ptsd

[cheryl reeves]

how many here have been diagnoised with ptsd due to gd? i have and told the the therapist how can i have this when i have had a good life and would not change it for anything,i didnt tell him it was due to me being transgendered,for thats none of his business.

[Shelly Preston]

Cheryl, I wonder how much the therapist will be able to help if your only telling them part of the story.

[Kate Simmons]

I had a form of PTSD from Nam but worked it through. I never knew it was possible with GD.

[UNDERDRESSER]

I don't understand. You have been diagnosed with PTSD due to Gender Dysphoria, but the therapist doesn't know you are trans-gender?

[cheryl reeves]

i have had therapists tell me i suffered from a disorder they could never put their finger on. when i was trying for ssd i was sent to a therapist who said i suffered from ptsd. i have always been a nice person,but i can get downright mean when i need to be.ive always hated jocks and bullies and they always thought i was easy prey because i was not like the other guys and they always found i was meaner then them. i never thought it might be related to who i really am.

[Katey888]

Is it possible to be post-traumatically stressed if you're still actually going through the stress of GID? :thinking: Does sound curious... :)

Personally, if was suffering that much I think I'd want to tell the specialists everything - it won't help diagnosis or treatment if they don't have the whole picture...

Katey x

[cassiekat]

I have to agree with the whole story advice. If they do not have a clear picture of who you are they can't help. Or your therapist knows already and isn't pushing you. I've been in therapy for about 20 months. I found professionals I like and truly care so I am lucky in that regard.

[AllieSF]

Cheryl, you are giving us a somewhat confusing explanation. If you are trying to get disability due to PTSD, I can understand where you are coming form. If you are trying to get disability due to GD, which may or may not qualify you for disability, that is another story. If you are trying to get help with GD, and PTSD may or may not be part of the back ground, or you are trying to resolve your mental and emotional issues because of both PTSD and GD, then you therapist needs all the story and not just bits and pieces that you may think are necessary. They can never get to the root causes and get you the proper assistance if you hold back.

Can you better clarify what is happening to you and then that may help clarify your question? What is SSD? Thanks.

[cheryl reeves]

social security disability to scolosis and a few other muscular prob. some of which was brought on by a polio vaccine in 1970 which almost crippled me. as for gd i never experienced the gd that most cd's and ts's do i came to grips with that when i was 10 and came across articles dealing with cd and ts,i found i liked both sides and consider myself a double cd. my dad did a good job of making a boy out of me,he knew i was enfemminate from a early age but the downstairs equip showed i was male even if i looked like a girl,growing up i was always looked at as if i was female,even more so when i was allowed to grow my hair out(dad always made me wear a reg haircut to make me look more boyish),thats when i dry shaved enough to grow facial hair. i just never attributed ptsd with being gd,for being gd never effected me.

[Nadine Spirit]

i didnt tell him it was due to me being transgendered,for thats none of his business.

I really do not understand folks who go to a therapist and won't be entirely honest about themselves. What is the purpose of doing that? I kind of thought the reason people go to therapists is for some type of help. They can only help if you are willing to be open.

[AllieSF]

Thanks Cheryl. I better understand now.

[UNDERDRESSER]

how many here have been diagnoised with ptsd due to gd? i have so, you have been diagnosed as having PTSD due to GD?
and told the the therapist how can i have this when i have had a good life and would not change it for anything,You can have PTSD from one or more events in your life, having a good life otherwise, doesn't mean you weren't damaged by the traumas you did experience.
i didnt tell him it was due to me being transgendered,for thats none of his business. If the therapist knows you had GD, how is him (or her) knowing you are TG a problem?

If I understand this, you are trying to get SSD, and they sent you to a therapist for assessment, and that therapist says you have PTSD. Still not clear if that therapist knows you got the PTSD from GD, and what followed on from that. ( the bullying etc ) Does the fact of the PTSD affect your claim for SSD, and does the cause of that PTSD have any influence?

