Can a life altering injury be linked to PTSD? Can your life being altered make this a viable reason?

Having a life changing experience "being hurt" and never returning to the same physical emotional social status be linked in with a ptsd DIAGNOSIS?after READING MANY BOOKS ON THE SUBJECT it seems like they go hand in hand.I am sure many arguments from both sides can be entered into the mix.Also many symptoms of PTSD are like PCS and other brain related problems.Is a violent act,head injury resulting in a lifelong change any kind of a basis for suffering from PTSD.

It seems like many factors are involved and who can best say what is the criteria for a diagnosis to my question.My feeling is people are all different,this said we all react to things differently.A huge problem for 1 person is a small bump in the road for another.The differences make us all unique in that we all could in fact suffer from life changing problems at different levels.It seems to have a gray area and what can be included in a basis for the diagnosis of PTSD.

Raymond,
Your question is a bit difficult to understand. (for me),
But, I can tell you this.
I got a TBI in 98, then, watched helplessly, as my life slipped away.
I owned two business's, my wife emptied my bank acct's and stole what she could.
Beautiful Properties Lost.
I had the world! Literally.

My lawyers completely screwed up, I was well insured, and they forgot to file something.
(Legal malpractice).

So, the After Effects of the TBI, have given me a good case of PTSD!

Since you give me no circumstances, thats why I don't quite follow your question.
But, there's my answer, hope it helps.

Pete
Asb

What I don't understand is , Why do so many PCS subjects want to claim a diagnosis of PTSD?

It does not matter. Your current condition and symptoms are what they are. A label of PTSD means nothing. It just gives you an excuse for behaviors that may be choices.

After suffering a concussion that leaves you with long term symptoms and dysfunctions, the subject needs to learn to work with their symptoms, not deny them and refuse to change their life. Then the symptoms can be either minimized or otherwise accommodated.

Take the issue of anger and outbursts. The PCS sufferer needs to learn to recognize the triggers and be proactive in avoiding the triggers or walking away at the first sign of a trigger so the anger and outburst is avoided.

It requires a change in how you view life and others. An egotistical and selfish attitude of "I have a right to speak my mind" does nothing to improve or advance the situation. The outburst and anger is counter-productive to life.

The symptoms of PTSD are real, whether diagnosed or not. What matters is the patient does not rely on the diagnosis of PTSD to justify his behavior. Rather he chooses to acknowledge the complications in life causes by PTSD symptoms, and works to make changes in behavior and thought processes.

Gotta go to rehab.

Maybe more later.

yes. In my disability claim the drug related injury was what precipitated the life changing event - which led to PTSD. I used the evidence from the drug injury to prove that the Schizophrenia in this case was caused by drugs.

gardenpass,

What are the details of the event that you think caused PTSD?

Schizophrenia is not a normal symptom of PTSD. Schizophrenia and PTSD can co-occur and co-exist. A drug injury could be a cause of Schizophrenia but it would not be the same as PTSD.

It is more likely that a head injury would cause Acute Stress Disorder. PTSD would require more complicated factors.

Besides, if the symptoms are treated, it does not matter what the specific diagnosis may be.

Thanks for asking Mark,
I was hoping that someone would open up the subject because I realize that I just blurted that out without any understanding really - just the mere stanza "precipitated the life event". In my Social Security Disability Documentation (yes...documentation!) I linked Schneiderian First Rank Schizophrenia to the use of Benzodiazepene and to neuroleptics in general...I was in the hospital for 30 days until I went into a type of unconscious state, which I refer to as braindamage. This might sound far fetched but I will explain a little more. I will not go by what I say and I will go by what the case examiners said: essentially post traumatic stress induced schizophrenia is an actual phenomena. Whether it was caused by the drugs and how they caused it is not apparent. The second statement is mine by the way. Basically the Trauma caused the schizophrenia, which was from the drugs. I made that very clear. Because I refused to sign any paperwork and refused the drugs until I was no longer functional. There are actually a few details...first, they took my blood and I started to hallucinate. I eventually threw up and pounded my head against the floor so they sent me to the state hospital. I was 19. Then the forced medication became more of a right to refuse and disability rights issue at that point. At this point. This is the first time I've ever really talked about it. I have discussed it with a number of Doctors however and they agreed that the medication was bad for me. But what is most fascinating is that the state is still willing to give disability even while forcing medication. That is very kind of them I think. This state is doing a good job...the whole country is doing good I think in my regards.

if the symptoms are treated, it does not matter what the specific diagnosis may be. What do you mean by this Mark? Thanks.

