Hi Guys! me again...
hope everyone is doing ok.... i am a bit confused...
i did post last week about me going to couseling for the first time with my husband who has PTSD ...that i was nervous and scared and i thank everyone for their input...
so i went and i did not like it much... i felt that the counselor just makes him more and more vulnerable to this disorder in a way... i guess i am confused...and also i am confused as to if i have the disorder as well...i have never been to a doctor for this becuase i did not know of it until i found out my hubby had it, but from what i see in him i feel i may have PTSD....
I have never been in the military so i did not go to war or anything...never been raped or car accidents or anything...
I did have a horrible childhood (young teenage years) with my parents fighting 24/7 in front of me to the point where i would see my mother with knives and pills and threatning to kill herself... she would also drink alot and get drunk and always packed her bags ready to leave the house, but the next day everyone would act as if nothing happened and then the same thing would happen at night all over again... arguements and violence... my younger sis was always very good about just going in her room and putting the music up high when all the drama started but i couldnt help to sit in the hallway and watch them fight and run in between them and beg them to please stop...it never worked :-( ive always known that my parents have affected me greatly (and a couple of months ago they FINALLY filed for divorce, and now i am dealing with that, i am heartbroken even at the age of 27) but now i think i have symptons of PTSD from what my husband is going through....i know ive always had problems...as a teenager my mother would take me to the doctor and had me on anti-depressants....i feel it was a cover up for everything they were both putting me through....bottom line is how do i know if i have PTSD? i have read the symptoms and i do have pretty much all of them but why did my husbands counselor not see that? Do i have PTSD or do i simply suffer from depression???

Andrea,

This must be incredibly hard on you. I don't have much advice for you, but I do know that when therapy first begins, it does feel like it's getting worse. I think that happens alot, because we hold in so many emotions and when the dam finally breaks or someone (therapist) breaks it, it all comes out. The feeling can be overwhelming. But I want to emphasize that this is good. That is progress.

I'm not sure about the PTSD for you. Only a doctor can diagnose you and I recommend you going to a therapist that you feel COMFORTABLE with without your husband. This is about you. If they diagnose you, then battle it, but if they suggest something else, then at least you know.

The very best to you and give good wishes to your husband.
I suggest to go to Forms and fill out the questionaires. It'll give you some idea.

Andrea,

I would suggest you use the PTSD diagnosis form in my signature, and see how the results turn out for you. PTSD is not just about the symptoms, but about the trauma you have endured in the first place, how that trauma is percieved personally, and the intensity of the symptoms themselves. The theoretical aspect of PTSD diagnosis is also only one facet of the process, and some parts are more about the face to face contact with a physician, which is the only way to fully determine if someone has PTSD or not.

The events you described from your childhood do not fit the severity of a PTSD diagnosis, however; living with a person with PTSD can sometimes stem some symptoms upon spouses because of the sheer intensity that people around a sufferer with uncontrolled PTSD can endure. I would get counselling for yourself... highly recommended.

Hi Andrea

Sorry to hear that the session wasn't a positive one for you.
I'm glad you had the courage to share about your past.
If you feel that you need help, go for it!
I booked my first session to see someone as soon as I could to help me "prepare" for my new life with PTSD & hubby.
About a month ago I thought I was showing signs of depression so I saw my psycologist to find out if I was. It turned out that I was just having a bad week. (Yes we get them too)
Be kind to yourself