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Asperger's and PTSD

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Sportster

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Forgive me if this has already been discussed and please feel free to redirect or remove it. Nevertheless, I was wondering about the correlation between AS and PTSD. I’ve noticed on several threads that some members have mentioned having PTSD. I’ve not mentioned having it, as I didn’t think it germane to the subject of AS. However, there does seem to be a possible connection. Does anyone have an opinion on the subject? Does AS and PTSD go hand-in-hand?

I’m not referring to those suffering from PTSD because of catastrophic life events like combat, devastating natural disasters, manmade disasters, etc. Rather, I mean things like relentless bullying, difficulties in school, inept parents ill equipped to raise an AS child, etc.

For me, I’ve experienced some very serious life-changing events in addition to the issues brought about by the AS, so it’s hard to say in my case. I do know that a few therapists wanted to get further inside my head than I was comfortable with, so I stopped seeing them.

Anyway, I’d like to know what others think on this subject.
 
From talking to professionals about some issues I've had in the past I've shown some traits that easily fall under PTSD.

Though in general I don't think I've had a lot of "traumatic" events in a traditional sense. I never was in a war or something like that.

However, what's worth noting is that for me it's more of a thing where my brain interprets certain events and situations differently and that just makes them more "traumatic" (for lack of a better word). The fact that certain things are part of life and everyone has to deal with them and doesn't feel traumatized doesn't have anything to do with it... it's pretty much just how I personally interpret and experience them.

It's interesting though, since as a child I was bullied ad nauseam, that didn't really traumatize me the way it would affect most people (according to therapists), though there are plenty of other events in life that obviously impacted me more than they should have. It's all a matter of interpretation and coping with certain things... though it's surely not limited to the ability to cope with anything in general. For what it's worth someone can cope more with bullying than with loud noises for example (unless of course, you bully someone with loud noises). It's pushing someones buttons the wrong way... though I'm quite sure that those buttons can activate different interpretation for aspies (among other groups).

It always get bothered when people tell me (or just in general) that something is normal and I just have to deal with it. "Just dealing with it" is a different package for everyone and some thing that for 9 out of 10 people might just not work for me at all. I don't feel that I should and must be treated differently as a person, but I do think that generalization and this notion of "no one else seems bothered by it" surely is a problem. So perhaps it's not that I'm saying I need personal attention for myself... I just think everyone needs personal attention (of course, that's not realistic and workable, but I guess that's how it is then).
 
I think that a cause of ptsd for younger people like me is bullying. Because of the symptoms of aspergers I got bullyed which then led to me not trusting anyone and my hyper sensitivity to sound and touch being magnified.
 
It's important for everyone to remember that the term post-traumatic stress disorder is reserved exclusively for the trauma inflicted by an ordeal that involved physical harm or the threat of physical harm. It's common among war veterans for a reason. Bullying can certainly be a cause of emotional stress, but I would say only cases involving severe physical abuse can lead to PTSD.

NIMH · Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

As is also the case with depression and other mental health issues, I think PTSD has been co-opted by the general public as a description for everyday symptoms. Aside from being inaccurate, this practice is harmful to people who actually have to deal with these conditions.

I have a friend who shows signs of PTSD due to being threatened with physical harm when he was younger (and I'm not just talking about a spanking here), and he can't stand seeing people treat the term so casually. Neither can I, really.
 
Hmmm. Y'all seem to have some good points here. Just not sure who is more right and who is more wrong.

Yeah, I was also relentlessly bullied as a kid.

Weird to think back that only a few years ago I attributed virtually everything to my growing up in a military family where I moved constantly. But in putting the pieces of the puzzle together I know now that whatever it is, it resides in the realm of my own neurology. Whether I need to split hairs beyond that is anyone's guess. It's certainly "food for thought" though...
 
andygriffith335 said:
Yes it can I was jumped and beat up walking home from school for 4 years it does cause ptsd
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You say you were beaten up every day on the way home from school for four years? I can see how you would think that can lead to PTSD. But I'd say it's possible only if you started to feel your life was actually threatened.

PTSD is on a completely different level from the trauma endured in typical bullying.

Judge said:
Hmmm. Y'all seem to have some good points here. Just not sure who is more right and who is more wrong.
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I'm not a medical professional, but I know the difference between being afraid to go to school because of some bullies and feeling afraid because, say, a loaded gun is pointed at one's head.

(Yes, I've edited my post a bit. I wasn't really giving my response much thought when I first posted. It's too early for me.)

Also: there is a fairly easy litmus test for the presence of actual PTSD. If you do not go into a state of literal shock when you recall the causative incident, you do not have PTSD. Rape victims have PTSD. Gunshot and stab victims and survivors of bombings have PTSD.
 
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It's just strange to realize that I never gave much thought to PTSD before. I had been previously diagnosed many years ago with clinical depression and OCD...yet I suspect what ties all these comorbid conditions together would be ASD.
 
It's not splitting hairs, kid. I'm not dismissing what you've gone through. I've been through the wringer as a victim of bullying myself. But you need to know the difference between your trauma and PTSD. So does everyone here. Unless you've actually been diagnosed with PTSD by a qualified professional, I'm not going to believe that you have it just because you were beaten up. PTSD starts as a result of fear for one's life and nothing less.
 
