I have so many questions but don't know where to post them.

It seems as though everyone here is very well versed on their condition and I'm not sure if I'm supposed to be on top of this from the start.

I am getting the impression that everyone has a caring therapist and I've never known that kind of thing. How do you find it? When flying blind, how do know if a therapist or psychiatrist is really hitting the nail on the head or just making blind assumptions about conditions and circumstances they've only read about?

Am I going to be labeled "uncooperative" again if I challenge the original assessment of ptsd based on the hurricanes? I mean no harm to those who suffered losses in the hurricanes, but I didn't suffer any personal loss and to be honest, I thought hurricanes were an adventure. They were like a snow day during the winter up north. I knew each and every one of them was coming, I had water and food stored up, had a place to weather the storm, cooked on a barbacue grill in the garage and it was just like camping. I need to derail the thought that the hurricanes were traumatic to me. They weren't. How do I convince the doctor this is not the issue without looking like I am simply in denial?

I am dreading this upcoming appointment based on previous experiences with psychiatrists and so-called mental health professionals. I feel like this is going all wrong already.

Just Jane:

Focus on your symptoms and your responses to various situations. It's not necessary to find "a cause" right now. The whole reason you are pursueing the appointment is your symptoms and how they are affecting your life. Start there, figure out how you can best manage them and learn about how they affect you. Finding the cause ultimately allows you to break a pattern that "may" be in your life. Let me explain, I was sexually abused as a child - I blocked it out for 30 years - As an adult I married a very abusive person who physically and emotionally abused me. When we seperated it was after his third affair. As a consequence I was clinically depressed, anorexic, .... this is when the PTSD started. I repeated the pattern of earlier abuse because I thought it was a "normal" pattern. One, I didn't even know it was abuse; and two, I didn't realize my mental health was a result of that abuse.

This is why I say - treat the symptoms and look for patterns in your life. Do it with a professional. THIS DOES NOT MEAN YOU MAY HAVE SOME DARK HIDDEN SECRET ! You may be right, there is nothing. Just follow the path and go with the flow. Try not to be defensive, but open minded. Listen, evaluate, and then choose your actions.

Cindy

Great advice Cindy.

JustJane: I know very little and that is why I came here... hoping to learn more and find some people who might understand what I feel. I want to find a therapist and be on top of my issues but I feel so lost right now... before I make more attempts to figure out what is going on what I want the MOST is just to know that I am not alone and not crazy.

If the person you work with is a decent person, they should not label you "uncooperative" for challenging a diagnosis. In fact I think its an error to never challenge things.