That is, "Post-traumatic stress disorder." Our readers don't know me, or my credentials, so you have no reason to believe me. I will tell you anyway: "PTSD" is a highly dubious diagnosis about which there is little agreement - but much recent discussion - in Psychiatry.
Because "trauma" is entirely subjective, and "stress" is entirely subjective - and often a positive thing - the notion of PTSD is difficult to discuss.
My colleagues are known to use it as a "diagnosis of convenience." We may put it down on a form, but that doesn't mean that we mean it. Psychiatrists are forced to write diagnoses on government forms and insurance forms, but human difficulties do not commonly lend themselves to such labels, and we tend not to take them overly seriously.
There is a recent story about PTSD in our soldiers, at WaPo. I strongly disagree with blog friend Raven, who views PTSD as a disease and not as an ordinary part of life.
Life events impact people. Life is traumatic, by definition, unless you live in bubble-wrap. That is not a disorder; it is normal. Many jobs are scary and "stressful", whatever "stress" is. Recent work shows that those who cope poorly with life events - and end up diagnosed with PTSD - generally have pre-existing, underlying vulnerabilities which may deserve attention.
PTSD is on its way to becoming a legal scam, in my opinion. In fact, the entire movement to create new diagnoses, and to label more folks "disabled," is destructive to human dignity.
Wasn't the whole idea of the "Americans with Disabilities Act" to get the disabled back to work, and to help them regain their autonomy and dignity? Switzerland recently decided that "job therapy" might be a good treatment for the disabled, and I think most shrinks would agree with that.
I wrote a piece on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder earlier this week, in which I suggested that some new diagnoses are being invented in psychiatry more for insurance and pursuit-of-disability reasons than because new diseases are being discovered. Perhaps
Tracked: Jun 22, 07:04
Dr. Bliss at Maggie's Farm says that Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is on its way to becoming a legal scam, in my opinion. In fact, the entire movement to create new diagnoses, and to label more folks disabled, is destructive to human dignity. Modern Psychoanalysis comments on causes of schizophrenia. PsyBlog reports on a notorious stuttering study conducted by MA
Tracked: Jun 22, 11:42