Question:
It seems that having PTSD is the in thing nowadays. Can’t understand why. I suspect that if those who have never had the nightmares, intrusive thoughts, anxiety and depression that goes along with PTSD actually had to suffer as we do the statement that "I’ve got PTSD too" would lose some of it’s flash! I have no question that many people have serious problems to deal with, some as debilitating and difficult to live with as PTSD. Their decision that they would rather have PTSD than bi-polar disorder (or have both) for example (an example only), makes it all the more difficult for all of us. Pdoc’s already are about to give up on PTSD patients, with far too many that don’t believe that it’s a real disorder at all. Now that it’s becoming fashionable it’s going to become all that more difficult to get good therapy and treatment. In psychiatry you don’t broaden the definition of an illness to get anyone interested in working on it. I can understand why some veterans want to "have" PTSD. As I’ve complained in the past, there is real money to be had if you can come up with a convincing story. I’ve been watching several vets "get their story straight" over the last several months. A little bit of my trauma, a little bit of another legitimate vets story and if no one who knows what makes sense and what doesn’t isn’t around to say anything they just might get their disability award. In a way that makes sense to me, lying for money is a legitimate way to make a living today. Why all the others want to have PTSD is what makes no sense to me. I’ve decided (with the help of a pile of benzos) not to get angry about it, as much as possible that is, but I have grave doubts that anything will ever make much sense to me again (at least the way I would like it to). But then nothing has made much sense to me for over thirty years anyway. Larry L.
Response:
"Lawrence Lusk" <lelvn…@charter.net> wrote in message
news:tou4oqhmtsjne3@corp.supernews.com… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> It seems that having PTSD is the in thing nowadays. Can’t understand why. I > suspect that if those who have never had the nightmares, intrusive thoughts, > anxiety and depression that goes along with PTSD actually had to suffer as > we do the statement that "I’ve got PTSD too" would lose some of it’s flash! > I have no question that many people have serious problems to deal with, some > as debilitating and difficult to live with as PTSD. Their decision that they > would rather have PTSD than bi-polar disorder (or have both) for example (an > example only), makes it all the more difficult for all of us. Pdoc’s already > are about to give up on PTSD patients, with far too many that don’t believe > that it’s a real disorder at all. Now that it’s becoming fashionable it’s > going to become all that more difficult to get good therapy and treatment. > In psychiatry you don’t broaden the definition of an illness to get anyone > interested in working on it. > I can understand why some veterans want to "have" PTSD. As I’ve complained > in the past, there is real money to be had if you can come up with a > convincing story. I’ve been watching several vets "get their story straight" > over the last several months. A little bit of my trauma, a little bit of > another legitimate vets story and if no one who knows what makes sense and > what doesn’t isn’t around to say anything they just might get their > disability award. In a way that makes sense to me, lying for money is a > legitimate way to make a living today. Why all the others want to have PTSD > is what makes no sense to me. I’ve decided (with the help of a pile of > benzos) not to get angry about it, as much as possible that is, but I have > grave doubts that anything will ever make much sense to me again (at least > the way I would like it to). But then nothing has made much sense to me for > over thirty years anyway. > Larry L.
