Diagnoses attributed to survivors of child abuse

Survivors of child abuse, more often than not, end up involved in the mental health system at some point. There they could end up with any of a number of possible diagnoses. I propose that this is because the United States does not include the diagnosis of Complex- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in the DSM (the commonly used source for diagnoses used by medical professionals in this country).

First, let me tell you about some of the possible diagnoses often used. I will begin with those that I've been assigned.

The worst diagnosis I ever was given was “malingerer”. This means that some psychiatrist thought I had nothing wrong with me and that I was just looking for attention. I'm here to swear to you that he was completely wrong. The label was excruciatingly painful to receive and obviously I received no help from that doctor.

The diagnosis that I had for the longest period of time was bipolar. I believed, at the time, that they were probably right about that diagnosis. I had appeared bipolar to myself, based on everything I'd learned in my Abnormal Psych. class. We eventually learned that atypical medication, not approved for use for bipolar, worked better than the standard medication. The symptoms commonly ascribed to bipolar are common to C-PTSD, too. The reason for the symptoms, however, are different. I will explain this later.

I'd have numerous psychiatrists suggest that I could have Borderline Personality Disorder, and even one wrote it on my discharge papers. And I do admit to having had some borderline traits off and on at different points in my life. I never met enough the criteria, at any one time, to properly be diagnosed with BPD. I will have another article about the diagnosis BPD that will explain this clearer.

I've also had as a secondary diagnosis, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder- again, I had a few of the symptoms.

People with Dissociative Identity Disorder often have various wrong diagnoses assigned to them, too.

I have found that the only diagnosis that completely explains me- is the diagnosis of C-PTSD.

C-PTSD is similar but far from the same as the PTSD that most of you are familiar with, as so often assigned to returning military veterans.

Watch for an upcoming article about the differences between PTSD from a military veterans experience and C-PTSD from my experience. I will also soon publish articles about BPD and DID.