Traumatic Experiences Community Daily Check-in Thursday October 11th

@Heather225

I've always looked at my diagnosis as just words. Some doctor stuck a whole bunch of labels on me and sent me on my way. Right or wrong, it doesn't matter much in the long run. My mind is seriously messed up and that's all I need to know.

I read the article and I thought, this is what I keep trying to tell people. It's not that I'm afraid of something that might happen. I'm afraid of something that has happened. Not just a single isolated incident, but things that have happened over and over and over. Safe things and safe places turned to nightmares. Walking into the kitchen makes me nauseous, that's not normal.

So on that note, how are you today?

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I don't think I've ever been misdiagnosed with it because I've always been really self aware. I remember going to the doctors as a teen and the doctor ended up telling me that I needed to move out. There wasn't any medication or anything they could give me, that for my own health I needed to get out because that was the root cause of everything.

That being said I think that article had a huge amount of useful information. Its stuff I've had to figure out the distinction for myself. For example I get alot of the same symptoms as someone with general anxiety and panic attack disorder. However my demons are very very real. My anxiety is largely based around things that have happened or things that have nearlly happened. People will often treat my fears in the same way they would treat someone with general anxiety as though I am blowing things out of proportion. I normally ignore them because yer, to them these things are something that happens on tv, your fav soap opera, dramas, read in books, see posts about in magazines. To me its reality. Its not something removed from me, a boggie man in my closet. No its real, and its scary as fuck. I am scared because its scary. Its really hard to rationalise something won't happen when its happened more times than you can count, normally everytime you relaxed and felt safe.

Techniques for dealing? Main skill you need is patience, patience for yourself, for everyone else around you. You likely won't be understood, and you likely will spend half your time feeling frustrated and depressed. Good days and bad days aren't as seperate as people want to believe. Learn to breath before you panic, allow yourself to trust people (just select those people VERY carefully), respect yourself - you are worth something, find something that helps you seperate the past from the present.

People with generalised anxiety more likely to develop complex PTSD? No. Its a totally totally different thing. I mean I will never know if I was predisposed towards anxiety as it was my whole childhood. But honestly, you go through stuff like that. You suffer. Sorry, I don't care how stable, level headed, anything you were, you came out dramatically changed even if you don't acknowledge it. The anxiety and paranoia come from HAVING to live in fear to stay safe. Anyway, yeh. way I see it noone goes through complex trauma and don't get some effect, anxiety or not.

@Heather225

I've never been diagnosed for anxiety or trauma so I guess I haven't been misdiagnosed.

as far as GAD and CPTSD... I feel like it would depend greatly on what's causing the GAD. If someone is triggered repeatedly over time I suppose it could evolve into CPTSD. For the most part though I think they are not related.

I'm not sure I'd feel comfortable going to the open chat today.

Just a hi

I just want to say hi.

Hey all im here just writing up my Check in for here for friday

@Heather225

⭐ Do you ever feel like you have been misdiagnosed (or have you)?

Yeah my mum had some messed up Munchausens by proxy stuff going on and made me sick and tried to convince my inability to concentrate was ADHD when actually I was being traumatised by her and all the other stuff.. mmm too triggering

⭐ What kind of techniques have you learned for coping with complex trauma?

grounding, creative stuff and mindfulness help a little bit

⭐Do you think people with generalized anxiety are more likely to develop complex trauma, or are they completely different?

I dont understand this question …anxiety comes from the complex trauma and is based on what has already happened. General anxiety is about what might happen. I dont know the data about if that goes on to cause trauma, I wouldnt think so? Biggest difference is with generalised anxiety they have more opportunity to get into a safe place to sooth the anxiety. When we have trauma, inside us is unsafe so we cant get safe by soothing alone. We have to experience ourselves surviving similar situations to our trauma and regaining our sense of power.

@Heather225

Hi Heather thank you for sharing that article with us, there are some informative pieces in it... I don't feel like I've ever been misdiagnosed, even if there are a lot of diagnosis in my file... it is all caused by trauma, even if there's an anxiety diagnosis, a borderline diagnosis, an eating disorder diagnosis or a depression diagnosis... that those are all diagnosis itself, well, that's just cause of the classification systems, wether it DSM-5 or ICD-10, there isn't sth like Borderline Personality caused by Trauma.... so you have two diagnosis Borderline Personality Disorder and PTSD...
If people with Generalized Anxiety are more likely to develop PTSD, well, some studies found there is some kind of predisposition to develop PTSD, for example when there are overy reactive brain-body stress pathways or a dysfunctional brain stress circuit, so actually being on severe stress from an anxiety disorder for a long time, could encourage the development of PTSD after a traumatic event... But still the neurology of generalized anxiety and PTSD is different... so yes, the are different, but still, they are connected...
and actually, no matter what diagnosis there is in our files, if it's a mental or a physcial illness, if it's acute or chronical, it doesn't matter, every human deserves to be helped and respected...
yepp, so much about that hope you all had/have a good day

I personally believe that trauma is an accurate diagnosis for me. I do have aniety issues but it started after the traumas that I went through.

I am just learning some ways to cope with my disorder but the most important thing for me is having a network of people that understand and can help me when I need it. I also keep my apartment as a safe haven for myself. I don't let people in my space unless I have known them for a long tiime and I know what their motivations are. I tend to use various arts, music, deep relaxation, deep breathing and exercise to help when I can. Sometimes just focusing on learning something new helps me feel better as well.