The Truth About Trauma & Complex PTSD
Have you been diagnosed with trauma or Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder? Or you suspect that you may have either CPTSD or PTSD? If so, please understand that it is not what's wrong with you. Instead, it is what HAPPENED to you. That you experienced a NORMAL response to an ABNORMAL EVENT. It is unfortunate that some patients slip through the cracks of the mental health industry. In my own personal experience, I had been misdiagnosed for 50+ years of my life. Not only that, but I had received inappropriate medical treatment, which nearly killed me in 2010. The longer version of my true story is included in my memoir, Soul Cry: Releasing & Healing the Wounds of Trauma. Soul Cry: Releasing & Healing the Wounds of Trauma - Kindle edition by Arcuri, Dana. Health, Fitness & Dieting Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.
What disturbs me is the DSM in psychiatry does not recognize trauma. The DSM is called the Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; DSM-5. It consists of three major components: The diagnostic classification, the diagnostic criteria sets, and the descriptive texts. Many doctors, clinicians, researchers, and therapists use the DSM for outpatient and inpatient assessments. Through the past decade, I have met countless hurting souls who were not correctly diagnosed with trauma, Complex PTSD, nor PTSD. Oftentimes, they were labeled with a personality disorder, bipolar disorder, or another mental condition. Even worse, they were instructed to take prescriptions, which caused them more harm than good. This must change. Too many trauma survivors are isolated, mistreated, and not validated. It breaks my heart that hundreds of lives, if not more, have been injured, permanently harmed, and/or killed by this cruel negligence. The mental health industry needs to do better. All mental health professionals and medical professionals must be educated, knowledgeable. and trauma informed. It could save lives! How many of you suffer from trauma, yet were misdiagnosed? How many of you have CPTSD or PTSD? How many years did it take you to get an accurate diagnosis? How many therapists and doctors missed your clear signs of trauma? How many prescriptions caused you more harm than good? Did you experience negative side effects, drug withdrawals, suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, or injuries from prescription medicine? Child abuse, narcissistic abuse, bullying, gaslighting, toxic siblings, physical abuse, mental abuse, sexual assaults, and dysfunctional families are directly linked to trauma. Dr. Peter Levine sums up trauma perfectly. He said, “Trauma is perhaps the MOST avoided, ignored, belittled, denied, misunderstood, and untreated cause of human suffering.”
Despite the lack of emotional support, education, training, and understanding about trauma, all survivors deserve to heal. To be heard. To be seen. To be believed. To be validated. To be treated with dignity, empathy, and respect. No matter what you are struggling with today, please have hope for your trauma recovery. Advocate for yourself. Understand that education about trauma and CPTSD can empower you. It can be the healing balm to set you onto the right path for your recovery. Know that you are worthy of healing and I am cheering you on.