I think that I stated in my documentation that braindamage is usually long term. I was taking Tibetan medicine and a medical marijuana derivitive prescribed by two Doctors.

Now it is a big joke that I have a serious brain injury that "could have resulted in death." But the point is that the medication is what is at the forefront and if they really did cause the damage. Let me think very hard I am trying to answer you right from my memory but it is not very good and also I am trying not to edit this so that it is like me talking right back.

The question, "what precipitated the life changing episode?" the answer would be the drug. Thats simply jargon. But it is what we go by. We don't get too complicated at this point since it is simply put that now I have a disability - or, to them, a mental illness. Which is it? Thats the question and I think they understand that its a disability. But why does the medication help? I don't know. I think its because of quantum physics thats all I have said on the topic.

This kind of makes you wonder thought doesn't it, is he getting jerked around? But I let it roll off me. Yeah, I've spent the last three or four years trying to bring the issue to court and finally I accomplished it and refused the medication which was a huge step in my disability rights. Yes, I have to say that the medication helps you see. If the medication didn't help, I also wouldn't be disabled. There's some food for thought.

So if the medication does help, there is reason to say that I am no longer disabled. That is one reason why I argue medication and I am still disabled.

Raymond,

Absolutely! You should see a good PTSD therapist to try and resolve your PTSD. Scientists are currently finding that resolving PTSD issues in IRAQ veterans is also resolving their MTBI symptoms.

mhr4,

Where did you get the idea that "Scientists are currently finding that resolving PTSD issues in IRAQ veterans is also resolving their MTBI symptoms."

From my research, they have found that PTSD magnifies the symptoms of MTBI/PCS. It is like washing a wound (mtbi) with dirty water (PTSD) They have been trying to identify the MTBI symptoms as compared to the PTSD symptoms.

Resolving the PTSD may reduce the overlap and magnification of MTBI symptoms but it only resolves those symptoms caused or exacerbated by the PTSD.

The injuries our soldiers are coming home with are very different that those suffered here. Rarely do people in civil society have the multiple traumas, both to the brain and the psyche. Sometimes simultaneously.

I would be very careful in submitting to PTSD therapies. Some are very controversial and may be dangerous. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) may be the least risky. Light therapy, sometimes performed as Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy has mixed reviews for treating PTSD.

Mark,

I am a member of many yahoo groups that focus on brain injury, rehabilitation for brain injury, neurofeedback, nutrition for brain injury, etc. There is a person, not sure if he is a doctor or not, who posts articles on one of those groups quite frequently, and he posted the article I mentioned on Iraq war vets and PCS related to PTSD. I would post it here, but to be honest, I'm too lazy to search through the archives to find it.

I am only aware of one form of PTSD therapy that can be dangerous for PCS. The other PTSD therapies are actually quit safe and very helpful for anyone who suffers from PTSD/PCS. When you have a chance, you should go back and conduct another search on PTSD therapies, I think you will find that there are many different forms that are extremely safe for the PCS population to do.

Just to let you know, Mark, that it seems you have a tendency to discredit or question a lot of what I post on here. You can rest assured that when I post something, I only do it because I have either experienced it myself, or I have done a lot of research on the subject. I, like you, have had many concussions in my life - a lot more than the 13 you have had. However, I, unlike you, have tried a lot of therapies and have learned from them what has worked and what hasn't. Actually, I have done so much therapy, and had it work, that I am now able to attend graduate school this fall. I don't know your situation and I'm not trying to discount what you are going through or what you have done in the past to rehabilitate yourself. However, please realize that I do know what I am talking about and instead of jumping on here and contradicting nearly everything that I post, you should try to learn something from my posts, as I have learned from your posts.

Thanks!

Could not there be aspects of both?
Perhaps someone who has experienced a traumatic brain injury-concussion, might also show signs of PTSD????
Certainly, you have seen a neurologist and would keep up with good medical care.
But, at some point, you might have to seek mental health assistance as well.
I agree, a huge problem for one, might be a small problem for another.
Perhaps the way a person was brought up is an influence. Perhaps they don't have strong coping mechanisms. Or perhaps they don't have good coping mechanisms for certain types of situations. This is nothing to be ashamed of in the least.
The important thing, is to get assistance. That is what I think is healthy to do when we recognize that we are stuck...get helpl..make changes....move forward as best as we are able...
If you have not explored the possibility of therapy for you as of of yet, I would look into it.
I too like CBT therapy...but prefer therapists who are somewhat "directive," in their orientation.
You might look into books on spiritual growth...a topic of interest to you and one that no doubt you sense will be of help. Go with it.
Wishing you well.