Is Chronic PTSD Just PTSD?

[nic]

So here's my question. Chronic PTSD is PTSD that lasts. But, if PTSD is (currently) incurable, then wouldn't everyone with PTSD have chronic PTSD?
:dontknow:

[goingonhope]

nic, I'm pretty sure Acute means: sudden (as in its onset) and severe (as in degree). Chronic as opposed to acute, speaks of the duration of time since PTSD was diagnose(able). Another words, a traumatic experience sustained today in an individual without PTSD, when left untreated could not only develop into PTSD months later and be diagnosable then, but would not be of a chronic nature, ...yet. Not until one lives with it for a long-standing period of time and, in my experience, finds that PTSD (it's imbalance) hasn't up and gone anywhere; then it could be classified as chronic.

So I'd figure that yes, everyone that goes on to live with PTSD for a long duration of time would then have chronic PTSD. But, it doesn't necessary mean that chronic PTSD spells any greater disaster, it's possible that with it's long-standing duration it may have become easier in some respects for an individual over such time to have accepted and processed much, and to manage it then for another who is still suffering in it's acute stages.

[goingonhope]

Now for me to keep it simple,...Something I could use practice in. Yes, chronic PTSD is just PTSD, yet already prevalent for a long period of time.

Hope

[sunnydaze]

Thanks for the claification. I was wondering why some said chronic. It is like pain if you just got hurt it is treated as acute. If the pain has been going on for a long time it is treated as a chronic condition. So, I suppose most of us have chronic PTSD.
sunnydaze

[2tired2deal]

I have to disagree. Chronic PTSD is in response to trauma that happens repeatedly over a period of time. I was sexually abused for over 10 years. Each and every occurrence was a trauma, during which I experienced the fight or flight response, and could do neither. THAT resulted in a chemical bath of my brain cells, and literally restructured how my brain now responds to certain stimuli. Therefore, it is CHRONIC in that it happened over, and over, and over again and I couldn't get away from it. Now I have a potpourri of mental and physical issues in direct relation to the multiple traumas, as opposed to someone who was raped once (equally traumatic) or the victim of a crime, etc.
PTSD is usually a reaction to one incidence of trauma, or a short duration of trauma (such as war veterans in combat). The current Iraqui / Afghanistan war veterans are presenting with more intense and repeated traumas (i.e. multiple IED hits) than previous wars.
Hope that clears up any confusion.

[sunnydaze]

I think if PTSD has been diagnosised for a long time and one still has issues it is chroinc or as 2tiredtodeal says it could be chronic of repeated offenses. Both are right in my book. Anyone else have concept of this?
sunnydaze

[linasmom]

My understanding has always been that if the symptoms of PTSD arise within one month of the trauma, it is considered an "acute" response. If the symptoms of PTSD arise after 3 months of the trauma, it is considered "chronic", and if the symptoms arise 6 months or later, it is then considered "delayed onset".

Also, my understanding is that if a person is traumatized repeatedly over a lengthy period of time, then it is considered "complex", not chronic.

Of course, I could be wrong, and the internet doesn't provide tons of information on this. Everything I've been able to find is pretty ambiguous.

Best,
Rachel

[2tired2deal]

Ooops, sorry, my bad; I got a little agitated reading the original post, sorry. I did mean complex, not chronic.
There is a good website for definitive definitions, as they are doing much research now into all forms of PTSD: if you google PTSD, go to the VA web page, it's the first or second thing to come up. I think it's listed as the National Center for PTSD.
I apologize for my inaccurate response.

:doh:

[Auburngirl]

I thought chronic just meant PTSD that has lasted more than 3 months (ie it could start immediately but doesn't go away), acute is is shorter, and delayed onset is if it doesn't begin until 6 or more months later.

It seems that delayed onset and chronic could co-exist though. And complex has slightly different diagnostic criteria.

I'm actually not sure if I'm delayed onset or not. It's kind of hard for me to piece together when things started happening. Initially I really really slept a lot and was sort of in a dream world, and kept reliving things, it was later than symptoms diversified.

[morgan]

The National Center for PTSD is a great resource. They seriously changed my whole life!

[linasmom]

It seems that delayed onset and chronic could co-exist though.

I agree - it leads me to believe that these terms are used as an initial diagnosis (mostly for insurance purposes); as they all are PTSD and PTSD doesn't "go away".

[upstream]

This was discussed briefly in one of the Introduction threads a few months back. From the DSM-IV:



309.81 Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Specify if:
Acute: if duration of symptoms is less than 3 months
Chronic: if duration of symptoms is 3 months or more
Specify if:
With Delayed Onset: if onset of symptoms is at least 6 months after the stressor

[Auburngirl]

I don't think chronic is if it arises 3 months after, but as upstream says, if it lasts 3 months or more.

[linasmom]

My understanding is that PTSD is incurable (symptoms can be managed, however, the brain's chemical process can not be reverted) therefore, once PTSD is diagnosed, there is no need to label how long PTSD lasts. The labeling is there (at least it seems to me) to provide information to researchers, doctors and insurance companies about when the actual symptoms of PTSD manifested.

To say that chronic PTSD is PTSD that lasts for more than 3 months makes no sense. All PTSD lasts for more than three months. The symptoms may not last for more than 3 months, the PTSD is still there.

[Auburngirl]

I think this is the standard DSM IV definition:

Types of PTSD
There are three types of PTSD: acute, chronic, and delayed onset. In acute PTSD, symptoms last less than 3 months. In chronic PTSD, symptoms last 3 months or more. In delayed onset PTSD, symptoms first appear at least 6 months after the traumatic event.

I think I do know someone who had acute though, but she had symptoms for years, maybe she just didn't fit the definition of PTSD specifically beyond 3 months. Who knows? I don't think these categories mean that much, real life tends to be less easily categorised.

[nic]

Ok, thanks all. I think I'm still a little confused, but at the same time, I guess it really doesn't matter all that much. Whatever it is, PTSD is PTSD, and whether I have chronic, or whatever, the point is the memories and feelings are there.

[linasmom]

blargh, this whole thing has me confused :crazy:

My current therapist diagnosed me as having Acute PTSD (I have complex PTSD but since that is not in the DSM he can't put that diagnosis on formal paperwork that I'm sending to my insurance company). Anyway, my PTSD goes back to when I was 8 years old and I started dissociating at that time. I'm 30 and have suffered symptoms for 22 years. Not that I really care about the label, but now my interest is piqued. :dontknow:

[Auburngirl]

I think I've also had so many (other) labels thrown at me because I also have complex PTSD which is not in the DSM. Though insurance isn't an issue in this case, I have no idea what's written down.

[lrs]

I'm about as clear as mud on this. If you have PTSD, YOU HAVE PTSD!!!

[anthony]

This was discussed briefly in one of the Introduction threads a few months back. From the DSM-IV:
Sorry, what upstream said here is the one I meant to quote.... this is as per the DSM.