I am not certain what you are asking, and I don't know what matters to you or why it matters to you? Is this therapist's report all about the claim, or are you trying to get some help from the therapist? If you're trying for help, then tell them everything, they can't help otherwise.

[cheryl reeves]

i won my disability suit yrs ago. i was wondering how many on this board suffers ptsd due to gd.i learned yrs ago to be careful around therapists,been there experienced that,im weird i face problems head on and katy bar the door and god help anyone who gets in my way,im kinda like my middle sis in that regards. i was sitying here reading posts and something a therapist said yrs ago had me wondering thats all,sorry for the confusion.

[Beverley Sims]

Cheryl,
I only posted as I think it would be wise to share being transgendered with him as it seems to be a key point.

[cheryl reeves]

that therapist was a one time deal,he recommended i see a therapist for steady sessions,like i said been there done that with therapy,the therapists wanted me to allow bullies to beat the hell out of me and not fight back,i told them to shove their therapy so for 2 yrs i went and sat every day for the recommended 1 hr as prescribed by the school district..i have no use for therapists at all they are like snake oil salesmen/women just tell you want you want to hear and take your money and say see you next week..i know some ts's who went to these fly by night therapists got signed off for hrt,transitioned and regretted it and later tried to transition back which made things worse..ever wonder why the suicide rate is high among gd's,this is why..

[FrancineS]

Take any meds?

[cheryl reeves]

just my gabapentine,trazadone to help me sleep and my vitamins..a pain dr took me off my hydrocodone and muscle relaxers 7 yrs ago when i refuse to take back injections,so i self medicate to help relieve pain and discomfort..as for psych drugs nope,they wanted me on meds 37 yrs ago for my anger issues,i told them i had no issues and refused the drugs hence i saw a shrink once a week for 4 yrs and all we did was sit and stare at each other till time was up...see my issues were bullies and they wanted me passive,the teachers wanted me to be passive and take a beating,i refused,spent more time at home then school,it was my 17 th yr when i had my mom sign off on me and allowed me to do my own thing,the school left me pretty much alone after that,for they preferred my mom over me..i've been through the trenches and through hell and back and only once almost gave up..i grew up in a time when you faced your demons and spit on them,or they would destroy you..

[Marcelle]

Hi Cheryl,

To be honest PTSD is one of those "hot button psychological conditions" these days and if your therapist sees value in the diagnosis you really need to come clean with all aspects of your life including being TG. They are professionals and it could be that it is not PTSD causing your anger but your GID. If this is the case, your therapist will then be able to refer you to someone who deals specifically with GID. We can give you advice based on our best guess but when it comes to diagnosis and treatment . . . please trust the professionals :).

Hugs

Isha

[charlenesomeone]

Cheryl lots of good responses here, as to being fully open to a Dr.
If you find it isn't helping, find a new Dr.

[pamela7]

finding one or two snake-oil therapists does not make them all that way, same way not all car salesmen are snake oil experts.

Now, snake oil also has a bad rep, unfairly so, I actually highly recommend snake oil as a miracle bruise healer, worked wonders yesterday on my crushed toe.

The thing with any therapist is trust. One reason a good one will only use your own words is because they know all the truth and insight is inside you, not them. It takes time but really they are like a midwife, there to help you find out for yourself, and acquire inner peace if that is the goal. They do not need to know everything, cos they're not suppose to comment-input, but in drawing-out all your stuff, you do need to put it all out there. You can use symbols or drawings to represent stuff you dont want anyone else to know what it is.

[kimdl93]

I'm a little unclear....did your therapist tell you that you had PTSD .

And am I correct in understanding that you believe the PTSDid from GID? It seems that if you believe it is a cause or contributor to the PTSD, then you must share that information with your therapist. It is his business, literally, if he is going to be able to help you resolve your problems.

