To completely disagree with this statement about PTSD?

[traumaquestion]

Would you say the following is an accurate appraisal of PTSD?

"It doesn't generally cause daily life changing symptoms that would impact life"

I disagree entirely with the person who has made this statement. Just wondering about others' thoughts...

YABU - it is a true statement

YANBU - it's an inaccurate statement

It's different for different people. I went back to work immediately to take my mind off it (I spiral into depression without a routine). For others it needs time out to heal.

I will say it definitely caused/causes issues day to day - for example, I hate to be touched when I'm not expecting it, I don't like hugging anyone I'm not close to, I won't stay in an Air B&B when it'll just be me and a male host, if I'm staying en famille at a friend's house I'll sleep with DS (or DH will).

I disagree in that you can't apply that blanket statement to everyone with PTSD. If this is from an occupational health report, it sounds like they are applying that statement to you specifically rather than everyone with PTSD. I can't speak on whether the statement is right for you, if you feel it's not right then it's not right, but they can only go by what information you have given.

My PTSD has been cured by EMDR - can't recommend it enough.

Prior to that I was either 100% well, or 100% not well. Hardly anyone knew about it, because when I was affected I couldn't leave the house, and could barely leave my bed.

YANBU, the statement is absurd, given frequency (e.g. "most days") and severity (e.g. "interferes with everyday life activities") of symptoms are the main clinical criteria leading to any kind of mental health diagnosis (whether it is for PTSD, or something more "common" like depression or anxiety)

Sub-clinical PTSD has less of an impact on everyday life, and PTSD can evolve in that direction over time. But not at the time of acute diagnosis. And (partial) recovery can take a long time. And there can be relapses. So yeah, that statement is just plain old nonsense.

YA (definitely) NBU.

It really does affect daily life and if it didn’t then it wouldn’t be a ‘disorder’. The DSM 5 diagnostic criteria actually state:

‘Must bring about considerable distress and/or interfere greatly with a number of different areas of your life’

This person is talking nonsense.

The key here is the D in PTSD. A key part of any disorder of mental health is that it causes distress or impairment in day to day life. If you don't have those, you don't have a disorder, which ever one it is. So if you have a diagnosis of PTSD it is nonsensical to say there is no disruption to everyday life.

YANBU in my experience

Yanbu

www.nhs.uk/mental-health/conditions/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd/symptoms/

@cuno

I disagree in that you can't apply that blanket statement to everyone with PTSD. If this is from an occupational health report, it sounds like they are applying that statement to you specifically rather than everyone with PTSD. I can't speak on whether the statement is right for you, if you feel it's not right then it's not right, but they can only go by what information you have given.

No it wasn't in reference to me specifically, the person was making that as a general statement about the condition.

@traumaquestion

Would you say the following is an accurate appraisal of PTSD?

"It doesn't generally cause daily life changing symptoms that would impact life"

I disagree entirely with the person who has made this statement. Just wondering about others' thoughts...

YABU - it is a true statement

YANBU - it's an inaccurate statement

YANBU It is an ignorant statement.

For PTSD to be diagnosed the symptoms must interfere with daily functioning at some level - it’s an essential part of the criteria

What's the context though?

"It doesn't generally cause daily life changing symptoms that would impact life" could mean that in that specific person it isn't generally causing life changing symptoms impacting life.
That could be correct, or it could be wrong.
I know several people with diagnosed PTSD, and a few that would be correct for, others it wouldn't.

Or "It doesn't generally cause daily life changing symptoms that would impact life" could mean that in the opinion of the person writing the report PTSD in general doesn't ...
Which I would say ime I'd disagree.

@LizDoingTheCanCan

You can't generalise about PTSD (as with most health conditions). Some people will find it very debilitating, others will have bad periods but otherwise be able to manage well.

100%. I have it

@StellaEllaIsabella

My PTSD has been cured by EMDR - can't recommend it enough.

Prior to that I was either 100% well, or 100% not well. Hardly anyone knew about it, because when I was affected I couldn't leave the house, and could barely leave my bed.

Mine hasn’t. EMDR has to be done trauma by trauma and when you have hundreds of days of traumatic incidents, it can’t be cured by EMDR. Not enough time left in my life to even attempt it. Three months of weekly sessions did help with one really bad trauma I had, but didn’t stop any of the daily impacts or affect the PTSD from the other traumas.

@MargaretThursday

What's the context though?

"It doesn't generally cause daily life changing symptoms that would impact life" could mean that in that specific person it isn't generally causing life changing symptoms impacting life.
That could be correct, or it could be wrong.
I know several people with diagnosed PTSD, and a few that would be correct for, others it wouldn't.

Or "It doesn't generally cause daily life changing symptoms that would impact life" could mean that in the opinion of the person writing the report PTSD in general doesn't ...
Which I would say ime I'd disagree.

The second one is what the person meant.

It depends what you mean by symptoms. If I avoided all triggers I wouldn't have symptoms but I would have a very contained life. Living and thriving are two different things.

It's a very invalidating statement, I hope it's presented in the context that a meaningful recovery can be found.

IMO, it depends what triggers the PTSD as to the effects on your life day to day.

I was diagnosed as a result of birth trauma, and was treated when I was pregnant the 2nd time around.

It doesn't impact me day to day in daily life inasmuch as I know what the triggers are. I'm "cured" enough to be able to physically take my children or myself to the GP / to a&E as needed, but I will get nightmares and flashbacks for several weeks afterwards and I have to do a lot of work mentally to go through what I leaned during CBT to get through it.

So day to day, I generally don't need to go to the Gp or A&E, but when it's bad, I even struggle ordering my repeat prescriptions online, as an example.

I would like to direct you over to NICE where the DSM-5 criteria outlines the severity and impact of PTSD on an individual. As pp pointed out, for a diagnosis the symptoms have to impact on daily life. cks.nice.org.uk/topics/post-traumatic-stress-disorder/diagnosis/diagnosis/

From my experience I would strongly disagree that PTSD does not generally effect an individuals life. Trauma can be healed from and individuals can develop strategies to manage their triggers and symptoms so a better quality of life can be achieved. However, it is not considered a curable disorder as it effects the brain neurologically as well as psychologically (the structure and function of the amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex can be altered).
highlandspringsclinic.org/blog/can-emotional-trauma-cause-brain-damage/

IME it didn't affect my day life. However my night time was different, I would barricade the doors, keep a knife under the bed and be hallucinating at times. During the day, other than being very jumpy and cautious, it didn't affect my life. I could cope fine. But that was my experience, not everyone's will be the same. It simply cannot be generalised.