Any suggestions on PTSD & C-PTSD assessments

[Lank72]

Hello hivemind, long story short (to try and keep my mind on track and not get sucked into thinking about the details) I think I suffer from PTSD, more likely C-PTSD.

I ended up having to go private for my ASD & ADHD assessments because 7 years is too long to wait, so I'm just starting this one off on the same footing, especially since no referral is needed and I will likely be able to dodge a lot of extra gates and having to explain everything only to be passed on to someone else.

Anyone used a good service they would recommend, or have any general advice on how to go about getting this done as simply and painlessly as possible?

Thanks a lot !

 

[Al.]

Morning Lank, my name is Al

I have been viewing the forum for some time and was going to stay a 'lurker', and then your post.

I am diagnosed with C-PTSD, Major Depressive Disorder and Panic Disorder. I am very (happy is maybe not the correct word) to let you know my dissociative observations.
Initially go to your GP, if your symptoms are a match (it's complicated) you can be put through to mental health services and that's where the time comes in.

It's a horrible thing. It can get better with time and the correct care.

If you would like to chat (not sure if there is a PM option in the forum) I could use some observations on AuDHD RTC which I have just started.

Best
Al

P.S https://www.ptsduk.org/what-is-ptsd/complex-ptsd/ is a solid honest ref site and a great comfort

 

[Lank72]

Hey Al, appreciate the response

Yes I am thinking that having confirmation / diagnosis will help get me started on (hopefully) effective therapy, I'm at the point I think where I've bottled things up for years, and now for some reason due to a series of recent events, I can't keep the lid on anymore so it's probably time to tackle the beast(s)

The reason I'm looking into the private route is that I just can't wait years to get an assessment now I've started to open the whole thing up in my head, I would rather go without other things to pay, and hopefully start healing. I can see a few practices which will do a single session assessment (with a decent amount of paperwork up front) so I was wondering if anyone on here had any recommendations before I impulsively book one (and maybe regret it later)

I'm happy to share from my side on here if you have questions on what happens with AuDHD assessments but there's not a PM function on here at the moment so it would have to be public (I don't mind if you don't but obviously tailor any responses accordingly).

 

[Al.]

I can only let you know how the process has been for me in the last year and a half, everyones way is different I am sure.

I knew something was wrong (I had been triggered, and although I did not know what they were at the time was being hit with lots of bad head stuff). I went to the doc who thought it was depression. This has a different 'flavour' (makes sense to me). I was lucky and had some work/private therapy sessions and as the symptoms progressed and increased the therapist suggested C-PTSD.

I then went back to the GP (different doc) and got referred to Mental Health services.
These guys are wonderful! However as you can imagine hugely overworked...

I will tell you what I was advised by a High Intensity CBT assessor (I had three very painful assessments over three months before getting an NHS Psychiatrist appointment 6 months later), if you can go private.

If I may I suggest you find your nearest Private hospital that has a Psyciatrist. Have a shop through their credentials, find the one you think might suit you and go for it.

I completely understand the need for urgency. I wasted three months trying to fight it alone, Get going on it friend (the website is a great resource).

 

[Lank72]

I can only let you know how the process has been for me in the last year and a half, everyones way is different I am sure.

I knew something was wrong (I had been triggered, and although I did not know what they were at the time was being hit with lots of bad head stuff). I went to the doc who thought it was depression. This has a different 'flavour' (makes sense to me). I was lucky and had some work/private therapy sessions and as the symptoms progressed and increased the therapist suggested C-PTSD.

I then went back to the GP (different doc) and got referred to Mental Health services.
These guys are wonderful! However as you can imagine hugely overworked...

I will tell you what I was advised by a High Intensity CBT assessor (I had three very painful assessments over three months before getting an NHS Psychiatrist appointment 6 months later), if you can go private.

If I may I suggest you find your nearest Private hospital that has a Psyciatrist. Have a shop through their credentials, find the one you think might suit you and go for it.

I completely understand the need for urgency.

Yes I knew others would understand, I simply can't go through telling everything to one doctor for them to tell me to speak to another and do it again, and again, etc

That actually gives me a good idea, as I used a local Bupa Consultant Psychiatrist for one of these gateway interviews before and if they are willing to do the assessment I may shortcut a lot of the faff and upset, have emailed to see what they charge if they do it, etc

Appreciate it!

Again, if you feel comfortable and have specific questions about AuDHD assessment let me know, happy to help however I can because it's a lot!

 

[Al.]

Let me know how you get on

 

[Lank72]

Got a Dr who is going to give me a quick call tonight to discuss an assessment, just an initial call, so fingers crossed...

 

[BringBackBubblegum]

if you're seeking a new diagnosis, join bupa first. Good therapists are about 130 an hour. I have been with them for a few years and they are excellent. I've had way more out than I have paid in. A family member said to me - the NHS is great if you're dieing, for everything else, go private.

 

[Lank72]

Yeah, it's more the gatekeeping on assessment I am looking to skip.

If I can get a diagnosis direct I can then go back to Bupa and say 'here you go, now give me my therapy'

 

[BringBackBubblegum]

Bupa will do this for you, just mean that existing conditions aren't covered. Hence join first then get them to let you see someone. I have CPTSD and I have had 50 sessions and I am nowhere near done!

 

[Lank72]

I am already with Bupa, so it's not a pre-existing, but thanks for highlighting.

I checked with them, and they want a referral from a doctor first before they will do anything.

They did this to me before, and then when I got that they wanted me to see a Bupa gatekeeping doctor and go through it all again, before then being moved on to 2 separate assessment panels of clinicians with multi-stage interviews.