Having read your second post, it's so clear that you have been dealing, it seems for a lifetime, with some very deep seated emotional and perhaps psychiatric issues. Other than encouraging you to work with your therapists and medical professionals, no one here is competent or capable of helping much. A sympathetic ear, perhaps, but little more.

I know it's difficult and it seems you are deeply distrustful of the profession, but what other options have you got? Keep working with them and give yourself a chance to feel better.

[Amanda M]

I am entirely with Pam here. You are expecting the therapist to help you without being forthcoming with the details of the issue - thatis just silly. An American psychotherapist estimates that about 400 of her transgender patients have dysphoria related PTSD - please see

http://twoworldstranstherapist.blogspot.com.es/2013/08/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-and.html

[cheryl reeves]

i havent seen a therapist full time since i was 16.the ptsd could be the result of my gd,but i worked through that yrs ago. what i was wondering was any here diagnoised with ptsd brought on by gd.

[Stephanie47]

I'm a Nam vet like Kate. Yes, I suffer from PTSD. PTSD can be a response to many life experiences other than combat. PTSD is a current buzz word thrown around too lightly. There are many diagnosis that are similar to PTSD. I'd be up front with any therapist concerning your personal life and feelings, so a proper diagnosis can be made. Sticking a label on something is not as important as dealing with the mental and emotional issues.

[Lorileah]

Now, snake oil also has a bad rep, unfairly so, I actually highly recommend snake oil as a miracle bruise healer, worked wonders yesterday on my crushed toe.


and for squeaky snakes

OK PTSD...Let's examine that. Is your Gender Dysphoria from some traumatic episode? Post=afterward Traumatic=something that harms you Stress= a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or very demanding circumstances. Disorder=something that isn't normal or correct for your circumstance. To be MORE specific (via the Mayo clinic)
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that's triggered by a terrifying event — either experiencing it or witnessing it. Symptoms may include flashbacks, nightmares and severe anxiety, as well as uncontrollable thoughts about the event.

Many people who go through traumatic events have difficulty adjusting and coping for a while, but they don't have PTSD — with time and good self-care, they usually get better. But if the symptoms get worse or last for months or even years and interfere with your functioning, you may have PTSD.

Now did I miss the part where you had a traumatic experience? And did said experience cause you to start dressing? As a veteran I hate when people jump on this disorder as a catch all for why their lives are not as they think they should be. I fail to see the trauma in this case. (If I missed it, forgive me). In the medical field we have a saying "Every problem looks like a nail when you have a hammer".

I do recommend finding a competent and recommended therapist in your area. Don't go by one person who may or may not have had experience in GID

[Mary Lee]

I am a vietnam Vet. Army 11B, I walked around vietnam to draw emeny fire. I have received SSD for PTSD and I am rated 100% for PTSD by the VA. The VA therapist stated I had problems before I went in the service. Basic and AIT added to my problems and vietnam finished me off. I did not tell the VA before my 100% rating but tests had indicated a personalty problem but PTSD can cause or make a personalty problem worse. The VA is treating me for gender related problems such as CD, TG, and TS. The VA has tied my ED to my PTSD and PTSD to my GID. They currently have me on HRT.

PTSD never goes away. One has to learn to live with it.

Maybe changing who I am will help.

[cheryl reeves]

see i was wondering for what that therapidt said floored me,for i dont have flashbacks or any of what is defined under ptsd.im cool beeing both terry and being cheryl. i dont need a therapist to tell me what i already know,see im a book nut and will read anything that seems interesting,and i found alot of articles,bios,on what we now call transgenderism. when i was growing up i played with the girls as well as the boys,i knew i was attracted to girls and not boys,i often played games where i had the power to switch back and forth. like i have stated i been out of the closet now for almost 15 yrs. me and my wife have helped couples with our testimony. see my dad raised me to face my problems and life head on and its made me who i am today. i know hrt is out of the equation for i like both sides of who i am and it would be like killing a best friend.

