD/something like it or whatever... so getting to know what you think would be a big help as I'm quite confused.

 

[Deleted member 1860]

It sounds like you may have emotional flashbacks. Not all flashbacks are visual, although many think they are. (I've only had visual flashbacks during the few months around my diagnosis. I've had emotional flashbacks my whole life.)

I suggest you find a professional trained in treating trauma patients. (Many say they treat PTSD but its in a general sort of way---avoid these people.) Unfortunately many therapists aren't all that knowledgable about the different kinds of flashbacks!

 

[mamachick]

Hello and welcome. I agree with Solar. In the meantime, you could look around the site and find many posts that describe others experience, as well as articles that describe what the terms mean. You do not have to have every symptom. This site has been very informitive for me and very much of a support.

 

[twopenny]

Oh, now that's interesting, thank you for posting this.

I thought I didn't get flashbacks - but based on the replies you've got, it seems I may just be getting a different kind of flashback (I too have always thought it was a visual / audio reliving).

 

[naturebaby_85]

Little lion - please know you are never exaggerating with regards to how you feel or how you react to the trauma you have gone through - you are entitled to that reaction, please be kind to yourself.

Great post, I too assumed I never had flashbacks because expected them to be visuals and I have little recollection of the child abuse in the way of visual flashbacks, but plenty of visual flash backs from my partners infidelity.

 

[Leah123]

Hi, here are the latest requirements for a diagnosis of PTSD. Intrusive symptoms like flashbacks are one of the criteria, but like the other posters alluded to, it's not necessarily movie-type visual flashbacks, trauma can intrude in a few ways.

It can be confusing to try and self-diagnose, because there are a lot of other conditions that have some common symptoms. A professional can help evaluate if your symptoms fit the criteria you and give you a correct diagnosis to help you get the right treatment:

Criterion A: stressor

The person was exposed to: death, threatened death, actual or threatened serious injury, or actual or threatened sexual violence, as follows: (1 required)

Direct exposure.
Witnessing, in person.
Indirectly, by learning that a close relative or close friend was exposed to trauma. If the event involved actual or threatened death, it must have been violent or accidental.
Repeated or extreme indirect exposure to aversive details of the event(s), usually in the course of professional duties (e.g., first responders, collecting body parts; professionals repeatedly exposed to details of child abuse). This does not include indirect non-professional exposure through electronic media, television, movies, or pictures.

Criterion B: intrusion symptoms

The traumatic event is persistently re-experienced in the following way(s): (1 required)

Recurrent, involuntary, and intrusive memories. Note: Children older than 6 may express this symptom in repetitive play.
Traumatic nightmares. Note: Children may have frightening dreams without content related to the trauma(s).
Dissociative reactions (e.g., flashbacks) which may occur on a continuum from brief episodes to complete loss of consciousness. Note: Children may reenact the event in play.
Intense or prolonged distress after exposure to traumatic reminders.
Marked physiologic reactivity after exposure to trauma-related stimuli.

Criterion C: avoidance

Persistent effortful avoidance of distressing trauma-related stimuli after the event: (1 required)

Trauma-related thoughts or feelings.
Trauma-related external reminders (e.g., people, places, conversations, activities, objects, or situations).

Criterion D: negative alterations in cognitions and mood

Negative alterations in cognitions and mood that began or worsened after the traumatic event: (2 required)

Inability to recall key features of the traumatic event (usually dissociative amnesia; not due to head injury, alcohol or drugs).
Persistent (and often distorted) negative beliefs and expectations about oneself or the world (e.g., "I am bad," "The world is completely dangerous.").
Persistent distorted blame of self or others for causing the traumatic event or for resulting consequences.
Persistent negative trauma-related emotions (e.g., fear, horror, anger, guilt or shame).
Markedly diminished interest in (pre-traumatic) significant activities.
Feeling alienated from others (e.g., detachment or estrangement).
Constricted affect: persistent inability to experience positive emotions.

Criterion E: alterations in arousal and reactivity

Trauma-related alterations in arousal and reactivity that began or worsened after the traumatic event: (2 required)

Irritable or aggressive behavior.
Self-destructive or reckless behavior.
Hypervigilance.
Exaggerated startle response.
Problems in concentration.
Sleep disturbance.

Criterion F: duration

Persistence of symptoms (in Criteria B, C, D and E) for more than one month.
Criterion G: functional significance

Significant symptom-related distress or functional impairment (e.g., social, occupational).
Criterion H: attribution

Disturbance is not due to medication, substance use, or other illness.

