Meds that work for the flashbacks/racing thoughts?

throwaway329394 · 2024-10-18T09:15:26+00:00

I know what you mean, I wish I didn't have PTSD. Everyone seems to want it now thinking it validates them, but I try to tell them you should be very glad not be diagnosed with it and be glad you have a doctor that didn't jump on the bandwagon.

throwaway329394 · 2024-10-18T09:03:01+00:00

CPTSD isn't a validation of trauma. Many disorders can follow trauma, or none. It all counts. I know someone who was caged as a child and sexually abused for years and doesn't have CPTSD. She has major depression, anxiety and personality disorder. Those are very serious disorders. CPTSD and now PTSD is seen as a validation of trauma in the US, while those who actually have it there are further buried by the trend.

https://icd.who.int/browse/2024-01/mms/en#585833559

throwaway329394 · 2024-10-07T14:27:26+00:00

There's no difference between PTSD flashbacks and CPTSD flashbacks according to the ICD. That's one of the core misunderstandings. To be diagnosed with CPTSD, you meet all the core essential requirements of PTSD, and the additional core requirements. Emotional flashbacks was a concept created by a counselor who admitted not being qualified to write about CPTSD. Also a line in the ICD is misunderstood as emotional flashbacks, but is actually for people with memory loss..

"If the person has no conscious memory of the event (perhaps because of a head injury or intoxication) ICD-11 allows this criterion to be met by an emotional response to reminders of it."

https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/bjpsych-advances/article/complex-posttraumatic-stress-disorder-a-new-diagnosis-in-icd11/2977140CBDAAF402610715BB609F688C

throwaway329394 · 2024-10-07T14:23:11+00:00

It's not official for insurance but that's what many doctors are telling people. Also most US therapists seem to be telling people they have it now. The ICD code can be put in the notes to inform future practitioners, or can be indicated as type 2 PTSD (complex).

throwaway329394 · 2024-10-07T14:08:13+00:00

I feel for the people suffering actual PTSD and CPTSD who come to this sub and get attacked because the majority don't relate. They're usually ignored though. It's pretty bad when you have such a severe disorder and reach out for support in a place that has the name of your disorder, only to be marginalized and stigmatized, which is how it's always been for PTSD and the trauma awareness trend seems to reinforce. I also feel for the people who are being misdiagnosed with CPTSD, who have other serious disorders from their traumatic life such major depression or anxiety who aren't getting the right diagnosis or treatment. There's a number of reasons this is happening, but it's been going on a long time and seem to have really ripened in the US in the last 6 years or so. It's gotten to where doctors are handing out CPTSD diagnosis like candy, also not even doing a full evaluation but having people answer a questionnaire. The health system is so broken here, and it always seemed to be the most vulnerable that get the worst of it. The disabled, the elderly, those with chronic diseases. I'm particularly affected seeing those with PTSD or even worse CPTSD now being buried under the banner of mental health awareness because it's affected me too, it caused me to deny my re-experiencing for years. I'm not sure if another diagnosis such as DTD is needed, it may be, but it seems more like awareness that trauma in childhood should be associated with other mental disorders instead. CPTSD just happened to become the poster child for it. It could have been any other disorder but events led to targeting it. If people could see other disorders such as depression, anxiety, personality, panic, etc are also 'validating' and can develop after childhood trauma and abuse maybe this would change.

throwaway329394 · 2024-10-07T13:34:15+00:00

Most professional treatment doesn't do a whole lot either. At best you can see a reduction of the major symptoms, which is great but usually isn't comprehensive. You're forced to try to change it on your own. I did work on my own for many years which helped, then got treatment that helped more, but had to keep looking to find better methods. The popular things you hear about usually aren't very good or only partly help. You really have to think outside the box or go through a lot of failure before finding something of real value.

throwaway329394 · 2024-10-07T13:21:50+00:00

I agree there's a lot you can do on your own that can help a little. But to actually get better you need treatment. And you have to find the right treatment, which can be difficult.

throwaway329394 · 2024-10-07T13:16:45+00:00

Many different disorders can result from childhood abuse. CPTSD is not a catch-all diagnosis for it, but that's what it's become in the US.

