How is PTSD differentiated from another disorder by the VA?

Question

I'm an Afghanistan and Iraq vet. I saw some combat, mostly indirect fire, but didn't experience anything that I would consider traumatic. I got out of the military and 6 months after returning from Iraq, I was depressed, felt totally worthless and guilty about things that happened over there. My wife made me go to the Vet Center for counseling, but I couldn't stop feeling like I was just wasting their time and that I didn't deserve to be in counseling, etc. My friend thinks I should file a claim with the VA for PTSD disability, but my counselor at the Vet Center never said I have it for sure or not. I don't think I do, but something isn't right. What should I do?

Answer 1

First, thank you for serving in the military. I'm sorry to hear that you are having difficulty adjusting to civilian life, but not surprised. While you may not have faced something you consider to be too traumatic, you were in a war, and I imagine just everyday life, away from your family was disruptive.

Based upon the little you've said about your symptoms, it sounds like you may have adjustment disorder, or major depressive disorder. It does not sound (again, based upon limited information) like you have PTSD.

I admit I am very frustrated that your friend would suggest you file for disability. There are a lot of avenues for treatment, which you should aggressively pursue so that you can get better, and function normally. Filing for disability when you don't necessarily need it won't help you return to your previous self. Disability should be reserved for people who can't work, not for young men who are going through a difficult but hopefully temporary time.

If you can, I would recommend that you continue seeing a counselor, consider medical therapy if needed, get back to a normal, regular routine (including a job) and give yourself time to reorient. Good luck.

-And of course you deserve to get counseling - that is the entire purpose of the VA - to serve those who have served us.

Answer 2

Symptoms of PTSD are generally of three types:
Intrusive
Dissociative states
Flashbacks
Intrusive emotions and memories
Nightmares and night terrors
Avoidant
Avoiding emotions
Avoiding relationships
Avoiding responsibility for others
Avoiding situations that are reminiscent of the traumatic event
Hyperarousal
Exaggerated startle reaction
Explosive outbursts
Extreme vigilance
Irritability
Panic symptoms
Sleep disturbance

check this list and if you don't have most of these then you don't have PTSD.

Personally i think you might be going through a depressive episode - worthlessness, low self-esteem, guilt are tied up in that. Other symptoms are:

You feel exhausted a lot of the time with no energy .
You feel as if even the smallest tasks are sometimes impossible.
You seldom enjoy the things that you used to enjoy-you may be off sex or food or may 'comfort eat' to excess.
You feel very anxious sometimes.

You don't want to see people or are scared to be left alone. Social activity may feel hard or impossible.

You find it difficult to think clearly.

You feel like a failure and/or feel guilty a lot of the time.

You feel a burden to others.

You sometimes feel that life isn't worth living.

You can see no future. There is a loss of hope. You feel all you've ever done is make mistakes and that's all that you ever will do.
You feel irritable or angry more than usual.
You spend a lot of time thinking about what has gone wrong, what will go wrong or what is wrong about yourself as a person. You may also feel guilty sometimes about being critical of others (or even thinking critically about them).
You feel that life is unfair.

You have difficulty sleeping or wake up very early in the morning and can't sleep again. You seem to dream all night long and sometimes have disturbing dreams.

I would suggest you go for psychotherapy rather than just counseling, and i can reccomend Cognitive Analytic Therapy: google this and try to find a therapist in your area.

Really hope you get better :)

Answer 3

hi... i'm also a vet..and a combat vet ,..and in counseling,..only i am 40 years from that period of my life...and only beginning to understand that not all wounds are identified at the time they happen...

some hurts were other than to my body..i felt the pain of them in my morals, or my spirit, or my heart..
.
oter wounds i would not have owned, have now grown scar tissues , became hard and numb...

i wont say i am a casualty,..or crippel,... or deserveing any thing special for haveing served.... i do now understand there are traumma i have denied,..there are fears and terrors left hidden in memmories that today, i still refuse to heal..

even as i write this, i am sure i'm waisting your time and mine...
cause untill you have exhausted your self assurance and your pride, you will struggel to be the man you' know', and is who you were...

what ever is known to you to be a "something isnt right", and causes you to ask "What shoud I do?" is as good an indication something isnt right, as you will ever get..

if it were me and i were young again, i would pay better attention to me asking me that same inventory of myself,..

but you do like i then did, and do what you WANT to do, cause only YOU can do what matters now..

your life has an 'inside' , and an outside,..the latter is aparent, but the inner isnt..there's reasons why VA is in-effective addressing issues affecting vet's, and you are a prime exampel of the problem...i say that with total gratitude..!!!

stay with the counceling..some vet like yourself will come along.say some intimate thing,..and you will find yourself in the company of a mirical worker,...

or...you will say some intimate thing, and another vet will ...

eather way... it takes a vet to reach a vet.. and thats where possibility becomes reality, and healing becomes a miricel,..

listen to your wife,..you might save some vets life and not even know you did,..or...he might save yours, ...

Have you been told that we are all proud of you? ..that we appreciate you ? I thank you for your sacrifices and your courage, and wish America had payed you appropreatly for your time, ..I wish there were better ways to say thank you, than to have to offer a warrior a lengthy theripy or counseling or adjustment to the riggors of service.

Answer 4

There are several disorders that are simialar to PTSD. Acute Stress Disorder is a mild form of PTSD. Also you may just be depressed. Stress, such as is found from war, as well as stress from leaving family and friends, can lead to depression. I would encourage you to seek private counseling.