[Carmina]

Finally after over a year of assessment and diagnostic processes I officially have a diagnosis of C-PTSD/Complex trauma disorder from the psychiatrist. I was pleased that she was able to determine this herself and not feel bound by the currently limited DSM/ICD categories. I was also very worried she would end up either saying there's nothing wrong with me and I just need to pull myself together or that I had a personality disorder ('Emotionally Unstable' probably) - the latter would have been the easier but more simplistic option but she believes the existing diagnostic categories need challenging which is great (so do I).

[Fuzzybear]

That’s rather amazing if you’re the side of the pond I think you are. I’m glad you found someone with the ability to listen and correctly diagnose.

[Thirty shades]

I am pleased you finally have a diagnosis. I hope finally mental health services in the UK are recognising CPTSD.

I have my GP that agrees with me that I have CPTSD but no official diagnosis as I have been rejected by mental health services for years. All that fighting to know what was wrong and worsened my condition. I now don't trust them enough to even attempt trying to get an official diagnosis.

[Carmina]

Yes it's good - the psychiatrist actually wrote a letter to the GP explaining why she was giving me a diagnosis that wasn't in the ICD-10 (and why she expects it will be added) and systematically differentiating it from the other possibilities we had explored and rejected (bipolar, EUPD, treatment resistant depression)

[Carmina]

Originally Posted by Thirty shades

I have been rejected by mental health services for years.

Why do they 'reject' you? Is it just because it's not in the ICD-10? That would be stupid.

[Carmina]

Originally Posted by Fuzzybear

I don’t trust the mental “health services” either, I’ve encountered far too many incompetent and even cruel “workers”

#me too

Services are either too cut back or in the hands of privateers

[Thirty shades]

Originally Posted by Carmina

Why do they 'reject' you? Is it just because it's not in the ICD-10? That would be stupid.

I was told I have nothing wrong with me accept reactive depression with anxiety. This was in early to mid 2000's.

I went for an appointment where I was invited in to a room and told the appointment was canceled. I begged for them to see me as I was very desperate at that time. They called the police to throw me out.

So I could never go back there now. And I am not allowed to go to another area because that is only available for physical health.

My GP believes I have CPTSD and a therapist who I paid for privately through Anxiety UK.

[Carmina]

I was worried the psychiatrist would end up saying there's nothing wrong with me but she did a really thorough job including having the team psychotherapist work with me for several months to get a full trauma history

If you have a private therapist and GP on your side could they perhaps liaise with the CMHT? It did take a long time for me to be properly diagnosed (and tbh for me to know myself fully)

[Fuzzybear]

Just here and reading ....

I’m saddened by some of the experiences people have had. Mine haven’t been good either with the “services”

Some of the things they say would be laughable if they weren’t so mean and sad or maybe that’s me and my stuff

As in i was apparently “paranoid about eczema” etc etc etc. I actually think my perceptions have usually been rather accurate