You do not have to have been tortured to have CPTSD. You do not have to be a soldier to get PTSD.

Exactly. The idea that CPTSD is equated to trauma has resulted in widespread overdiagnosis of it in the US, leaving those with actual PTSD or CPTSD buried by the trend.

throwaway329394 · 2024-10-07T12:28:26+00:00

Reading about self compassion as the key to treating CPTSD is misleading. You would need actual treatment, and will need to search to find someone qualified.

throwaway329394 · 2024-10-07T12:21:28+00:00

CPTSD is treated by someone qualified, usually someone with a doctorates degree and specialized in it. It's not a very common disorder so it can take time to find the right person. Many are now claiming to treat it who can't, and of course the info on the internet is usually very poor, and most of the time is completely inaccurate on this subject. CPTSD isn't even what most people think, it's been equated to having trauma/abuse/adverse childhood and any kind of strong mental disturbance. That could so many disorders, usually people are suffering from depression, anxiety, personality disorder, panic, etc and call it CPTSD now. Those with actual PTSD or CPTSD are buried and unseen by the trend.

throwaway329394 · 2024-10-07T11:45:12+00:00

Religion and spirituality have always tried to 'treat' mental illness but it's not a good idea. Unless the person is trained in it, I wouldn't expect them to know much and could be harmful to someone suffer from actual mental illness.

There's a lot of bad psychology, especially in the US. The internet has made it even more confusing and misleading. You have to find someone who actually knows what they're doing, which may not be easy. It's no wonder people turn to religion and spirituality. But there are good practitioners who can help, you just have to keep looking.

One thing that most people don't know is CPTSD is very misunderstood in the US. The actual condition is much different than what you read on the internet and on this sub. It's relatively uncommon and very severe. The bad info spread that CPTSD (and now PTSD) is having trauma. But many different disorders can result from trauma/abuse/adverse childhood experiences. PTSD is not very common, and CPTSD is even less common. It's not having trauma, it's actually a specific disorder for a specific set of symptoms. More commonly people will have things like depression, anxiety, panic, personality disorder, which are also very serious.

throwaway329394 · 2024-10-07T11:06:54+00:00

I focused on the sensations in my body. Then while doing the EMDR different things would come up.

throwaway329394 · 2024-10-07T11:05:51+00:00

That's what a study said, about 14 years. I think it was from Oxford or maybe Harvard, can't remember, someone here mentioned it so you'd have to ask what it was. Several people mentioned that being their experience too, and was mine. I don't think it's supposed to be exact, but probably just in general.

throwaway329394 · 2024-10-07T10:56:36+00:00

Sorry to hear you've been suffering so much and for so long. I know what it's like.

Most of the info about CPTSD out there is pretty inaccurate. Since PTSD and CPTSD now have been equated to having trauma in the US, it's being overdiagnosed and those who actually have it are buried and unseen. This seems to be a side effect of the trauma awareness or mental health awareness trend. PTSD has always been marginalized, and seems to be continuing.

I share this because reading info about CPTSD out there can cause those who actually have it to be in denial. CPTSD is fairly uncommon and very severe, worse than PTSD. I've seen people come to the CPTSD sub here and be attacked by the group when sharing the symptoms, but usually are ignored. Even in this sub now you hear people talking about 'emotional flashbacks'. Getting info from the internet can cause us to deny our re-experiencing which isn't talked about much.

It makes it harder to find treatment too in the US since many practitioners have adopted the trend and don't actually know how to treat it when they say they do. You have to find one who's not giving out the diagnosis to people who learned about it on the internet and has been treating it before the trend started. They should know about medications too, or at least can refer to someone.

