Aspie Diagnosed with CPTSD

[garnetflower13]

After a day long psychological evaluation, I have been diagnosed with Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. I made sure to tell the psychologist that I was also on the autistic spectrum. She seemed surprised to hear this, and wanted to know if I was sure. Of course, I get this a lot. In reading the book Aspergirls, the author said that females get doubted a lot, when they announce that they are on the autistic spectrum. I am good at mimicry, and putting on a persona so as not to come across so weird. I assured this woman that I had been officially diagnosed back in 07. So she said that I must be very, very high functioning, because she couldn't see it at all. I was afraid that it would turn out the way it has at least three times in the past; with therapists or counselors disagreeing with my diagnoses instead of getting on with the task at hand, but thank goodness she didn't do that.

I have had at least one psychiatrist say that I must have PTSD but most certainly was not autistic. It took about three sessions with a psychologist back in 07 before I got an official diagnoses. I just hope that I don't have to keep hearing about how doubtful it is that I am autistic, when I want to get help with my diagnoses of CPTSD. I had to leave two therapists because they kept questioning my DX of Aspergers instead of getting on with the job at hand.

What really bugs me, is that the doubters seem to think that just because I am "functioning normally" while sitting in a quiet office and talking one on one with them, that this is how I am all the time. Thus they base their doubt on about an hour of contact with me in a controlled environment. If they took me to a shopping mall, or a noisy park, they would see quite a different side to me. Or if they forced me to wear certain fabrics, or tolerate loud noises or odors that I can't tolerate, well it would be a different story altogether.


I was sorry to see that another thread dealing with this subject had to be locked. I hope I can get some interesting and/or helpful feed back here. Thanks!

 

[Ereth]

What really bugs me, is that the doubters seem to think that just because I am "functioning normally" while sitting in a quiet office and talking one on one with them, that this is how I am all the time. Thus they base their doubt on about an hour of contact with me in a controlled environment. If they took me to a shopping mall, or a noisy park, they would see quite a different side to me. Or if they forced me to wear certain fabrics, or tolerate loud noises or odors that I can't tolerate, well it would be a different story altogether.

This seems to be the case for a lot of us. In a controlled setting, we can prepare ourselves, and then our symptoms don't manifest so much. I'm glad your doctor acknowledged it.

 

[I am that which I am]

Hello,

My psychiatrist absolutely does not believe I have AS (not diagnosed) and thinks it is all related to my childhood trauma and PTSD. I guess I am a tad annoyed at him because he diagnosed PTSD in two minutes and then gave me meds for it. I do not want meds to help me forget that and other things I want therapy. I am fairly certain I have AS for several reasons and the fact that it runs in my family, I just learned to act like an NT, as many people with AS do. I do plan on changing psychiatrists. I hope your experience is much more pleasant and that you can find someone that will deal with the task at hand. Hopefully the diagnosis will help. I unfortunately have not done much along the lines of treatment and so do not have anything in particular to share with regards to PTSD.

 

[garnetflower13]

I certainly hope the same; that the task at hand will be dealt with, and I won't have to waste time trying to convince someone that I am indeed on the
spectrum! I need to start healing the PTSD, because things seem to be coming to a head and I can't do this alone.

 

[KetaminePanda]

A key aspect to remember here is the chemical equilibrium that exists in an autistic mind. Ca2+ is overexpressed, overwhelming magnesium and setting the plasticity regulating neuron NMDA into upheaval. This ultimately results in imbalanced equilibriums and causes a rise in general adrenaline and noradrenaline levels. It also produces an oversensitivity in the glutamate receptors resulting in increased anxiety, panic, and even light and sound sensitivity. This is the same action the brain takes to cope with trauma. [so if a lion were attacking you could have more wits about you than usual, as a sort of life-protecting mechanism] In a way Autism and Aspergers can be seen as a type of mild but fluctuating and constant form of PTSD. The trauma is not the actions taking place necessarily, but the state the brain is in upon experiencing these stimuli. Consider how the same news would make you react differently if you were at a birthday party, a wake, or stuck in the middle of a riot. Because this experience is not shared it is often not understood by the other party, and the autistic party often has trouble communicating this to others.

