Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Support Group
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I'm currently in college studying Child and Adolescent Psychology. I'm taking a class on research and had to design a study on any topic I wanted. So, I chose to design a study on students on my campus, and I measured them on the Dissociative Experiences Scale.
If you're not sure what that is, it's a self report questionnaire that's been tested and tested and tested some more and it's been shown that high scores have a strong correlation to dissociative disorders. It's something I'm really interested in because I've experienced dissociative symptoms, as I'm sure a lot of you have. *side note: did you know that you can't be diagnosed with certain dissociative disorders if you're already diagnosed with PTSD? too many overlaps, maybe?
Back on topic: my hypothesis was correct! Not that I pulled it out of thin air or something, I did a lot of research and stuff, but it was correct! I hypothesized that the average DES score for undergrad students would be less than 10. It's actually less than 5! Crazy.
Well, not crazy. Ha! Okay, I'm enjoying this a little too much.
I'm just really excited about this and it's really interesting to me because my score, and many of my friend's scores, are MUCH higher than 5.
I can't wait to read all of the data and run all the tests so I can find out more cool things about the brains of my peers.
If you're not sure what that is, it's a self report questionnaire that's been tested and tested and tested some more and it's been shown that high scores have a strong correlation to dissociative disorders. It's something I'm really interested in because I've experienced dissociative symptoms, as I'm sure a lot of you have. *side note: did you know that you can't be diagnosed with certain dissociative disorders if you're already diagnosed with PTSD? too many overlaps, maybe?
Back on topic: my hypothesis was correct! Not that I pulled it out of thin air or something, I did a lot of research and stuff, but it was correct! I hypothesized that the average DES score for undergrad students would be less than 10. It's actually less than 5! Crazy.
Well, not crazy. Ha! Okay, I'm enjoying this a little too much.
I'm just really excited about this and it's really interesting to me because my score, and many of my friend's scores, are MUCH higher than 5.
I can't wait to read all of the data and run all the tests so I can find out more cool things about the brains of my peers.
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I haven't written in my diary on my computer since May because I thought that my computer was dying. I got away from writing but my computer is hanging in there. I think that I will start writing in it again. It's so therapeutic.
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First, I hope everyone is doing well, and continuing to fight that good fight! Keep up the great work on yourselves; I'm rooting for all of you!So, I started doing therapy at the beginning of the year, when I was in my most depressed state, but with my therapist, I made big changes and steps in the right direction. But, over a month ago, she couldn't take my insurance anymore, and I had to stop...
I think PTSD predisposes us to dissociate, personally---any trauma would, probably---it's like the phenomenon of "kindling" in epilepsy (which I have, so I am a neuro-geek on that topic). Once the pathway in the brain is created, it's gonna be used.... and the more it's used, the more it's used....
Interesting that the DES was so low. I'd be interested to know how that compares with other age groups---not that self-reporting is the most quantitative measure, LOL, but still, be interested to know if the DES average tends to inch up or down with age/experience. For example, would the DES be higher on average if, say, you studied college students in, for example, Pakistan? Ukraine? New Zealand? Etc....
Keep us posted on future developments and discoveries!:-)