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Gift From Within - PTSD Questions & Answers with Frank Ochberg, M.D.

PTSD: Definition of PTSD How Common, Who Gets PTSD? Is PTSD a normal event? Does PTSD Affect The Brain? Duration Pregnancy Delayed Onset PTSD PTSD Tip Sheet for your Doctor Medications for PTSD Distinguishing PTSD from BPD Generalized Anxiety Disorder Can the Wounds of PTSD Heal? Complex/Chronic PTSD: CPTSD Explanation Long Term Prognosis & Complex PTSD PTSD vs. CPTSD Managing Past Intense Feelings Overcoming Complex PTSD PTSD Symptoms: Anger and Brain Injury Anger Flashbacks Loneliness Feelings Of Loss And Sense Of Self Anxiety Numbing Re-Traumatization Differences bet. Depression, Dysthemia, Major Depression Depression vs. Sadness and Grief Biological Depression Memory Loss Triggers and Body Sensations PTSD & Facial Tics Emotional & Physical Reactions Delayed Stress Response after Experiencing a Shock Can A False Memory Happen? Differences Between Hypervigilance and Hyperarousal Negativity & Pessismism after Trauma PTSD/PTSI Insomnia: Not Being Able To Sleep Relationships: Peer Support Issues Explaining PTSD To Children False Memory Toxic Family Of Origin Protection From Unwanted Contact Preventing Intergenerational PTSD Numbing in Male Survivors of Domestic Violence How To Increase Social Support Caregivers/Partners with PTSD: Starting a Conversation about PTSD Both Partners with PTSD & its Complications Fiancé Doesn't Believe in Therapy Managing PTSD After Partner Pushes Too Hard Childhood Abuse: Emotional Abuse Childhood Trauma & Intrusive Images Revisiting The Scene Of Trauma And Abuse Gaslighting Stockholm Syndrome & Child Abuse Survivors Can a Child be Born Depressed Childhood Survivors and Being a Parent Work Issues: Disability Letter for Attorney-Sample Low Stress Jobs Doctor's letter for Employer Sample Dealing with Co-Workers Job Searching with PTSD Recovery: Frank Ochberg's Color Wheel of Positive Emotion Triggers Rebuilding Self Esteem Life After Trauma Coping During The Holidays Substance Abuse Improving A Damaged Self-Concept Explaining PTSD is a Responsibility Grief & Loss from a Tragic Death The Trauma Bond & Forgiveness Sudden Panic, Anxiety & Flashbacks Stockholm Syndrome, Trauma Bond and Undue Influence Therapy: Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Inadequate Therapy When to End Therapy Repeating Your Trauma Story PTSD Symptoms After The Therapy Hour Exposure Therapy Service/Therapy Dogs & PTSD ECT (Electro-Convulsive-Therapy) Bipolar & ECT Therapy: An Interview Telling Trauma Story to Therapist PTSD Client Expectations from Therapy Sessions Veterans & PTSD: PTSD A Disease Seasonal PTSD & Anniversary Reaction. Emotional Injury Therapy Sessions Active Listening for Moms and Friends Professionals: Compassion Fatigue Consequences Of Emotional Numbing School Teachers And PTSD Using The Counting Method with Clients Helping Clients with PTSD Other Conditions: Borderline Personality Disorder Social Phobia Dissociation Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) Cutting & Self Harm Link between PTSD, BPD and Bi-Polar Somatization Disorder or Briquet's Syndrome Stockholm Syndrome & Child Abuse Survivors Dealing with Psychopaths & Narcissists

PTSD Questions & Answers with Joyce Boaz & Dr. Frank Ochberg, M.D. Read "Survivor Psalm" by Frank Ochberg

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Overcoming Complex PTSD is Complicated Q: Dear Frank, Could you respond to this thoughtful comment from a Gift From Within correspondent? The reason I am writing is because I learned something valuable on Gift From Within and wanted to share it with you. I was at my wits end because my psychiatrist refers to my diagnosis as "extreme PTSD" as opposed to Complex PTSD. When I ask him why he doesn't answer. What I learned from your website is that Complex PTSD is not listed in the DSM. That makes sense to me. But what I learned from recovery throughout the years is that if you can't name it you can't claim it. And if you can't claim it you can't tame it. Thought I'd share that with you. Thanks for reading this. A: Dear Joyce, Thank you, Joyce. I agree--this is a thoughtful, useful comment. Here is my response: Complex PTSD is discussed in books, articles and academic conferences. We specialists in trauma all know what it means. (See http://www.giftfromwithin.org/html/FAQ-Complex-PTSD.html ) We do use it as a diagnostic term, although it is not regarded as an official diagnosis. If your psychiatrist says you have extreme PTSD he may mean that the symptoms are extreme -- intense, prolonged, disabling. Or he may mean that the traumas you endured were extreme -- very harsh, painful, profound. When we defined PTSD we were looking for common ground - a concept that could be applied to survivors of very different circumstances, but with a group of symptoms that all such survivors could be expected to encounter. We then observed an important distinction. If you were traumatized repetitively and if you couldn't escape you learned to adapt. You became a slave in bondage. You accepted a lower form of life. Then, if you were able to escape to freedom and normalcy, you had to overcome the attitudes and behaviors you developed in that captive state. Complex PTSD is complicated. Overcoming it is complicated. But as you recover self-esteem and self-love, you are well on your way to real freedom. So it does make sense to NAME your situation as complex PTSD even if the DSM hasn't caught up to it. The rest of us "experts" have. And it makes sense to CLAIM it. No shame in having a logical consequence to a form of prolonged trauma. And it makes sense to TAME it - by doing just what you are doing-- reading and learning and sharing your insights. Tweet Was this helpful to you? If so, please consider supporting our work.

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