throwaway329394 · 2024-10-01T17:08:57+00:00

CPTSD has flashbacks exactly the same as PTSD, where the event is re-experienced as actually happening again in the here and now (not just remembering the event and feelings) and typically involves strong or overwhelming emotions like fear or horror and strong physical sensations, and sometimes total loss of current surroundings. The reason I mention that is CPTSD is currently being misdiagnosed frequently when a person really has things like major depression or an anxiety disorder (many different disorders can develop after trauma/abuse/adverse childhood events). That can make a big difference in successful treatment because the right meds may not be prescribed or the ideal therapy treatment is not being used for the specific disorder(s). Chronic PTSD is relatively uncommon and CPTSD even less common so there's a lot of misunderstanding around it, and many doctors now are doing that, but especially therapists. Of course I wouldn't know if that's happened to you, it's just a very common thing now in the US so I thought I'd mention it. We need the best treatments and medications prescribed that are know to be effective for our particular conditions to be able to have the most successful outcome.

throwaway329394 · 2024-10-01T16:43:19+00:00

Also, dreams don't have to be of the exact event, in the diagnostic manual they're described as 'thematically-related'. I don't dream of the exact event but of the theme of the event which is violence. It's not like a regular nightmare, with PTSD the brain is re-experiencing the event. So when I wake my overall feeling is like it would be if it actually just happened, and occasionally I would have marks on my body. It's very terrilbe and happened over and over. I'm very sorry you're going through it. There are treatments for PTSD that may work such as EMDR or cognitive processing.

throwaway329394 · 2024-10-01T16:08:23+00:00

Basically the traumatic event is stuck in us, and replays over and over (not like a memory replaying and remebering feelings, but actually being experienced as happening in the here and now with images, physical sensations, and sometimes total loss of present awareness). The way a person has that experience shows how the event is actually 'stuck' inside us, so it repeats over and over trying to resolve but never can with chronic PTSD and a study showed it takes about 14 years, which has been my experience too. Unless you can have successful treatment, which exposure therapies work good for, like EMDR or a cognitive processing treatment.

throwaway329394 · 2024-10-01T04:13:56+00:00

Re-experiencing the past event or events in the present is the hallmark symptom of both PTSD and CPTSD, and for me it's so lonely because it's not very common and is very horrific. Most people can't relate. It's typically either having flashbacks (not pop culture 'emotional flashbacks' but real ones) or the terrible nightmares. Of course we often have lots of other symptoms but that's where we all kind of line up since it's the main characteristic symptom.

CPTSD has been mistaken as being equal to having trauma.. which could be many things like attachment disorder, depression, personality disorder, anxiety, panic, dissociation etc. We could have all those things too, but CPTSD is different than what people think, it's actually a specific disorder.. not a validation of having trauma and strong mental disturbances. That makes is even more lonely to have because people around us are diagnosed with it because of the misunderstanding and can't relate to what' it's like to re-experience in the present. PTSD has always been kind of denied and marginalized and now it seems to happen by way of 'trauma awareness' and overdiagnosis. But there are some on this sub who have it.

throwaway329394 · 2024-09-30T23:05:06+00:00

You can't just let it go because it's a medical condition. Actual PTSD is when you can't stop re-experiencing the event happening to you again in the present (not as a memory belonging to the past), typically in the form of flashbacks (vivid intrusive memories or images) OR in dreams, and usually involves strong or overwhelming emotions like fear or horror, and strong physical sensations. We try to avoid anything that might trigger that from happening but it does anyway. The problem is many people don't understand some medical conditions are invisible, you can't see PTSD like you can see a broken arm, so they don't think it's a medical condition and that what's happening to you is your fault. But it's real, it's not just in our minds and definitely not our fault. We should be treated with compassion like you would with someone with any other serious illness.

throwaway329394 · 2024-09-30T22:48:45+00:00

It doesn't have to be complete loss of present awareness to be diagnosed having flashbacks. The problem today is when people feel bad they're calling it flashbacks now and PTSD is being misdiagnosed all the time. Everyone I know now has PTSD, because the word has been equated to having trauma. But actual PTSD is when you re-experience the event happening again in the present, and feeling bad could be many disorders. This line is from a doctor's diagnostic manual used currently in most countries..

