(Untitled)

[sunnybeaches85]

How is PTSD defined anyway?  Dumb question for someone who was a psych major, but eh, I thought I'd throw it out and ask?  Sometimes I relive my past situation (physical abuse), but the people in the "images" that run through my head are replaced by different people.  I usually go through these thoughts at night back-to-back with varying scenarios

Comments

[xjmrufinix]

I am diagnosed with PTSD, and am also familiar with the symptoms from school (social work major), and what you're describing sounds like it could be PTSD. I wouldn't take a diagnosis off of the internet if I were you, but it's definitely worth looking into it. It doesn't sound made up to me.

[sistahraven]

Thanks for the cut request, and thanks to the poster for putting it in.

I second the definition. It sounds like PTSD to me, but meeting with a psych professional will be the best as far as diagnosis - PTSD has different levels of complexity, but it might also have other things playing into it (like for me, my ADHD plays into my PTSD symptoms, etc.)

[mariposa_bella]

Can't diagnose ya, but i hear it's common for survivors to imagine different people than themselves in the abuse- it's a way to cope with it- like making it happen to someone else (instead of imagining ourselves) is easier for us to process. sometimes the trauma of knowing it happened to "me" is too hard for our brains to process, so we cope by 'denial' of sorts by processing the abuse as if it happened to someone else and detaching ourself from it. the full realization/processing of what happened to "me" (you) is too difficult to grasp sometimes, so that's probably why you relive it through others. Could be an aspect of PTSD though... you should talk to a professional, it may help you understand your healing process a lot. and don't feel stupid cuz you're a psych major- it's impossible to know everything in one's field, especially when you're still a student ;) Be easy on yourself. blessings!