As you expressed early on, it was dealing with the anxiety, the intrusive thoughts, the depression, the hyper-vigilance, and not knowing that a biological entity such as PTSD might explain myself to me, that left me undiagnosed and misdiagnosed for most of my life. It took years of therapy, and the gradual unfolding of my life in my own words, before I could even accept that PTSD was a valid descriptor for me. My childhood was normal, for me, but it took a lot of time and effort for me to realize that it was anything but typical. And to then grasp how that childhood terror had transformed my ability to react to the world around me….I still struggle with that daily. One day at a time, one step at a time. There will always be "fad diagnoses". Repressed memories, multiple personalities. Whatever. I wish I didn’t have such an intimate knowledge of this one. Regards, Larry
Response:
Lawrence Lusk <lelvn…@charter.net> wrote in message
news:tou4oqhmtsjne3@corp.supernews.com… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> It seems that having PTSD is the in thing nowadays. Can’t understand why. I > suspect that if those who have never had the nightmares, intrusive thoughts, > anxiety and depression that goes along with PTSD actually had to suffer as > we do the statement that "I’ve got PTSD too" would lose some of it’s flash! > I have no question that many people have serious problems to deal with, some > as debilitating and difficult to live with as PTSD. Their decision that they > would rather have PTSD than bi-polar disorder (or have both) for example (an > example only), makes it all the more difficult for all of us. Pdoc’s already > are about to give up on PTSD patients, with far too many that don’t believe > that it’s a real disorder at all. Now that it’s becoming fashionable it’s > going to become all that more difficult to get good therapy and treatment. > In psychiatry you don’t broaden the definition of an illness to get anyone > interested in working on it. > I can understand why some veterans want to "have" PTSD. As I’ve complained > in the past, there is real money to be had if you can come up with a > convincing story. I’ve been watching several vets "get their story straight" > over the last several months. A little bit of my trauma, a little bit of > another legitimate vets story and if no one who knows what makes sense and > what doesn’t isn’t around to say anything they just might get their > disability award. In a way that makes sense to me, lying for money is a > legitimate way to make a living today. Why all the others want to have PTSD > is what makes no sense to me. I’ve decided (with the help of a pile of > benzos) not to get angry about it, as much as possible that is, but I have > grave doubts that anything will ever make much sense to me again (at least > the way I would like it to). But then nothing has made much sense to me for > over thirty years anyway. > Larry L.
Larry, As far as I know the treatment of PTSD is generally not a priority of pdocs, at least any of mine! ……my doctors known since a very triggering incident 11 years ago, I suffer PTSD, yet except for rx of valium for a week, and therapy bout the incident itself, I have recieved no psychiatric treatment for the PTSD, always and only for depression all these years…which didnt work out for me cause SSRI’s given harmed me more than helped me… I dont know why they chose to leave sleeping dogs lie regards the PTSD, unless it was because during the therapy for the incident I was triggered 10 times more in therapy than by the incident itself, and being I had tremendous responsibility and couldnt afford to wig out as result of therap for the PTSD, they chose to leave it alone all these years… Its only been just the last year my responsibilities finally lightened enough to work on what is really wrong with me, and I have a PDOC does so treating symptoms rather than a dx, and insists I not concern myself with dx, just the symptoms….. Which I dont, until someone like LarryH or Peter posts posts of a abusive, threatening, and bullying intentionally trying to trigger and successfully doing just that…reminding me just how fragile this PTSD makes me if someone desiring to trigger my PTSD on line can so easily incite the spiral down into hell… I didnt use to be so vulnerable or fragile or so easily triggered… I wonder if its cause I am smack in the middle of therapy, or something,,, so my normal defenses are down,,, but I haven’t learned healthier ones yet, and in this in between point I am extremely vulnerable… or is it as life goes on and bad experiences in adulthood continually compound problems, by tearing at the never healed but suppressed childhood wounds until you become a total mess… I dont know, I lived with PTSD for so long now, I cant imagine what it be like to live without all my fears, intense anxiety, painful flashbacks, nightmares…etc or maladaptive behaviors (usenet currently) I engage in to spare myself some of the worse of it….even if there are pricks on here who then trigger me badly as price for some relief… …
Response:
Lawrence, Some of those vets you’re talking about did 20+ years in ‘jobs’ (MOS’s) that would drive your average Joe to quit 3 years into the ‘game’. Or not even make it out of Basic Training. Way too much required for their tender minds and bodies. Try being a Combat Medic and deal with death, dying, disease and the survivors, every single day whether in war or ‘peace’. Or a Combat Infantryman who left his brain in ‘Nam and in the process killed hundreds and lost dozens of his buddies for back to back tours in country. The V.A. can and will spot a bs-er during intake. The whole process can take years before they decide that c/o your life-long or wartime service to your county it has turned your mind into a permanent mine field. Loading up on Valium, booze, etc. is NOT a way out. I don’t think your average non-combat military cook, admin specialist or budget analyst would have much of a chance at a V.A. Compensation and Pension hearing. Loner — Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.274 / Virus Database: 144 – Release Date: 8/23/01
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