Chronic PTSD & Severe Depression Disorder

[Buck52]

Not sure what to do here?

Today 10/25/18 I was diagnosed with ''Severe Depression''

I was diagnosed with Chronic PTSD...June 10th 2015...today I was at the VAMC  and my L.C.S.W. SW 4 Mention to me I Had Severe Depression....I'm already S.C. for PTSD AT 70%

WE CAN'T HAVE TWO MH Ratings correct?

I said nothing about a claim or indicate I was filing a Claim.

I have not been sent a C&P for Re Evaluation  not sure if I will?

  but having a Severe Depression Disorder Don't set to well with me...Do you think they will take my PTSD SC Away and reduce me to Depressions? not sure what the rating would be for severe Depressions but I think its the same criteria as PTSD  O% 10& 30% 50% 70% AND 100% 

I Have 70% S,C.PTSD  At Present.

Anybody know what they will do?  I have not read my  VA Notes yet won't be Available  until Monday the 29th

[vetquest]

Buck,

I have PTSD at 70% along with depression and suicidal ideation.  It is just a new diagnosis and you should not be sent for another C&P.  As you say you cannot be rated for both so they rate the most severe one, usually PTSD. I hope this helps.

[Buck52]

Thanks Vetquest

I will just wait and see what she writes up about it?

Been doing the CPT Therapy..Its a little rough  ..she wants me to attend a Group PTSD Meeting next session  the group meets at 9:00am for  60 minutes and my therapy session with her is at 11:00am  My VA Therapist does the Group Therapy as well..So next week I may go in earlier and check out the groups meeting..its unofficial I attend  but she wants me to come sit in on it and see if I like it..so if I do she may take me out of the CPT? Right now today I finished my 8th session.  of 12 sessions.

WE'LL SEE HOW I LIKE THE GROUP SESSIONS??

[seminoles]

53 minutes ago, Buck52 said:

Thanks Vetquest

I will just wait and see what she writes up about it?

Been doing the CPT Therapy..Its a little rough  ..she wants me to attend a Group PTSD Meeting next session  the group meets at 9:00am for  60 minutes and my therapy session with her is at 11:00am  My VA Therapist does the Group Therapy as well..So next week I may go in earlier and check out the groups meeting..its unofficial I attend  but she wants me to come sit in on it and see if I like it..so if I do she may take me out of the CPT? Right now today I finished my 8th session.  of 12 sessions.

WE'LL SEE HOW I LIKE THE GROUP SESSIONS??

I am rated for a mental health condition, that condition  is listed first and then the other diagnoses are in parenthesis after it.........when I have had c and p exams they take into account all my service connected mental health,  mh is currently 70% and I have also just completed CBT, which was very hard!! So many years later.......20 plus for me since leaving the Navy and I felt like I was often going backwards instead of forwards having to put those PTSD/anxiety type things down on paper, going through discussing them etc. was not easy and I will admit that I wanted to quit many times.  Just on the other side of it and I will say that it did teach me some great tools I didn't have before and I have no regrets that I did it, my psychologist was amazing.  I do not get seen in the mh clinic at my VA, I saw her through telehealth and have zero desire to do group therapy, she hasn't even suggested it to me, we still do one on one therapy and that is a great fit for me.  Group therapy would probably push me over my limits on being demanding emotionally and physically.   Whichever you choose I wish you the best, we all have personal limitations that we have to weigh!

[Buck52]

Thanks seminoles 

Right now I am in CPT Therapy 8th sessions completed today...the therapist just ask me to sit in on the group therapy to see how I fit in..I am i a inter vert person and don't like to be round people , she said she had a veteran in the group who last year would not go in any stores like Wal Mart  ect,,ect,, since he started group therapy  he goes in Wal Mart all the time and talks to the clerks and really seen a change in his behavior  she said it may not be for me  but at least sit in on a session and see what I think.

I don't think were ever going to be completely cured of PTSD but like you mention I am learning about different ways to cope with this shit..and finding the tools to do that  that  that I never knew before.

I am trying my best to be a sociable like-able man..and not avoid the other pleasures of life  and I don't mean intimacy  but socializing I just don't fit in with other people no matter what or where or when...and I am trying my best to not be the way I am.

I started a get together for hadit members to meet out is Las Vegas  I can probably meet some hadit members  but as long as I have a Room to go to whenever  I'm ok

BUT SO FOR NO ONE IS INTERESTED? Guess I can't say I blame them

[GeekySquid]

5 hours ago, Buck52 said:

WE CAN'T HAVE TWO MH Ratings correct

 

I am fairly sure that as far as ratings go, your new "Severe Depression" diagnosis is considered Secondary to your PTSD and other conditions.

For example from my original rating decision and PTSD DBQ it says

POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER, WITH MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER WITH PSYCHOTIC
FEATURES

My Psychotic features are the continual "visions" of dismembered body parts I see hovering over the left shoulder of every person I see in real life. They are not there in tv, films, pictures, etc.

The Major Depressive Disorder could be a MH rating by itself, but it is diagnosed as a Secondary condition to my PTSD.

Breathe, you should not have any blow back from this diagnosis in relation to your SC status and percentage.

[Buck52]

Well reason I ask 

When I was diagnose for chronic PTSD they included depression and mention unspecific anxiety disorders..So I had assumed the depression was to be included....Now I maybe taking my Therapist all wrong on this

she looked at me and mention to me you have severe depression  note: I had just finished reading her some of my worksheets, now on these work sheets it says to be honest and answer according to how you feel at the time  you write out the work sheets..so as I was writing them I was honest and just gave the answer to how I was feeling..maybe I sounded depressed to her?  They take everything you mention and some times blow it up or make into something not as bad as we think  or I think...some things I can take and some things I can't take

I ask her this,

  if you lose a loved one  say your dear old grandma...well sure your going to feel sad because you will never see her again and not be able to talk with her like you use too..ect,,ect,,and you have grief...but if a buddy in war next to you gets hit and dies in your arms waiting on medic /medical attention the feelings is not the same and you feel guilt that it was not you  but thankful at the same time it was not you but the emotions and trauma it brings to your social behavior years later  is certainly different from you losing your dear old grandma.

but both of these events are traumatic for almost anyone.

Maybe that's why she mention I had severe depression??