Returning to the "do I have ptsd or not" theme again. I just read Anthony's new bits on the info thread on ptsd. I can tick off so many - virtually all- of those dsm criteria that it's scary. This logically says to me -girl ,you have ptsd. But then, I am no psychologist. Also, the one psychologist I have seen so far says that while I have the symptoms of ptsd, I can't actually have it, cos my traumas occured over 10 years ago. On the other hand, this dsm stuff has the bit about delayed onset, which I could come under. I could also come under the chronic bit, cos I seem to manage more or less for a few months (just luckily avoiding places/people that set me off I think), then the whole lot comes back again and I'm back at square one.

I did mention this to the new doc I'm seeing soon. She didn't say I had ptsd, but she said that my traumas being a long time ago didn't mean that I don't have it. She did say that we could investigate this when I saw her. This place I'm going to is supposed to be a dedicated stress/trauma disorders place, so if I do have ptsd, I hope they can help me manage it better. If I don't, I hope they can still advise me on whatever problem I do have - even if it's the dreaded personality disorder thing (had a look at these criteria too, and I don't fit, but that doesn't necessarily mean I won't get forced into that box).

I guess this all goes back to the "diagnosis/misdiagnosis stage of ptsd. Hopefully I will know one way or the other in a couple of weeks, then I can stop boring everyone here with all the what ifs and maybes.