Okay I was at my therapist office and had to do those goal papers ...I was diagnosed today with PTSD...according to one of the goals on how to deal with it.

I am not sure how to feel or what to do. any suggestions...it wasnt a huge shock but now another thing to deal with. auntchris:eek:

I don't want to make it sound menial or something, Chris, but I have PTSD, and basically, from what I have come to understand, it's an extreme form of anxiety/panic disorder whose root is determined (by the doctor's theory) to be caused by a significantly horrid & traumatic event. (Or, sometimes, "events," plural.)

It is quite a diagnosis, usually doled out to victims of violent physical or sexual trauma (or military veterans), but it's not terribly difficult to understand with applied logic.

Basically, the diagnosis just means that you're anxious and have panic attacks (you already knew that) specifically because of something really really really bad that happened to you, no ifs, ands or buts about it. (Sometimes, people who have had bad stuff happen to them were able to move past it on their own somehow--I do not understand this, but apparently it's true--and thus they are, I suppose, not believed to truly have anxiety issues rooted in past traumatic events.)

Also, when giving a diagnosis of PTSD, the doc has to believe or just realize that those panic attacks and anxious feelings have been around for quite a large spanse of time. And also, I was told therapy would be lengthy and "iffy."

Personally, I said, "To hell with it, it's not going to leave my psyche, or fly out of my brain, so I'm just going to avoid paying for years of therapy with no guarantee of peace or tranquility as a result." Yes, I am a cynic. I pay a neuroshrink anyway, though, so I can shift him into "shrink" mode if I need to discuss some sort of issue (nightmares I'd stopped having over and over that suddenly come back or something like that.):confused:

Note, however, that I read books and meditate (part of the meditation is knitting, as odd as that sounds) on my own.

I'd had this stuff for a long enough amount of time, it was at a very significant level of intensity, and thus, it was written in my chart...and then, with the same pen, the doc wrote a prescription for a substantial quantity of Xanax with a substantial quantity of refills.:rolleyes:

In sum...
It's about the reason/origin for/behind the panic attacks and anxiety, not necessarily the symptoms themselves, though the level of intensity of said symptoms and the duration of time they've been around may be taken into account...if that makes sense. I just got an A- for being "too wordy," so I'm questioning my use of vocabulary now.:(

(This explanation of PTSD is "as far as I know," like I said. Someone else put their 2 cents in.)

Chrys

Okay I was at my therapist office and had to do those goal papers ...I was diagnosed today with PTSD...according to one of the goals on how to deal with it.

I am not sure how to feel or what to do. any suggestions...it wasnt a huge shock but now another thing to deal with. auntchris:eek:

chrys, I was not told what the root of the problem was I just read it on on of the goal sheets that I had to sign. I was physically abused from the kids at school and sexually abuse too but I was told I dotn have panic attacks. How can that be. I am not really ed ucated on this topic. It is hard for me to read alot of thing I have a hard time with comprehension. I need to be tested for dyslexia. Thanks for all the info I will try to write more later. Chris

CAUTION: I'M NOT IN YOUR HEAD(S), GUYS, SO FOR WHOEVER READS THIS, I THOUGHT I'D STICK A "POTENTIALLY GRAPHIC" WARNING ON IT. IT'S WRITTEN BY DOCTORS WHO PROBABLY HAVE NO PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH SEXUAL TRAUMA.


Ok...my noggin' isn't working very well today, either, but I managed to pull up a couple things for you:


Trauma and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Primary Care Patients
http://www.psychiatrist.com/pcc/pccpdf/v03n05/v03n0504.pdf (http://www.psychiatrist.com/pcc/pccpdf/v03n05/v03n0504.pdf)

Nonpsychiatric Illness Among Primary Care Patients With Trauma Histories and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
http://ps.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/full/53/7/848 (http://ps.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/full/53/7/848)
They're journal articles. I glanced through them. They MIGHT trigger some people, I don't know.

One thing I noticed from the first article Knitting Junkie posted is that people with PTSD had much lower GAF scores (Global Assessment Functioning). This to me means that PTSD probably takes a terrible toll upon people's ability to make a living, cope with family life, and develop and keep a support system. Therefore, this is a socially and economically expensive problem. Wouldn't you think then that governments would have some incentive to deal proactively with abuse? Instead witness what really goes on: Underreporting, underinvestigation of abuse allegations, underfunded foster care programs and adoption programs, and a reluctance to terminate parental rights when necessary to protect abused children. Children get returned to abusive homes all the time.

