frustrated

Why is it so difficult for some 'mental health professionals' to make a connection with (or tell the difference from) ptsd and psychotic episodes?!

(((volatile))),

I just saw your thread now. Yes, I hear your concern about this. I have noticed that PTSD is often diagnosed incorrectly as well. Often there is a thought that people are bipolar as well because of the up and down cycles of PTSD as well as the depression that comes and goes.

I had some diagnoses attached to me in a psychward that were just not true myself.
I was in shock and completely exhausted and I was also angry because of all the damage I had from someone's negligence. When I examine my records I said all the right things that were red flags to my real condition, something I was not knowledgable about myself at the time.

I have talked about this many times with my therapist, who specializes in treating PTSD and trama survivors. He told me that someone has to be trained correctly to see the signs and that yes, often someone with PTSD who only wants to feel safe can react poorly in an atmosphere where they are not safe and are confused, can be given the wrong diagnosis. It takes a trained eye to see that a person is exhibiting PTSD symtoms and not psychosis or bipolar, or narcissism or is schitzophrenic or whatever other disorder PTSD can be mistaken for.

If someone with PTSD is experiencing a lot of flashbacks and are in a great amount of fear and confusion because of it, they don't know themselves what is wrong and can get so frightened that they can really panic. I know myself that when I started experiencing flashbacks, I could not understand it at all and I thought I was going crazy.

When I was in the psychward, as I mentioned I said all the right things that should have CLEARLY shown the professionals that I was not only in shock, but also presenting with PTSD. NO ONE bothered to sit and talk to me and explain it to me and they also allowed my sister and husband to visit me and YELL AT ME. I was told "I better snap out of it and get with the program and that I would lose everything" as if I was doing it all on purpose or weak or over reacting. I left that psychward more exhausted and confused then when I went in. I was picked up by my husband who was so "mean" to me like I was some kind of disobediant child. And I was treated like that for months on end as well, which made me sink deeper into the condition.

So, yes, people who present with PTSD can be misunderstood and misdiagnosed and mistreated.

I am sorry if that happened to you. Yes, it does happen, as I am very aware of that myself.

Open Eyes

I am sorry OE and Volatile. I understand completely. I can completely relate to the psychward incident; I never ever EVER want to go back there again; I had a spookily similar experience to yours, OE. My hugs to you both.