How do I know if I have PTSD?

Some of you may have seen my posts under survivors of abuse. I have been doing research and found that I may have PTSD, or complex PTSD. How do I know if I have that?

--sarc

because of the change over to a new mental health system in 2013 and the fact that treatment providers get supplemental updates frequently telling them privately of changes and additions to mental disorders, symptoms, diagnostics and how to treat disorders, you will only know if you have a mental disorder if a treatment provider diagnosis you with one. here in America we do not have the diagnosis label CPTSD. here is what PTSD diagnosis's that are here in America. keep in mind I am not saying the problem does not exist. Im saying its not called that here in America. here its more individualized. a treatment provider asks you questions, you do some tests then based on your own individual way that your PTSD symptoms affect you, you will be given a diagnosis of one of these...

Trauma- and Stressor-Related Disorders
Reactive Attachment Disorder
Disinhibited Social Engagement Disorder
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
Acute Stress Disorder
Adjustment Disorders
Other Specified Trauma- and Stressor-Related Disorder
Unspecified Trauma- and Stressor-Related Disorder

some of these are only diagnosed in children.

the Unspecified Trauma and stressor-related disorder is used in emergency situations like in the ER then later gets changed when a person sees their regular treatment provider, its a short term temporary diagnosis.

Other Specified means the treatment provider has a private for their use only listing of diagnosis's and diagnostic criteria, when you get diagnosed with this you will get a diagnosis name and it will look like this on your files OSTSRD - (Name of disorder from private treatment providers only list of disorders) CPTSD is not one of the disorder names on the list that is not public and its very hard to get diagnosed with any of the 5-15 disorders on the private, not for public use listing)

my own CPTSD diagnosis is called Acute Stress Disorder.

Hi there.I haven't read any of your other posts to even try to guess,which nobody here should try to do anyway.

The best way to know is to seek out a professional opinion.

Thank you for a very thorough explanation of this. I have seen therapists, but I have never been "diagnosed" with anything. I do know I suffer from Panic Attacks and depression, but when I read some of the symptoms of PTSD and its link to my childhood abuse trauma, I believe there may be a potential. I guess I will have to ask my therapist for a diagnosis. I am currently seeing a Marriage Family Therapist, so my guess is only a Psychiatrist or Psychologist can make these diagnoses?

--sarc

You may have PTSD. If you can recall specific episodes, there is no doubter.

Me, for example, I can remember a specific day that still haunts me... what I call "a dividing date".
I would have flashbacks in dreams that were so real and vivid, and some of the content is buried away only to be awaken through a dream.

Having been diagnosed with multiple things over many years....I've quit even caring what any provider wants to call what is going on with me. Especially when one doc will argue against what another doc diagnosed. For myself - when listening to a provider say I have this, or that, I ask myself - does this diagnosis really explain what I am going thru? Does it capture everything, or is it just a "part" of something larger? And the even bigger question is - will the treatment proposed address what I feel needs help? I've known for about 20 years I have CPTSD (which isn't even a "thing" in America, yet, but will probably be included in the next update of diagnoses) - but wasn't diagnosed with PTSD until last month...despite multiple psychiatrists, psychologists, therapists, and counselors. So, my thoughts in regards to you - if you suspect you have PTSD, learn about it. Which it sounds like you are all ready doing. If what you learn seems to resonate with you, and makes sense to you, find a doc / therapist / counselor you can talk to...and bring up the conversation with them. Learning about PTSD on your own might give you the words to better be able to describe what you are experiencing, to that provider. A good provider will help you explore the possibility of whether or not you have PTSD, and WHY they think you do or don't. I truly think a large part of my "partial diagnoses" for so many years was due to my inability to clearly communicate what was going on with me. I'd seek help for depression, anxiety, panic attacks, at different times; whatever was bothering me most at that particular time. It took both me connecting some dots, and a good therapist also connecting some dots, to reach the point of being able to say - ok - there's something bigger going on here, that is behind all that depression, etc. So, be your own advocate. Explore the possibilities. Then discuss with a provider.

Any treatment provider can diagnose PTSD, for more refined or specific diagnosis some therapists in the USA do have their special credentials that allow things like diagnosis and medication prescriptions now.

my suggestion is ask your treatment providers if they are able to administer diagnostic evaluations for mental disorders or if you need to be referred out to a treatment providers that do diagnostic evaluations for mental disorders.

yes CPTSD is a thing here in America. it just has a different name for it. here things are more client oriented where they look at symptoms, then match the symptoms and diagnostics.... example my CPTSD symptoms are called Acute Stress Disorder. Another person that I know they also have CPTSD, when their treatment provider did their transferring of their diagnosis's over to the new disorder names her individual CPTSD symptoms and how they affect her is called PTSD with adjustment disorder characteristics. another friend of mine who has a diagnosis of PTSD the way their CPTSD affects them is called Acute Stress Disorder with psychotic features.

my point yes CPTSD does exist here in America and is recognized just by a different name according to how each persons symptoms affect them,

its kind of like how some people call that bubbly soft drink soda and others call it pop and others call it by its trade name Coke. here in America we have a whole new listing of mental disorders and sometimes the names of our mental disorders don't match the names of other locations mental disorders, it doesn't mean it doesn't exist or as you call it "isn't a thing" its just called something different.

Just a bit of information treatment providers are moving away from textbook wording from clients, here in America there is no right or wrong way to tell a treatment provider whats wrong. they actually disregard or question for more details when someone comes to them using textbook wording that can be googled and researched. they know when someone has been researching their problems.

lets put it this way...

a sibling went to their treatment provider and said I think I have CPTSD because I have long term trauma, avoid stimuli of traumatic things, negative changes in my moods, changes in arrousal, …changes in speech and I don't always remember what I am doing...

therapist asked her later on in the conversation whether she was able to take care of her basic needs, get up, pick out her clothing, whether she felt about her energy levels... my siblings response in normal non googled language "oh yea I can do all that for myself and you should see me when I get going on cleaning the house, I just rip on through getting the work done and then I go to the gym. (my sibling did not realize that in CPTSD Arrousal did not mean having problems with sex, it means whether or not a person has the energy level to go about their day, rather than staying in bed all day in deep depression.) right there the treatment provider smiled and asked "do you have internet on your cell phone or a computer where you can look up things like your meds and your health problems?" my sibling said yes. the treatment provider said to her.. "ok lets start over and this time tell me about your problems in your own words because what you just told me based on google and internet forums is that you have erectile dysfunction coupled with Schizophrenia and mania. there have been changes to what you see online since the change over in 2013 that does not get released for posting online"

end result my sibling told in her own uncoached by google and internet forums what her problems were and received a diagnosis of major depressive disorder, a phobia, and an adjustment disorder name that is not listed anywhere in the public media.

so though researching and googling is well and good, and I do it myself, expect a treatment provider to ask lots of questions to get to the nitty gritty and past what you see on the internet, in books and movies. disorders are not just about what you find out there on the "net" they are going to be looking at, looking for those accompanying symptoms, the stuff that is not on the internet.