 

[EvenStrongerNow]

Hi little lion, that's exactly one of the ways PTSD affects me. You describe it perfectly

 

[Abstract]

Like the others have said there can be other types of intrusive symptoms than visual flashbacks. Figuring it out can be an impossible thing without a proper trauma specialist doing the diagnoses. It's even more complex than the information Leah put up as there has to be a certain amount of things such as the intrusive symptoms per week as well.

If people don't quite meet the PTSD diagnoses and have similar symptoms they do sometimes meet the Adjustment Disorder diagnoses which is also linked to having experienced difficult things too.

[DLMURL]https://www.myptsd.com/c/wiki/adjustment-disorders/[/DLMURL]


Here is a bit of information that discusses conditions that have similar symptoms:
"Differential Diagnosis(top)

Major Depressive Disorder: If an individual has symptoms that meet criteria for a major depressive disorder in response to a stressor, the diagnosis of an adjustment disorder is not applicable. The symptom profile of major depressive disorder differentiates it from adjustment disorders.

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Acute Stress Disorder: In adjustment disorders, the stressor can be of any severity rather than of the severity and type required by Criterion A of ASD and PTSD. In distinguishing adjustment disorders from these two posttraumatic diagnoses, there are both timing and symptom profile considerations. Adjustment disorders can be diagnosed immediately and persist up to 6 months after exposure to the traumatic event, whereas ASD can only occur between 3 days and 1 month of exposure to the stressor, and PTSD cannot be diagnosed until at least 1 month has passed since the occurrence of the traumatic stressor. The required symptom profile for PTSD and ASD differentiates them from adjustment disorders. With regard to symptom profiles, an adjustment disorder may be diagnosed following a traumatic event when an individual exhibits symptoms of either ASD or PTSD that do not meet or exceed the diagnostic threshold for either disorder. An adjustment disorder should also be diagnosed for individuals who have not been exposed to a traumatic event but who otherwise exhibit the full symptom profile of either ASD or PTSD.

Personality Disorders: With regard to personality disorders, some personality features may be associated with a vulnerability to situational distress that may resemble an adjustment disorder. The lifetime history of personality functioning will help inform the interpretation of distressed behaviors to aid in distinguishing a long-standing personality disorder from an adjustment disorder. In addition to some personality disorders incurring vulnerability to distress, stressors may also exacerbate personality disorder symptoms. In the presence of a personality disorder, if the symptom criteria for an adjustment disorder are met, and the stress-related disturbance exceeds what may be attributable to maladaptive personalty disorder symptoms (i.e., Criterion C is met), then the diagnosis of an adjustment disorder should be made.

Psychological Factors Affecting Other Medical Conditions: Specific psychological entities (e.g., psychological symptoms, behaviors, other factors) exacerbate a medical condition. These psychological factors can precipitate, exacerbate, or put an individual at risk for medical illness, or they can worsen an existing condition. In contrast, an adjustment disorder is a reaction to the stressor (e.g., having a medical illness).

Normative Stress Reactions: When bad things happen, most people get upset. This is not an adjustment disorder. The diagnosis should only be made when the magnitude of the distress (e.g., alterations in mood, anxiety or conduct) exceeds what would normally be expected (which may vary in different cultures) or when the adverse event precipitates functional impairment."


I am sorry you were exposed to all of that and are still suffering in this way. I know you said you are 17. Have you ever thought of seeing a therapist? Is there anyone who you can talk to?

It's really good that you are starting to reach out for help.

 

[littlelion]

Hi little lion, that's exactly one of the ways PTSD affects me. You describe it perfectly

I'm happy to hear that I'm able to describe in such a perfect way to you. Makes me feel more certain about that what I'm feeling is "real", or that I'm not totally lost in all of this. Great to know that you're not alone, you know.

 

[littlelion]

If people don't quite meet the PTSD diagnoses and have similar symptoms they do sometimes meet the Adjustment Disorder diagnoses which is also linked to having experienced difficult things too.

[DLMURL]https://www.myptsd.com/c/wiki/adjustment-disorders/[/DLMURL]


Here is a bit of information that discusses conditions that have similar symptoms:

Thank you for the information! It's good to know.

I am sorry you were exposed to all of that and are still suffering in this way. I know you said you are 17. Have you ever thought of seeing a therapist? Is there anyone who you can talk to?