Thank you. That's all I wanted to know. Your earlier posts seemed to imply that general bullying can cause PTSD, which is not the case. Clearly you've been through much more than being beaten up for four years. I apologize for being intrusive. This is just a sore point for me and I really want to make sure people understand that PTSD isn't just something they can sling about as a casual label. (It's the same deal with depression or any other mental illness.)
 
As much as I'm inclined to agree that PTSD tends to be overused as a condition, I do feel that your personal interpretation of the predicament you were in does account for something. What if I firmly believe that my situation is life threatening (in whatever way)? Or do we have to adhere to a strict standard, because others don't perceive my predicament as "life threatening"?

Just to avoid confusion; I never was diagnosed with PTSD, but I do show some symptoms that come along with it as a result as perceived mental harm. If someones experiences make someone believe there was any form of harm in the short or long run, that's enough to at least look into those issues. Discarding someones experiences because they're not textbook cases seems to be an easy way out. If we're going that route we can probably even discredit anyone on this forum as being on the spectrum or being depressed as it being "just their imagination" or a "terrible psychologist".

But yes as I said, yes, PTSD is overused and I totally agree with Ereth that we should't sling it around as a casual label. But neither should we do so with depression, Asperger's, bipolar, ADD and the full spectrum of mental disorders.
 
andygriffith335 said:
Yeah I am sorry I hear that I dont have it and that I am a wimp so I tend to get defensive about it
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Well, I'm glad you brought the subject up....good way to start here- thanks!

Another thing for me to think about...my experiences being bullied are always just below the surface...and never really leave me.
 
I'm hesitant to comment here, as this is WAY out of any of my fields of expertise.

Perhaps there's a spectrum here. I was diagnosed with Acute Stress Disorder a number of years ago; however, the symptoms lingered long after the four-week maximum for an official diagnosis of that condition; a number of years, in fact. I think there can be a grey area. But I agree with Ereth and King: It's not a term that should be casually tossed around. Things like, "Oh, I think I have au-pair PTSD" (long story) or "Oh my god, I'm SOOOOOOOO OCD about that!" bug the ever-living s*** out of me.
 
Here's an interesting study about a treatment for PTSD:

IV Ketamine Rapidly Effective in PTSD

Patients with moderate to severe post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms showed rapid and substantial relief with a single intravenous dose of ketamine in a pilot randomized trial, researchers said.

...
Barbara Rothbaum, PhD, head of Emory University's trauma and anxiety recovery program in Atlanta, told MedPage Today in an email that the study breaks new ground in PTSD treatment.

"Ketamine has been shown to be helpful for depression and obsessive compulsive disorder, but this is the first time it has been shown to be helpful for PTSD," said Rothbaum, who was not involved with the study.

Others in this field agreed that it was an important finding with strong clinical promise.

... The researchers said ketamine's precise mechanism of action for reducing PTSD symptoms was unknown. The drug antagonizes glutamate NMDA receptors; glutamate is believed to play a role in forming memories, including those of traumatic events. Thus, it is possible that the drug somehow disrupts the persistent fear and stress associated with such memories. Ketamine also has effects at the cellular level, boosting synaptic connections in the prefrontal cortex in rats, for example.
 
PTSD can be caused by bullying if that person fears for their life or their families lives. There is something called complex PTSD which is defined as:
Complex PTSD:
Complex PTSD, also known as disorder of extreme stress, is found among individuals who have been exposed to prolonged traumatic circumstances, especially during childhood, such as childhood sexual abuse. Research shows that many brain and hormonal changes may occur as a result of early, prolonged trauma, and contribute to troubles with learning, memory, and regulating emotions. Combined with a disruptive, abusive home environment, these brain and hormonal changes may contribute to severe behavioral difficulties such as eating disorders, impulsivity, aggression, inappropriate sexual behavior, alcohol or drug abuse, and other self-destructive actions, as well as emotional regulation (such as intense rage, depression, or panic) and mental difficulties (such as scattered thoughts, dissociation, and amnesia). As adults, these individuals often are diagnosed with depressive disorders, personality disorders, or dissociative disorders. Treatment may progress at a much slower rate, and requires a sensitive and structured program delivered by a trauma specialist.

Now the thing is people don't seem to understand that yah the word PTSD has been thrown around but so has most mental health issues. I have been Diganosed with PTSD but not in relation to AS though they think that had something to do with it.
 
Arashi222 said:
PTSD can be caused by bullying if that person fears for their life or their families lives. There is something called complex PTSD which is defined as:
Complex PTSD:
Complex PTSD, also known as disorder of extreme stress, is found among individuals who have been exposed to prolonged traumatic circumstances, especially during childhood, such as childhood sexual abuse. Research shows that many brain and hormonal changes may occur as a result of early, prolonged trauma, and contribute to troubles with learning, memory, and regulating emotions. Combined with a disruptive, abusive home environment, these brain and hormonal changes may contribute to severe behavioral difficulties such as eating disorders, impulsivity, aggression, inappropriate sexual behavior, alcohol or drug abuse, and other self-destructive actions, as well as emotional regulation (such as intense rage, depression, or panic) and mental difficulties (such as scattered thoughts, dissociation, and amnesia). As adults, these individuals often are diagnosed with depressive disorders, personality disorders, or dissociative disorders. Treatment may progress at a much slower rate, and requires a sensitive and structured program delivered by a trauma specialist.

Now the thing is people don't seem to understand that yah the word PTSD has been thrown around but so has most mental health issues. I have been Diganosed with PTSD but not in relation to AS though they think that had something to do with it.
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Well said Arashi, thank you!!!
 
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