diagnosis

Hello

I have been around the site for a little while now and normally dont venture much further than the cutting and just for fun forums .... I've had a little look at some of the threads and what PTSD is etc ... I have been unwell for a year or so now and since august have been going daily to a day hospital with e breif stay as an inpatient in early september. I have got to know some of the staff at the unit particularly well and they are obviously aware of the things i am struggling with. Yesterday i was talking with my key worker and half way through our conversation she said ' well in my experience most people with PTSD .....' and i was like but i dont have PTSD i'm only depressed and then she said that she felt from other patients she has worked with and the things i have disclosed that i was very likely to be suffering with it...... This is the first time it has been mentioned to me and i have my review with the consultant tomorrow and i wondered how important it is to actually be diagnosed will it make a difference to me???? .... I just wondered i guess whether or not it is something i should raise again or just leave it and carry on as i am ... I am currently awaiting a psychology appt to be able to work through some things but i am currently on an 18week waiting list so will be at least feb before i am even assessed as of to what therapy will be best for me!

Thanks for reading

Hi hon and welcome to this forum. I think if you do have PTSD and it is understandable that you may well do given your history, then it is important to know about so it can be treated appropriately. There are treatments for PTSD and they can really help so I think it is worth looking into. First thing first - speak to your consultant and ask them what they think.

Hugs

Cracked

Hello lonely-girl,

I think it is important that you raise the question of PTSD.

The treatment for PTSD and the treatment for solely depression is probably going to be quite different, so if you do have PTSD it is going to be important that you get diagnosed so that you can get effective treatment. Also if someone has a traumatic event in their history and has PTSD (even if they don't realize it) that may be the underlying reason behind the depression. So in that case, treating the PTSD is going to help the depression get better because the depression is symptomatic of the the PTSD and underlying traumatic event.

Thankyou for your replies .... I had my consultant review yesterday and planned on mentioning it then but I didn't know how too and therefore didn't have been thinking about asking my key worker who comes to my review to talk with the consultant about it. Although I have been given an appt for psychology next week they managed to get me an appointment sooner than 18weeks! So I don't know if I should just leave it until I see them and then they can decide ..... It's consuming my mind alot at the moment trying hard not to obsess over it too much at the mo.

Thanks again

Hi - I think it is important that both your Con and the psychologist have an idea of what is going on ad with the Con your Keyworker is a great person to help you broach the subject. The psychologist will prob be looking for it anyhow but it would not hurt to ask them too what they think - tho they may want a few sessions to decide. I am really glad you have an appt sooner than 18 weeks.

Hugs

Cracked

I never managed to bring this up with the consultant at the unit and have had the first bit of my psychology assessment ..... On my discharge note from the day hospital under diagnosis they put depressive episode and past childhood trauma .... is that ptsd or something different i just don't know and not sure i entirely understand it

Well past childhood trauma is not technically a diagnosis but it could be written there for the purposes of making the next person who sees you aware that you have that in your history and to watch out for any signs from conditions that are caused by childhood trauma, which would include letting them know to watch out for potential signs of PTSD...