ptsd Psychology Exam

[gp747]

i am scheduled for two exams ,one is a psychology test and one is psychology

clinic. if you have been through this i need your advice.

(1)should i take some of my records of hospitalization summary's ?

(2)i know i need to take someone with me who knows my history,but that may

not be possible everybody is passed and my wife may have to be in hospital.

(3) what do i need to look up and read for bi-polar,panic attacks, ptsd ?

(4) i am 30% bi-polar and ptsd ,panic attacks was listed on my award.

[gp747]

Dear Skunk,

First I am sorry to read that your wife in not doing well....I will keep her in my prayers that a good outcome is not far away.

Now to the evaluation...like everyone has said be honest in all your answers if the doctor thinks you are not forth right in one answer then the doctor will tend to think all your answers may not be true. Second if you are asked "How are you feeling today" the normal response is "OK or Fine"...if you are having this evaluation you are neither Ok or fine...so do not tell the doctor that you are...if you were not sick you would not be there in the first place...tell them that you are having a bad day that this is not a good time in your life...now esp. with the added stress of your beloved being ill...DO NOT DOWN PLAY how you are feeling. If you normally wear jeans and tee's at home for goodness sake do not wear a dress suit...you are not there to impress anyone you are there to receive help. Everything you do is observed and noted...be polite to the doctor and using profanity or making threats will not help your case...remember that you need help and being rude never helps. Just be yourself and everything should be fine. I can relate to some of what you feel..esp. the need to prove everything with witness or documentation...that is part of PTSD so take a deep breath take your medical information, any records from law enforcement, if you were fired from a job a letter from someone as to why...perhaps you have a anger problem that causes you not to get along with others...as someone mentioned earlier if you are not working a current work history from Social Security is important...any information as to how your disability has impacted the quality of your life is important to the doctor in determining the percentage of impact your disability impairs you in the job market and every day living. Remember all mental health issue are clumped together into one rating so it does not matter how many diagnoses you have as far as in the mental health category goes...because the VA does not do pyramiding. Hopes this helps

MT

good advice ,i have always been honest i just get squeamish lieing and would

worry about it . i have been screwed up even while in service as i was hospitalized

in vietnam for bizarre behavior , and when i hit the states i came apart. i was at a bus station coming home and almost had a total breakdown,i thought a group of

guys at the station were going to kill me or harm me . i did not know about mental illness and did not know i was having a major panic attack. turned out the guys were recruits and me with my uniform on they were curious.i started drinking to get my courage up to do things and when i did i would get extremely violent,winding up in jail.and it goes on and on many suicide attempts va hospitalizations and state . i have been committed several times. you know if the psychologist just had the whole picture he or she could see the extent of my disability.

[Pete53]

Don't dress up its not a job interview. Don't lie but be very careful how you answer questions. Many of the Docs are interested in pinning mental problems to childhood. I know when I was asked about my childhood I say it was just like most everyone else that I knew. Be specific in how you answer don't jump to other stuff you feel you need to get off your chest.

My first C&P I wore a Christmas Gift a nice leather jacket and that is all the nit wit wrote about that I was dressed in expensive clothes. I never made that mistake again. Whats kind of funny is my last appointment I did not shave in the morning and the Doc wrote that I was appropriately dressed wearing clean clothes and well groomed.

[john999]

Don't make eye contact. That is something they always harp on if you make eye contact. There is a standard check list they use based on appearance and other physical signs like trembling and shaking or crying.