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Elysium · May 05, 2009, 07:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by _Sky

It probably isn't to anyone's benefit to discuss such a thing as "complex" ptsd.... you know? There isn't any such thing in the DSM-V. So no one can make such a diagnosis. It may just be the therapist's beliefs that it will be more difficult to treat for some reason because they can't find any one "cause" of ptsd? I really don't think it matters.

When a therapist gives such a label, what benefit is there? None, imo and in many other opinions. Complex PTSD as opposed to what? "Simple" PTSD? There isn't such a thing either! And maybe anyone with PTSD who doesn't find therapy early enough will develop what some misname as complex PTSD...as that is what ptsd does to life...each and every event thereafter is mishandled by the brain/mind causing the complexification of all the details of life.

PTSD is bad enough by itself. There is no difference in treatment, nor does there need to be, imo. Once the therapy can make a breakthrough, the brain begins to "file" all the similar events it had "miss-filed"..all on it's own. So no one needs to go through each and every traumatic memory to find some healing. Plus, there is no cure for PTSD whether a T feels it's complexed or not. There is only life without the constant interferrence that PTSD makes.

Plus, I think a patient feels worse for some reason because they have such a thing.."complex" PTSD rather than the true dx of PTSD...and no one needs that. PTSD is a nasty beast of a diagnosis. I'm sorry you've suffered but glad you are receiving help to learn how to live with the beast.

Actually Sky, I have to disagree with you here. I have been diagnosed with complex PTSD myself, and had this verified by several different mental health practitioners.

What I have learned in my treatment, Complex PTSD is a new Dx that they are looking at adding in to the DSM. It will probably make it into the DSM VI. It did not go into the DSM V because they were running into some difficulties with the legal language of the Dx, as it is similar to Borderline Personality Disorder. They felt that they still have some work to do on this and are looking at how they need to update both diagnoses to make the language more clear.

It is true that, in the grand scheme of things, it is no better or worse to have PTSD vs Complex PTSD. They are both terrible disorders to have and there is not one that is technically worse than the other. The main difference between the two is that PTSD is typically related to a singular event like a natural disaster, a car crash, death of a loved one, rape, where Complex PTSD is related to a prolonged exposure to trauma, such as repeated sexual abuse, long term witnessing of domestic violence, emotional abuse, long term physical abuse, long term torture. To say that a therapist would make the diagnosis of C-PTSD because "they can't find any one cause" for the PTSD is not correct. This diagnosis is made when there is LONG TERM exposure to trauma, as opposed to one singular event.

There are some differences in treatment, but they are very similar. The main differences are that with the C-PTSD, the focus is more in-depth and geared towards changing thinking and behavior patterns that have become more firmly ingrained into a person, along with safety plans and work on decreasing the anxiety/panic that comes with the disorder, whereas with PTSD, the treatment is not as in-depth and lengthy.

I know that there are a lot of educated people on this site and that everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but I don't believe it is appropriate to say that a diagnosis doesn't exist just because it hasn't been added into the DSM at this point. It can be very invalidating when someone comes in and says that something so real to you doesn't exist. As if to say that our experiences are not worthy of being noticed as more extreme.

I look at PTSD and C-PTSD as it is on a continuum, kind of like the continuum of dissociation. One is just a little more extreme than the other. It doesn't mean anyone is more special, or more devistated than another without the word "complex" before their disorder. It just means that there is a noted difference in the disorders etiologies, symptoms, and treatment.

I realize that this was your opinion and you are entitled to it. I do have to say though, that simply placing the word COMPLEX in front of PTSD is not something that makes me feel worse because the word is there. I think that's kind of flippant actually. What makes me feel worse is the 21 years of emotional and physical abuse and neglect I experienced growing up. You can put whatever word you want in front of it...you could call it ridiculous-PTSD, it still wouldn't change the fact that it is post-traumatic stress on the more extreme end of the continuum.

Take care!!