[giuseppina]

Hello Cheryl

Your story sounds somewhat familiar. Maybe you are a highly sensitive person that does not like conflict and accept more than you can handle because you don't want to deal with the consequences of saying no.

My PTSD is primarily about long term abuse. I've stayed away from relationships to take away opportunities for third party bullying. The gender dysphoria I dealt with as a teenager was an escape. Totally unrealistic, but it got me through those years. The GD is mostly absent now, but CDing is still a useful escape.

[cheryl reeves]

i never really had to fight,it was the statement i used to get the point across real quick,i just do not like bullies never have and never will,and they learned to leave me alone..i used to have alot of anger issues but i realized society sucked and i moved on...believe me i used to get strange looks when someone said something bad about or to a transgender,freaked the transgender out once that someone would tell those big brutes of a truckdriver to leave her alone and they should be proud she is trucking to earn money for hrt and not prostituting,hated to be blunt but blunt was needed,she thanked me later..i been in all the main cities of the usa and some bad neighborhoods when driving 18 wheeler and was always treated better then most..i can cry like a chick when watching a chick flick or when reading something emotional but that doesn't make me soft,a few found that out to their error..i kinda take after my middle sis in alot of aspects for we are only a 1 and half yrs apart,and growing up she was rougher then any boy i ever knew

[FrancineS]

Cheryl have you ever read about or discuss with therapist Borderline personality disorder. I'm not a doctor ( seen enough though)l. I struggled like your self until I was finally diaganosed correctly. Worth looking into IMO.

[cheryl reeves]

borderline personality disorder,scratching head over that one...

[Sammy777]

i have had therapists tell me i suffered from a disorder they could never put their finger on.

THIS.

I think this is the root of the problem here.
It is hard to say whether you have PTSD, GD or both.
Your GD might have been misdiagnosed as PTSD.
The PTSD might have developed from your GD as well.
You might not have PTSD at all, just GD.

The only way you will ever find out is finding a therapist you feel safe talking to and to be HONEST with them.
There are far better [and more fun] ways to spend $300 an hour then to sit and lie to someone. :D

[cheryl reeves]

sammy i was asking a question,and using me to kick it off. i dont need a therapist to tell me what i already know. i know im gd and ts but i dont want hrt,worked that out by the time i was 23 and proposing to my now wife of 27 yrs. my family calls me the book,for if i dont know much about a subject,im like a dog with a bone,i study everything i can get my hands on and then draw the conclusions and come up with a well grounded answer. see i dont trust license therapists like i dont trust law enforcement,had bad experiences. if im going to spend 300 a hr. i got better things to spend it on.

[FrancineS]

Cheryl we are all adults so we can make our own decisions. But unresolved issues like this always lead to disaster. A crash down of monumental proportions. You deserve to be happy, you owe it to your self to seek help. Yes we can read about open heart surgery all day, but we can't perform it. Don't discount professional therapist. Imo

[cheryl reeves]

i have no unresolved issues,thats the problem,i resolved all my issues yrs ago.sure i can read about being a dr an doing surgery,sure i may not do the cutting,i sure do know whats going to hapoen so to be prepared for the outcome. once upon a time i needed a lawyer,the court appointed me one,then i freaked him out that i had knowledge of the law.preachers dont like me for i know more about christianity then they do. like i said im a book junkie.

p.s. i had my crash when i was 17,but instead of letting it hold me back,i picked myself up and moved on.

[ashley_addams76]

Your therapist is bound by HIPA laws and patient privilege. I understand it takes a lot of courage to tell someone that you are a CD or transgendered, but don't understand that if you are suffering from this disorder, why not disclose that?

[cheryl reeves]

it does take alot of courage to tell anyone..my wife told me i did not have the nerve to tell my mom,she was wrong i went and told my mom and she said what else is new,she said she knew for yrs..my siblings and their kids is another matter all together,they are not cool with it...like i said before when i came out my wife burned the closet behind me.....