If, instead, there was a wider recognition of the personal, social, and economic toll abuse exacts and better systems to identify abuse, protect and treat the abused, and properly isolate serial abusers, we would have better family systems and a more productive society. Gee, I wonder why they don't do that?

When did I mention GAF scores?

One thing I noticed from the first article Knitting Junkie posted is that people with PTSD had much lower GAF scores (Global Assessment Functioning). This to me means that PTSD probably takes a terrible toll upon people's ability to make a living, cope with family life, and develop and keep a support system. Therefore, this is a socially and economically expensive problem. Wouldn't you think then that governments would have some incentive to deal proactively with abuse? Instead witness what really goes on: Underreporting, underinvestigation of abuse allegations, underfunded foster care programs and adoption programs, and a reluctance to terminate parental rights when necessary to protect abused children. Children get returned to abusive homes all the time.

If, instead, there was a wider recognition of the personal, social, and economic toll abuse exacts and better systems to identify abuse, protect and treat the abused, and properly isolate serial abusers, we would have better family systems and a more productive society. Gee, I wonder why they don't do that?

Chrys, I cant get into the links...... Chris

Hmm...well, the top one is a .pdf--you have to have Adobe Acrobat to load that one (Acrobat's free to download, but don't know if you want to mess with it.) Bottom one, though--should work...copy/paste on your browser, maybe? :confused:
Sometimes I click links on here and it doesn't work, but if I copy and paste them onto the address bar and then "enter," it works.

Gotta go. Good luck. If nothing else, go to www.pubmedcentral.org (http://www.pubmedcentral.org) and type in the name of those articles in the "Search" thing, and you're good to go. K? Still doesn't work, I'll e-mail it to ya.

Later..

Chrys

I have PTSD as well. I have it from surviving the 9/11 attacks in NY. I was in the 4th sub-basement in the building accross the street from the South tower, and less than 3 blocks away when it fell.

Here is a quick rundown of how I experience PTSD:


Seeing the event happening in my head over and over, all the time
Horror at the concept that the fear I had was probably nothing compared to what many who didn't make it experienced
Guilt that people would treat me special (because of the 2nd point)
Lack of comprehension that such an event was bound to affect me
Feeling like nobody had a clue what was going on in my head about it.
Fear and Anger towards any "inconsiderate" person who wasn't fully aware that things like running a yellow light in a car could endanger other people.

I didn't get help till after the first anniversary. Most of the symptoms I have are greatly diminished now, and under "control". For example, I don't see it like a looping movie in my head anymore. The best actions that helped me are talking about it with my doctor, and writing about it. Twice now on anniversaries, I have just sat in front of the computer and written whatever was in my head about it, and then sent it in to the newspaper where it was printed. Even though 99% of the readers wouldn't have a clue who I was, it was a huge help to me to get the thoughts out into a tangible form, and then share them.

For myself, I think that the affect that PTSD has on me is very similar to my ADD behavior. I tend towards living in a fog more often than experiencing the restlessness. I'm sure many of you can understand what an incredible source of daydream material that day provided me with.

I was actually not diagnosed with ADD till the past couple of months. I'm one of those people at 37 years old with the lights coming on and life making a little sense for the first time ever. I also believe that I may have gone a lot longer without the ADD diagnosis if it wasn't for the PTSD, since it was the same doctor that made the connection for me. Now I can actually give you a quick breakdown of how I see my life from a "here's how I work perspective"

Childhood ADD

Sub Culture immersion "looking for myself, or hyperfocussing on one aspect"
Drug and Alcohol abuse "self treatment"
Sobriety "hide in meetings and coffee shops to avoid life"
Control issues - take over control to force my life to improve
9/11 PTSD - sudden experience of absolute loss of control
ADD diagnosis - control tools no longer work

Hope some of this was helpful for somebody, I know it was great for me to write.

Thanks FoggyPhil,

You have been through alot. I wasnt even aware of the 9/11 thing going on till the landlords wife told to on the phone that day. It was hard enough to watch and deal with the emotions just watching it on TV; can't imagine being there. What a horrible experience to have gone thru. I am just glad you are okay...

