My Experience with PTSD
Hi guys, I’m curious as to what equates to post traumatic stress, I went through a particularly traumatic event last year and over the past few months I have been experiencing what seem to be symptoms of PTSD, this event was extremely traumatic for me and has left me terrified of anything to do with that particular subject and I have been having flashbacks of the event which are terrifying and upsetting, along with various other symptoms. This event however is not considered to be traumatic for most, it was just traumatic for my due to my anxiety around it and my particular experience with it. So my question is, am I likely to be taken seriously if I bring up PTSD to a mental health professional with regards to something that isn’t traumatic to someone else? I have been worried about mentioning it to anyone incase I am laughed at for being so affected by what happened to me, despite it not being traumatic for another person? For a little context, it was a medical procedure i had to go through that is generally considered routine, my experience however was not routine. I’m just scared of mentioning it because I know PTSD is commonly associated with military veterans having gone through an obviously traumatic event, among others, whereas mine would not be considered traumatic to most. Sorry for going on a little rant but I’ve had this building up in my head for months and I needed to get it out lol. If I have said anything offensive or incorrect about PTSD or the PTSD community, firstly, my apologies and secondly please let me know what and why it was wrong or offensive so I can rectify it and learn. It is not my intention to offend anyone as I know this is a very sensitive topic, thank you so much guys! :)
Edited by Asher, 7/15/21
You’d definitely need to find a professional to get an official diagnosis. But that being said I don’t think you’d be laughed or a have your emotions belittled for a something that did have a traumatizing effect on you. I’ve been diagnosed with CPTSD (complex-PTSD) and while it is common with veterans, I was not in the army or served in any kind of capacity and my therapist recognized it right away haha. Your trauma is valid, I’m sorry you had to go through something so scary, and just because you experienced something that might not be common with other people doesn’t mean your trauma isn’t real. Hope this helps!
@ListenerBeth The official criteria are complicated, but it's easy to find a summary by searching the Internet. Here's the first one I found: What Is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder?
Therapists I know (in real life, not here at 7 Cups) tell me that even if you do not meet all the official criteria for PTSD, the treatment still works. A formal diagnosis might make a difference for insurance or legal purposes, but it's not really necessary if you just want to recover.
So no, you will not be laughed at because it's related to a medical procedure. All traumatic events affect people differently.
Charlie
Hi Charlie, thank you so much for the information :) I live in the UK so I don’t have insurance to answer to luckily, I think it’s just for my peace of mind that people understand I’ve been through something that terrified me and has had a huge impact on my life because right now, I don’t have that recognition and I feel like a doctor recognising and helping me treat that would help me with my own confusion around the diagnosis. I hope that makes sense, thank you so much for helping me feel better :)
THIS is the definition of PTSD according to the DSM-5, the most authoritative compilation of diagnoses used by mental health professionals and institutions worldwide, published by the American Psychiatric Association (APA).