But elsewhere, they argue that PTSD is often conflated with normal responses to difficult situations, which has led to increased pressure on services to make this diagnosis. “The conflation of stress with trauma—and of trauma with PTSD—has become rife.
“The conflation of stress with trauma—and of trauma with PTSD—has become rife. This is the most convincing explanation for overdiagnosis,” they write. Other factors, such as the role of “compensation culture” and vested interests of the “trauma industry” might also be involved, they say.
No—Stephanie J Lewis, Gerard Drennan, and Sarah Markham
In fact, the reverse is likely to be true: convincing evidence indicates that PTSD is much more commonly underdiagnosed, which has concerning implications. PTSD is a well studied and established disorder.
PTSD can be misdiagnosed as the symptoms or behaviors of other mental health conditions. Conditions such as anxiety, depression, acute stress disorder, and more, have similarities to PTSD. It is important to note that not everyone who experiences a traumatic event has PTSD.
People with PTSD have intense, disturbing thoughts and feelings related to their experience that last long after the traumatic event has ended. They may relive the event through flashbacks or nightmares; they may feel sadness, fear or anger; and they may feel detached or estranged from other people.
One of the main criticisms of the diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder is that it has been constructed out of sociopolitical ideas rather than psychiatric ones. However, most psychiatric conditions reflect changes in human thinking over time.
The psychodynamic perspective attempts to bring repressed traumatic experiences out of the unconscious, where they are perceived as more toxic, and address them by helping patients to understand the relationship between hidden impulses, anxiety, and defense mechanisms.
A strong personal statement from your spouse, boss, co-work, or someone who knows you well can help prove that your mental health symptoms are worse, which means you're likely to get a higher VA rating for PTSD in less time.
Indeed, studies have suggested that the proportion of patients with PTSD that remain undiagnosed may be substantial [6, 19,20,21], with one study reporting that only 11% of adult patients in primary care that met diagnostic criteria for PTSD had a recorded diagnosis of PTSD [6].
Common Negative Stereotypes of PTSD
There is a general public perception of PTSD that can make it difficult for individuals with this mental disorder to be open about their symptoms. Public stigmas surrounding PTSD are based on stereotypes and discrimination, usually neither accurate nor helpful.
PTSD results from and extreme trauma such as what happens in a hurricane, earthquake, trauma experienced in war. PTSD is bad enough but DESNOS is even worse than that. DESNOS results from repeated and long term trauma. In other words, the negative experiences are prolonged and repeated.
People can forget they were exposed to traumatic events because the brain does not process and store trauma memories like regular experiences. However, the trauma can remain in the subconscious mind for years without victims realizing they have PTSD.
Overdiagnosis Leads to Mismedication
These medications may come with adverse side effects, exacerbate symptoms, or, as discussed above, cause an individual to give up on professional treatment altogether. Ultimately, mismedication due to overdiagnosis can do more harm than no medication at all.
Yes, you can have CPTSD and BPD together. Research suggests that BPD may occur more often when CPTSD is diagnosed than CPTSD occurs when BPD is diagnosed. There's also evidence that the two are more likely to be connected when the initial trauma stems from physical neglect and emotional abuse.
PTS symptoms are common after deployment and may improve or resolve within a month. PTSD symptoms are more severe, persistent, can interfere with daily functioning, and can last for more than a month. Most people with PTS do not develop PTSD.
Of the four indices examined, psychophysiologic reactivity to trauma-related cues appeared to be the most robust predictor of PTSD.
Complex PTSD
It is caused by multiple traumatic events, not just one. Complex PTSD is common in abuse or domestic violence cases, repeated exposure to war or community violence, or sudden loss. While they share the same symptoms, treatment of complex PTSD is a little more intense than uncomplicated PTSD.
Psychiatrists are crucial to the effective treatment of PTSD. There are psychiatrists who have specialised expertise in treating people with PTSD. A psychiatrist can help with: diagnosing PTSD.
People with PTSD can see the world as a very dangerous place. And because they focus on protecting themselves from it, it's often difficult for them to go out in public.
The process of struggling to adjust your worldview can lead to greater clarity about life's meaning and purpose. Those who experience trauma also might develop a deeper sense of connection to something larger than themselves, whether spiritual or religious in nature or just the world as a whole.
Avoiding trauma memories or reminders may impede the natural recovery process that would allow for heightened arousal to decrease over time (Foa & Kozak, 1986). Avoidance may also reinforce PTSD symptoms by signaling the individual that the memories are in fact dangerous (Foa & Kozak, 1986).