Phil, I just technically found out that I have PTSD and just read a some information it that Lafnalot suggested at the bottom of this page. The realisation as Iwas reading it was yeah that is me ....I do that. Now I dont know how to deal with it and I also have other diagnoses that are hard to deal with....borderline personality disorder. I hate the name okay there is somethign wrong with my personality? Say what I dont want to b e this hard core person I have become as I have gotten older. This is not me, I dont mean you have to have a thick skin at times , as people have told me. I am so damn sensitive and have the hardest time sticking up for myself even with my psych ....well ya have any suggestion on how to handle this PTSD.... thanks for talking to me auntchris

When did I mention GAF scores?
The first link you posted mentioned GAF scores.

To me the hardest thing (besides the flashbacks!) about having PTSD, has been feeling singled out, isolated, separated. I always feel rather disconnected from what is going on, whether the events are good or bad. In a way this has been useful because I can observe things without getting involved. But sometimes it is lonely.

Anyone else feel that way?

yep that is me and my whole f**k*n life.... I hate it all the feeling with it...aunchris

Ohhh...I was just looking at what I, myself, had written! Silly goof...:confused:

Thanks...airhead moment

Chrys


The first link you posted mentioned GAF scores.

Disconnection has its ups and downs with me. Depends on the day. Some days I just feel crappy and can't get the crappy stuff out of my *******' mind. But then some days, I put it aside and focus on good stuff. That would be thanks to a heck of a lot of therapy. Still, I do admit that I feel sort of different...for example, in one variety of that "differentness," when one of my friends is going "Oh, I had the crappiest childhood because..." and it's like she had to share a room with her annoying sister or something.

And I'm thinkin', "Shut up, you didn't get molested for 4 years."

Does that sound anything like what you're saying, in regards to feeling different sociallly?

Chrys

Disconnection has its ups and downs with me. Depends on the day. Some days I just feel crappy and can't get the crappy stuff out of my *******' mind. But then some days, I put it aside and focus on good stuff. That would be thanks to a heck of a lot of therapy. Still, I do admit that I feel sort of different...for example, in one variety of that "differentness," when one of my friends is going "Oh, I had the crappiest childhood because..." and it's like she had to share a room with her annoying sister or something.

And I'm thinkin', "Shut up, you didn't get molested for 4 years."

Does that sound anything like what you're saying, in regards to feeling different sociallly?

Chrys

when I mean differently socially I mean immature....I am not where I should be age wise. There are other so much head of me that know so much more about life. I just feel out of place alot, to it depends on the situation too I think and the people. I am not sure how this relate ot PTSD...I just feel differnt at time and want to be like others.

re: GAF scores

Noone really uses them in the field these days. They are too non-specific...

RE: article

Nonpsychiatric Illness Among Primary Care Patients With Trauma Histories and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
http://ps.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/full/53/7/848 (http://ps.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/full/53/7/848)


Yup. One of the symptoms of People with Complex PTSD/DES-NOS (a variant of PTSD) is, actually, "somatization". e.g. headaches, chronic pain, auto-immune disorders (body attacking itself due to immune response to stress chemicals).


Pat Ogden's Trauma & the Body (http://www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/0393704572/ref=s9_asin_image_1/103-5383058-6839051)is a good book about this.

Basically, Stress fries our brains AND body, health-wise.

The website at www.cavalcadeproductions.com (http://www.cavalcadeproductions.com/) is also a good one, that VERY clearly illustrates the FALLOUT of psychological trauma, and how it "sets people up" for a string of disasters, and problems coping, as they go along, later in life.

The only treatment I have discovered is Sensorimotor Psychotherapy (http://www.sensorimotorpsychotherapy.org/), which is a bodily therapy to get the stress out of the body.

Psychiatry tends to see the trees (anxiety, depression, dissociation, psychosis, phobias, personality disorders), instead of the forest (eg early trauma).

Treating only the symptoms ('trees' like anxiety) never gets at the root CAUSE of what is creating the person's problems. And it does not teach "recognition of bodily states" and "self management techniques" for distress management, like this therapy does.

Pity that society has it's head so far up its youknowwhat , that we can't get on with helping people recognize how their past comes back to affect them even decades later. (eg www.acestudy.org (http://www.acestudy.org))

Even illnesses like Obesity and Smoking are linked to early life stress and trauma (eg poverty, violence, family substance abuse). It is said now in healthcare that Obesity-related Diabetes is going to [i]"bankrupt" the healthcare system in the next 10-20 years.

PTSD in my experience with ADHD is what made the progress of the illness to be so bad that I have to ask a doctor for 5-20 mg of Immediate release dexedrine up to four times a day because my symptoms are so inconsistent that they depend on any given environment.