On a related note, the ability of therapy to resolve issues with PTSD relies upon the brain staying in a more positive and calmer state while rehashing whatever issues one has to deal with. If it gets the person more worked up it can actually have the inverse effect. So try to keep a happy or more open headspace while you do therapy for best results, or if it seems impossible you may need some temporary medication to help you through your sessions. The more positive encounters you have with a given stimuli or story/event, the more likely your brain is to recall that reaction, slowly dulling the intensity and discomfort/intrusiveness of PTSD.

I've had psychologists tell me traumatic things must not have been to bad because i didn't display enough emotion when i was explaining the story. That seemed to only reaffirm my place on the spectrum though- but it was super annoying and I wanted to smack him lol. Hang in there it gets better :]

Hope some of that might be found useful. Have a wonderful day

 

[garnetflower13]

I've had psychologists tell me traumatic things must not have been to bad because i didn't display enough emotion when i was explaining the story. That seemed to only reaffirm my place on the spectrum though- but it was super annoying and I wanted to smack him lol. Hang in there it gets better :]

I often have been told that I present with a flat affect; part of the evaluation involved looking at a series of scenes on a computer that are considered distressing or arousing. I was fitted with a cap of electrodes and wires, some of which were attached around my eyes and face, to measure facial expressions. I would love to know how I did, since when viewing these scenes, I felt as if my facial expression was not changing.

 

[Autism]

After a day long psychological evaluation, I have been diagnosed with Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. I made sure to tell the psychologist that I was also on the autistic spectrum. She seemed surprised to hear this, and wanted to know if I was sure. Of course, I get this a lot. In reading the book Aspergirls, the author said that females get doubted a lot, when they announce that they are on the autistic spectrum. I am good at mimicry, and putting on a persona so as not to come across so weird. I assured this woman that I had been officially diagnosed back in 07. So she said that I must be very, very high functioning, because she couldn't see it at all. I was afraid that it would turn out the way it has at least three times in the past; with therapists or counselors disagreeing with my diagnoses instead of getting on with the task at hand, but thank goodness she didn't do that.

I have had at least one psychiatrist say that I must have PTSD but most certainly was not autistic. It took about three sessions with a psychologist back in 07 before I got an official diagnoses. I just hope that I don't have to keep hearing about how doubtful it is that I am autistic, when I want to get help with my diagnoses of CPTSD. I had to leave two therapists because they kept questioning my DX of Aspergers instead of getting on with the job at hand.

What really bugs me, is that the doubters seem to think that just because I am "functioning normally" while sitting in a quiet office and talking one on one with them, that this is how I am all the time. Thus they base their doubt on about an hour of contact with me in a controlled environment. If they took me to a shopping mall, or a noisy park, they would see quite a different side to me. Or if they forced me to wear certain fabrics, or tolerate loud noises or odors that I can't tolerate, well it would be a different story altogether.


I was sorry to see that another thread dealing with this subject had to be locked. I hope I can get some interesting and/or helpful feed back here. Thanks!

Wow, I am in your boat. I have the same conditions and would never allow anyone, no matter how educated they claim to be, tell me what I am and what I am not. Ridiculous, I think that high functioning autism is a great bridge to improve despite having PTSD. I think my autism allowed me to excel where normally I would not have.

we can never let others define us in any way because many people out there define you in order to get something from you. That is my take on it.

 

[garnetflower13]

@ Autism: I think you may be right abbout people wanting something from me. I suspect that when the defining comes from a mental health care provider, that something is to slap the latest and greatest DX on me so that they can then sell me pills. That is why I deliberately chose to work wth a psychologist.

 

[Autism]

@ Autism: I think you may be right abbout people wanting something from me. I suspect that when the defining comes from a mental health care provider, that something is to slap the latest and greatest DX on me so that they can then sell me pills. That is why I deliberately chose to work wth a psychologist.

Yes, unfortunately physicians are a big part of drug companies and therapists can fall into the same trap.

I always feel so sorry for members when they post about how many different medicines they take because I know it is terrible for them.

But since I am not their doctor I don't think it is my place to tell anyone about the negatives of these powerful meds.
Also, I am not their parent, so usually I just like to gently remind that all chemicals in our systems can act in ways unbeknownst to us and could often and do often cause so much more damage to us.

 

[garnetflower13]

Rest assured that I will not blindly take any meds that they may think to prescribe. I have been treated with many inappropriate drugs in my past, simply because I had not been diagnosed with Asperger's yet. I was also mis diagnosed many times. Now I am very careful what I put into my body, believe me!