Chronic/ Complex PTSD Rating Information?

[Crossfit702]

Does anyone know anything about the rating for "Complex PTSD" or "Chronic PTSD?"

It's what you get diagnosed with if it is thought your PTSD is due to combat as well as passed severe trauma like extensive childhood trauma and that sort of stuff. However, there seems to be no rating method for this yet. 

[Crossfit702]

flores97 and Tbird,

Hey guys thanks for the replies as always. Flores, you literally took my explanation away from me lol! However, I will expand on it lol.

I have a lot of the symptoms in the higher ratings based on what I've researched, and what you guys have taught me. However, the medication combo that I have is a 100% perfect fit. It doesn't cure PTSD (as we all know it can't be cured), but it helps hide the symptoms at school so that I can think clearly and do well.

flores97, I have been concerned ever since you gave me the heads-up on the fact that talking about my childhood trauma could mess-up my PTSD claim. Therefore, i had a chat with my therapist who has been on my case about filing my claim for PTSD since I was assigned to her. She told me not to worry because my situation was different. Because other then having one PTSD-related symptom from my time in the refugee camps as a child none of the others manifested itself until after the military. This is quite normal according to her. Because the events that took place during my time in the camps happened during a time where my body and mind were far from being fully developed. Therefore, my mind had an easier time processing it, and this can sometimes happen in children with high IQs (not bragging lol). However, after the military my mind and body were obviously fully developed, and this is why I can't "lock-up the demons in Pandora's box" as I like to say lol. If I hadn't processed the childhood trauma well then it would be a different story, but then I wouldn't have been in the military, much less a rescue swimmer according to her. Because one of the many psychological examination screenings would have picked it up, or had a previous diagnosis and lied about it and got past the many psychological examination screenings somehow.

I asked her why it all seems to me like it just barely happened whether it's military trauma or childhood trauma. She told me this was due to the common mistake of thinking that just because I processed the childhood trauma well does not mean that it's gone from the mind. She said the bad stuff wasn't gone instead it was in a kind of dormant stage. This dormant stage ended when the military trauma woke it up. Therefore, I guess now the childhood trauma and the military trauma are fully awake kicking it at the same party lol!

I told her that although I processed it well i still hadn't forgotten the things that happened. She said this was fine, and that remembering does not mean I didn't process it well and does not mean I have PTSD. Then I told her about my friend who I met in the camps and is one of three individuals that i keep in contact with from the refugee camps who were all children as well back then. I told her how my friend processed it amazingly 100% because my friend doesn't remember a thing. The doctor then told me this was actually quite the opposite and it's the worse case scenario, and I was stunned as you can imagine. However, she explained to me why. She says that individuals like my friend have something called "repressed memories" which usually can have catastrophic consequences. Because for a person like that new trauma like the one I experienced in the military can trigger these "repressed memories" to come out and it's almost like waking-up one day with new memories you did not have before. Like a part of your life you don't remember living, and as anyone can imagine this can be quite a trip. However, I argued that such memories could not be considered new to such a person because they actually took place, but she said that to those individuals they are new because they were never processed properly by their mind and were instead repressed/ hidden.

Flores, this was a hell of a revelation to me because for 22 years since I met this person when i was 6. For 22 years I have been wondering what my friend did right to be able to not remember, and what I did wrong because I could remember. 22 years I spent thinking something was 100% the exact opposite of what it truly is....

Edited April 12, 2016 by Crossfit702

[flores97]

Crossfit702, I apologize, I have just seen this post! What your therapist said makes complete sense,  I know we sometimes (or every day) wish that we couldn't remember certain events that happened in our lives, and for some people, usually children, that is exactly what happens. The problem as she stated is, what if something triggers those memories and, all of a sudden, they come back? It makes me wonder if that isn't what causes split personality disorder, it could be, just not certain. I'm glad that she was honest with you and I agree with her, its very impressive that you went through the trauma you did as a child and still became the person you are today. I wish you the best of luck on your claims and please keep us updated, i wasn't checking as often as i should have due to health issues, but i will be checking daily.

[broncovet]

"Chronic" applied to your PTSD is very favorable for you.  Allow me to explain.  "Chronic" means its ongoing, lasting a long time.  Its as opposed to "acute".  Acute means it is of short duration, and goes away.  VA compensates us for chronic condtions, but not acute.  If you hurt yourself in the military, and it goes away (acute), then you dont get compensated.  If it lingers on and on, then (and only then) do you get compensation.  

In reference to your question on "complex" PTSD, I agree with Tbird.  Once you receive a mental health disorder diagnosis and SC, they are all rated on symptoms.  It does not matter if your diagnosis is bipolar, depression, ptsd, mst, etc, they are all rated the same way on symptoms.  "Complex" pstd should not hurt your claim.  In fact, a diagnosis of PTSD is favorable.  You do have to show the stressor occurred "in service" and not to some out side of service event.  You can suffer PTSD sympoms unrelated to military:  Someone could break into your home and kidnap you for example, and cause you trauma.  Remember the word trauma, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.  You suffered "trauma".  Now, they will try to figure out "why" you suffered trauma.  Did you have an inservice event (trauma) as a stressor documented by your SMR's?  

If you dont have that, you will likely need it to get SC.  These requirements are set in stone:

1.  Current diagnosis.  You apparently have a PTSD diagnosis.  

2.  In service event or aggravation.  

3.  Nexus, or link between one and two above.  Your doc needs to say, your PTSD is "at least as likely as not" due to xx event while in service".  

      If you lack any one or more of the three Hickson elements, above, you will almost certainly be denied.  You may be able to cure this denial with an indepenent medical opinion or independent medical exam.  

Edited May 6, 2016 by broncovet