I have seen a therapist, not because of any trauma, though. Well, sort of, maybe... I started seeing a therapist because I was struggling with SI (self injury), and then we kind of talked a little about the abuse, I think (that's one of the main reasons to why I started hurting myself). I've talked more about it with an adult at the school I went to before, though. My therapist and I mostly talked about school, my mean classmates and my SI... I don't feel like she gets me and because of that I haven't talked with her about it that much, I think.

That person at school and I talked about it some. I discussed things with her when dad had done things that weren't okay, and she could relate to it as she had problems with one of her parents growing up, as well. Now I'm in another school, so I'm not able to see her anymore, though.

Before, there was a person I felt like I could talk to. She was really good and I wish I could tell her everything. She got another job and has been gone for quite some time now. I haven't talked with her for a long time, and her job isn't being a therapist either, she's more like a teacher. Anyways I barely see her nowadays and I can't talk with her about things like before.

I have plenty of trust issues and other issues with relationships to other people because of the abuse in the past, so I don't feel like there's anyone I'm able to talk to about it. I feel like it's kind of a mess, and now I can't deal with that, I have to survive, staying alive, you know. I'm functioning in the daily life and I feel like I don't have any strength to go back in the past and talk about it or anything, even though I guess it's needed.

It's really good that you are starting to reach out for help.

Thank you, I'm happy to hear that.

 

[falling]

I also didn't realize flashbacks could be of the emotional sense and not visual. I haven't had visual flashbacks in years but now I realize I get flashbacks so often. This explains a lot. And I've never read or been told that. Thanks for posting and tho I'm sorry your here I'm glad I'm not alone.

I was diagnosed by a doctor after my describing my trauma and how my life just fell apart after. I am in Therapy again now as I have relapsed into PTSD recently after being "ok" for years. I think you should really look into seeking a Therapist that can help you get a medical diagnosis and then treatment.

 

[littlelion]

I also didn't realize flashbacks could be of the emotional sense and not visual. I haven't had visual flashbacks in years but now I realize I get flashbacks so often. This explains a lot. And I've never read or been told that. Thanks for posting and tho I'm sorry your here I'm glad I'm not alone.

As others have written I didn't know there was such a thing as emotional flashbacks, until I found it out reading the replies in this thread, that is. I guess I just automatically thought that a flashback was a visual one... maybe because of the way it is in movies etc. I'm happy to be able to help others realize that there are more than visual flashbacks.

I was diagnosed by a doctor after my describing my trauma and how my life just fell apart after. I am in Therapy again now as I have relapsed into PTSD recently after being "ok" for years. I think you should really look into seeking a Therapist that can help you get a medical diagnosis and then treatment.

Yes, I probably should, I know. The thing is, I'd feel ashamed to go and tell my mom or someone that I think the abuse has been traumatic to me... but, that shouldn't be too much of a surprise, should it... I don't know if I've really let anyone know how much the abuse has affected me, I don't think anyone knows that I still suffer from what has happened in the past. And honestly, it'd be so much easier to just carry on with life like nothing ever happened.

I think that's what I've been doing for some years now, going on with life without thinking about it at all. It was only recently that I realized that my past is still affecting me in a pretty serious/major way. I've gotten plenty of support online and it has really helped me. I understand that there are things that I have to work with in real life in order for it to get better, but I don't feel like I can do that right now. What am I supposed to say? "Hey, I think I have PTSD or something like that. I would like to get help." I guess that would be a good thing to say. Or at least that my past is affecting me in a negative way even to this day. I think that I've been thinking for some time now that when I get older (like 20 or something), I can start to try to take care of it. Maybe I'd feel like less of a burden to my family if I did so. The thought of letting anyone know about it as things are now makes me nervous, like I'm attention-seeking and greedy... wanting people to help me... I know that's not true, me being attention-seeking or greedy just because I want help, it's just my past that has screwed it all up, the way I am... the way I see things...

Personally, I'd say that I feel like I know some things, at least. I don't feel like I'm completely lost. I know some of the things I need to work on and some of the ways my past has affected me, which is a good start, really.

Do you think it's better to get help as early as possible (in my case seeing a therapist with knowledge about trauma and things like that I guess), and not wait? It probably is... but why? I'm afraid I won't do anything about my past until I'm grown up, if even then (maybe I feel like life is okay)... I think I'm ashamed of having to let people know that I'm not as healthy as they think I am, my past still affecting me in negative ways.