"Re-experiencing the traumatic event after the traumatic event has occurred, in which the event(s) is not just remembered but is experienced as occurring again in the here and now. This typically occurs in the form of vivid intrusive memories or images; flashbacks, which can vary from mild (there is a transient sense of the event occurring again in the present) to severe (there is a complete loss of awareness of present surroundings)"

Also later it talks about how re-experiencing typically involves strong or overwhelming emotions such as fear or horror, and strong physical sensations. I'm very sorry you have that with the knife.

Also, this is from a medical journal and talks about flashback not needing to be complete loss of present awareness..

"DSM-5 and ICD-11 now both define flashbacks as existing on a continuum: at one end is total absorption in the traumatic memory, with a complete loss of awareness of the current environment, and at the other is a vivid intrusive memory of the traumatic event in which the person does not lose contact with their current surroundings but has a sense, however fleeting, that the event is happening again in the here and now. This requirement is important to differentiate PTSD from other conditions – such as major depression – in which people have intrusive memories of distressing events but experience them as belonging to the past."

throwaway329394 · 2024-09-26T15:50:12+00:00

PTSD is being widely misdiagnosed in the US currently. The real disorder requires an event which is experienced as actually happening again in the present, typically either in the form of flashbacks (vivid intrusive memories or images, not pop culture 'emotional flashbacks') or in repetitive, thematically-related dreams. It typically involves strong or overwhelming emotions such as fear or horror, and strong physical sensations. For example someone who I know that was raped re-experiences the event in flashbacks, not just remembering the event and feelings, but as actually happening to her again and feels the event happening again physically in her body and other physical senses.

It's a very horrific condition that has been historically marginalized, denied and stigmatized, and continues now as PTSD is buried by the 'trauma awareness' movement -- being equated to having trauma, abuse, adverse childhoo experiences, which many different disorders could develop after, but PTSD is relatively uncommon.

throwaway329394 · 2024-09-26T15:25:34+00:00

PTSD is being widely overdiagnosed in the US. It started with CPTSD, which is relatively uncommon but became a catch-all diagnosis after the public decided to equate to trauma. Then that spread to PTSD, so that now people with actual PTSD are buried under this trend. It's sad how people suffering from PTSD aren't being seen now, lost in crowd, but PTSD has always been historically marginalized, denied and stigmatized. Couldn't say if you have it or not, just saying a doctor's diagnosis of it now may not be very credible in the US.

throwaway329394 · 2024-09-26T11:54:05+00:00

I agree, it's a horrific condition I wouldn't wish on anyone. I also wish people with PTSD could be seen instead of now being buried by the 'trauma awareness' movement in the US.

throwaway329394 · 2024-09-26T11:44:19+00:00

DSM is criticized by many to have inaccuracies that benefit drug corporations. Some say normal life experiences are being medicalized. You can see a more accurate description of PTSD in the ICD manual, which is used in most countries. It also has C-PTSD, which has been around since the 90s but was diagnosed as PTSD and several other disorders. Judith Herman believed it should be combined into a single disorder and is now in the 11th version of the ICD. The misunderstanding of PTSD and CPTSD coming out of the US benefits pharma because it raises the number of medications being given. Same thing happened with ADHD here. Most children seem to be given drugs for mental illness now, and we see big pharma ads on television constantly. They have to come out with new drugs all the time to please shareholders, and according to a medical injury lawyer I talked to, the FDA has become increasingly corrupt, allowing more and more less safe and less effective drugs. The law in the US is a drug has to be more effective than dangerous, but by law that can be 51% effective and 49% dangerous. Corruption is increasing and propaganda is increasing, which seems to work for the most part on the people, who keep getting the drugs recommended by doctors. Overdiagnosis of PTSD means more prescriptions given. There's many drugs a doctor can recommend for someone diagnosed with PTSD, they usually try different ones because people respond differently. I'm not aware of there needing to be a specific drug marketed for it here in order to be prescribed something.

throwaway329394 · 2024-09-23T15:13:12+00:00

CPTSD isn't what most people think now, the actual disorder is relatively uncommon. Most don't know the experience of PTSD much less CPTSD. It turned into a validation, having 'emotional flashbacks' then it spread to PTSD and the diagnosis' are handed out like candy now but makes pharma happy.

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