PTSD Poll/Question Results - How do you classify your PTSD/C-PTSD?

PTSD/C-PTSD Poll/Question Results: How do you classify your PTSD/C-PTSD?

PTSD Poll/Question Results:

The results are now in for our latest PTSD/C-PTSD Poll/question: How do you classify your PTSD/C-PTSD?

Thanks to everyone who took part in our latest poll and your support and responses were greatly appreciated

The results are as follows:

40% of those who took part, classified their PTSD/C-PTSD as an illness (Physical, emotional or Mental Health)

33.3% if those who took part, classified their PTSD/C-PTSD as a disorder

26.7% of those who took part, classified their PTSD/C-PTSD as an injury

0% for Syndrome or reaction

However, you classify your PTSD/C-PTSD, what is most important perhaps more than a label is how you are affected by your PTSD/C-PTSD and how this interferes with your ability to have a happy, fulfilling and productive life as a result of the PTSD/C-PTSD. Whilst labels and diagnosis may open the doors to support, or to funding for specialist support and therapy, a label doesn't define who you are as a person.

There are some professionals who dispute well known diagnoses, some doctors who don't believe in DID or even illnesses such as Schizophrenia. But your experiences and your life and how you experience it is valid and does matter. There are some medical professionals who are in debate over PTSD/C-PTSD, arguing that complex/post-traumatic stress, is a normal reaction to serious and/or traumatising events in individuals lives. As the reasoning goes, if its normal, then it should be neither labeled a disorder, illness, syndrome, injury etc nor stigmatized.

However, you classify your PTSD/C-PTSD, there is a lot caught up in a name or label. But what do labels really mean? They rarely are complete explanations in themselves and are often used to label surface symptoms, but not underlying causes. In clinical practice they sometimes are useful, but almost as often, they can distract or obscure the real issues rather than guide people to the right treatment.

Having said that, for some individuals with PTSD/C-PTSD getting a diagnosis, whether it be a syndrome, illness or disorder, enables them to finally be able to make sense of their symptoms, knowing there is a reason for the problems they experience, and a diagnosis that makes sense for them. They may no longer question their sanity, wondering if they are going crazy experiencing what they do day to day, feeling reassured by a diagnosis which implies they are suffering from an illness, disorder, etc For others who experience PTSD/C-PTSD they may become fearful at their diagnosis being changed to a different name, feeling that if this was to happen, it would be mimimising what they are going through. For others, removing a name, because of professionals disagreeing on whether PTSD/C-PTSD is a normal reaction or not, may make them fear, not being able to receive the support they do badly want and need.

The problem of course in labelling people who experience PT stress as 'normal' begins begins when the symptoms interfere with day to day functioning, in work, or in relationships. Its all normal variance until it disables you, and then youre talking about a condition, no matter what you label it, for which you may need help.

For some people, where PTSD/C-PTSD prevents you from functioning well day to day, where it prevents you from being who you are and who you want to be, then the classification of a disorder may feel a perfectly appropriate term. And medical and psychological treatment is absolutely advised etc Whether the behaviours and symptoms associated with PTSD/C-PTSD are statistically normal or abnormal doesnt matter. What matters is that they get in the way of your ability to function and manage your life.

To fight stigma, it is not necessary to minimize the realities of those affected by PTSD/C-PTSD. By disconnecting stigma from the label or condition, we can get a much better sense of how to cope and what helps people. Stigma can be addressed by informing and educating both people affected by the conditions themselves and those around them about what to expect and how to handle it. Greater exposure to affected people also tends to minimize fear of the unknown, which often enhances stigma.

As for PTSD/C-PTSD and its affects, treatment needs to be provided to improve coping and to help reduce symptoms and to eliminate problematic behaviour that cause individuals with PTSD/C-PTSD distress. Beyond that, what is normal or not matters little, or how you define your symptoms. What matters is what helps you begin to overcome your symptoms and moves you towards recovery.

The classification of 'disordered/disorder' especially to Trauma Survivors, suffering with PTSD/C-PTSD can feel very personal, almost as if the intimate and unique qualities they have as a person, are under attack and can feel devastating blow.

A name that captures the origins of the condition, such as complex trauma disorder, could shift the focus from seeing the person as behaving badly or not having a real illness, to recognising them as a survivor of trauma or abuse. Such a change could improve outcomes for them and their families. For some having any kind of negative label or classification cuts further into their already diminished self-esteem and self worth.

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