Since the publication of the third edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM III), psychiatrists and insurance companies have required certain diagnoses to be rendered based on its contents. Unfortunately, this has resulted in a lot of clients falling through the gaps, and many of them have not been able to get the type of treatment they needed. In general, diagnoses have always been handed out depending on the practitioner and the issues that were being dealt with on a particular day. As a result, many clients who have a traumatic past have not been diagnosed as such.
What’s in a Diagnosis?
At its most basic level, a diagnosis informs treatment. If a client is prescribed the wrong type of treatment, it can cause a lot of damage for him or her. Perhaps you’ve been diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder or Depression, but you honestly don’t feel as though you fall into either of those categories. Chances are pretty good that you might not; but in order to get an accurate trauma diagnosis, it’s essential to be seen by a professional who works with trauma victims and knows how to treat them.
Many clients don’t recognize that they have a history of trauma because they don’t remember the events that led to it. Even so, those individuals should still receive the appropriate, therapeutic treatment to address their trauma in order to foster the healing that needs to happen.
How is Trauma Diagnosed?
In his book, The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma, Dr. Bessel Van der Kolk discusses the various ways that a practitioner can recognize trauma in his or her clients. Many studies have been done in an attempt to fully understand what trauma is, and how it manifests during every stage of life; even for people who don’t remember a traumatic event occurring. For example, researchers have found that children who have behavioral problems or learning difficulties in school are often victims of trauma earlier in their childhoods. Trauma is also indicated in individuals who report having no one with whom they felt safe while they were growing up. When the proper assessment is done, a diagnosis of trauma can be uncovered. Other issues may need to be treated as well, but when trauma is addressed, many other diagnoses are discovered to be unfounded, or at least secondary.
Perhaps you’re concerned about a traumatic event in your past. You may not even remember being a victim of trauma, but if you have been, getting help is crucial to recovering from it. I can help you work through the issues that resulted from your trauma. Please contact me if you’d like to make an appointment.
