Can The Diagnosis Be Right?

[Lilhelp]

I've been diagnosed with PTSD.

In my heart of hearts I don't believe I have this. I've done tons of reading on this and just looked at alot of the informative information here.

How do you tell a therapist "Ummm, no I don't have that". Sounds almost comical I'd be pooh-poohing someone in authority or I mean educated and tell them I don't have what they say I do.

Is that odd? I mean has anyone else ever felt that way? Thanks so much.

 

[Halo]

Lilhelp,

The first thing that comes to mind when reading your post is have you ever asked your therapist why he/she believes that you fit the criteria for PTSD. What symptoms have you exhibited that leads your therapist to believe that PTSD is the diagnosis that you have. Maybe instead of just flat out saying I don't have this and I don't believe you, if you were to listen to his/her reasons as to why they came up with this diagnosis it would help you to get another persons perspective in order for you to see yourself in a different light and be able to re-evaluate the criteria and diagnosis.

Now you may do this and still find that you don't feel like you fit the criteria of PTSD. I do think that being able to talk to your therapist about why you feel you don't fit the criteria specifically would be great because your therapist is only doing his or her best to determine what is going on with you by the information and or knowledge that they have at the moment.

Just some thoughts.

Take care

 

[Lilhelp]

Nancy, Thank you so very much for your reply.

It may be time for me to find a new therapist. Actually it is time. I'm not being responsible for my own mental health as this therapist has always seemed in a hurry. I see the psychiatrist like every sixth appointment and it's been that on those days is when she really digs in with me. As in gets pretty in depth. Otherwise it's the ol' "write a letter". I been writing letters to half the free world since I have been seeing her.

Not trying to blame her as it's on me to help me, but I know if I questioned her on the PTSD she'd tell me t write a letter to myself. It doesn't help either that I can hardly understand her as her accent is thick. I truly like her as a person. Nice lady, but I'm going to try through my insurance carrier for another therapist to try.

Thank you again, Nancy.

 

[Auburn]

Lilhelp;

I know you posted this awhile ago, but I understand completely what you mean. My husband and I have both been diagnosed with PTSD, and it was VERY difficult to grasp. Such as you did, I scoured sites, did alot of reading, but I don't think I let it sink in. I think for us, it was that we didn't want to have PTSD, and felt weak thinking it was now part of us. I don't mean to imply that you do for certain have it. But, as Nancy said, just listen to the reasoning behind the diagnosis. It might be that denial has crept in, or it might be that you don't fit the diagnosis. For us, it was intially denial. But once we took the time to evaluate ourselves, which isn't fun or pretty btw, we realized that this was indeed something we would have to accept and deal with.
Take care of you, I hope you find a new doctor that helps you more in the way you need.