I appreciate what you are saying but am just not able / willing to go through all that again. I understand why they do it, but it's not going to work for me again, I will end up abandoning the whole thing if I have to keep going over and over it because an insurance company wants to minimise costs

 

[BringBackBubblegum]

Sorry I thought you weren't a member. Hmm, that's weird. My therapy was self referred. I was diagnosed with something else by the NHS, disagreed with the opinion, called bupa and said i wanted to see a therapist and that was it. Maybe me saying i wanted a second opinion helped? I get what you're saying now. I hate going to therapy, it's very tough and i tend to have a panic attack straight after but it does help and is worth it. Keep going.

 

[Fiddlesticks]

Hey Al, appreciate the response

Yes I am thinking that having confirmation / diagnosis will help get me started on (hopefully) effective therapy, I'm at the point I think where I've bottled things up for years, and now for some reason due to a series of recent events, I can't keep the lid on anymore so it's probably time to tackle the beast(s)

The reason I'm looking into the private route is that I just can't wait years to get an assessment now I've started to open the whole thing up in my head, I would rather go without other things to pay, and hopefully start healing. I can see a few practices which will do a single session assessment (with a decent amount of paperwork up front) so I was wondering if anyone on here had any recommendations before I impulsively book one (and maybe regret it later)

I'm happy to share from my side on here if you have questions on what happens with AuDHD assessments but there's not a PM function on here at the moment so it would have to be public (I don't mind if you don't but obviously tailor any responses accordingly).

Hi Lank
I have a diagnosis for CPTSD and obtaining it in todays NHS is difficult.
Mental Health Services are overwhelmed and doctors are reluctant to put pen to paper. It also is a complete lottery depending on what the provision is in your local area.
I can give some guidance within Scotland only, let me know if that is relevant to you.
I have also got qualifications as a peer support councillor for anxiety and CPTSD that I obtained simply to try and help myself whilst waiting on treatment/therapy so would like to think myself well informed but more importantly happy to listen.

Hope your call today goes well and you are able to explain your symptomatology properly.

 

[Al.]

Got a Dr who is going to give me a quick call tonight to discuss an assessment, just an initial call, so fingers crossed...

Excellient!

New post automatically merged: 27th Jan, 2026

Excellient!

I will say that my experience with Health insurance is that the diagnosis must be by a Psychiatrist, as Fiddlesticks says GPs will not commit in writing and correctly so (I was too distressed to understand this at the time). Until my crisis (private) chap wrote to my ins they were very dismissive.

Distressed is a funny old term...

@Fiddlesticks, Hi

 

[Lank72]

Hi Lank
I have a diagnosis for CPTSD and obtaining it in todays NHS is difficult.
Mental Health Services are overwhelmed and doctors are reluctant to put pen to paper. It also is a complete lottery depending on what the provision is in your local area.
I can give some guidance within Scotland only, let me know if that is relevant to you.
I have also got qualifications as a peer support councillor for anxiety and CPTSD that I obtained simply to try and help myself whilst waiting on treatment/therapy so would like to think myself well informed but more importantly happy to listen.

Hope your call today goes well and you are able to explain your symptomatology properly.

Cheers, not in Scotland unfortunately.

Yes I have a notepad I've been adding notes to for a while when relevant things come to mind - symptoms, triggers, etc.

I panic before/on such a call, and know I won't be able to tell them what they need to hear otherwise, it was a really helpful approach for my ASD & ADHD assessments

 

[Fiddlesticks]

Excellient!

New post automatically merged: 27th Jan, 2026

I will say that my experience with Health insurance is that the diagnosis must be by a Psychiatrist, as Fiddlesticks says GPs will not commit in writing and correctly so (I was too distressed to understand this at the time). Until my crisis (private) chap wrote to my ins they were very dismissive.

Distressed is a funny old term...

@Fiddlesticks, Hi

Hey Al

You are exactly correct. The only way I got the diagnosis was through a psych put on through national abuse enquiries. GP will never put in writing even if they tell you verbally they agree with the symptoms.
There are specific NHS centres that deal with trauma that can fast track the psych but you have to tick certain boxes. I am really glad to hear that lank has access to BUPA.

I was "lucky" in some respect that I never sought the diagnosis I just wanted to know what was wrong with me. Once I had the diagnosis it was very difficult. Rather than being unknowable which in my mind helped keep me safe I was textbook.

I am now a few years down the line and in restrospect the diagnosis helped me to understand myself and a lot of my characteristics. It is funny that I had self medicated cannabis since teens (im now mid 40's) and never understood why I needed it. Hated myself for being weak for needing it for my nightmares.
After the diagnosis I am a lot more forgiving of my cannabis consumption. Especially after giving all the traditional remedies like SSRI and benzos every chance to try make the difference a single spliff would....

 

[Al.]

Hey Al

You are exactly correct. The only way I got the diagnosis was through a psych put on through national abuse enquiries. GP will never put in writing even if they tell you verbally they agree with the symptoms.
There are specific NHS centres that deal with trauma that can fast track the psych but you have to tick certain boxes. I am really glad to hear that lank has access to BUPA.

I was "lucky" in some respect that I never sought the diagnosis I just wanted to know what was wrong with me. Once I had the diagnosis it was very difficult. Rather than being unknowable which in my mind helped keep me safe I was textbook.

I am now a few years down the line and in restrospect the diagnosis helped me to understand myself and a lot of my characteristics. It is funny that I had self medicated cannabis since teens (im now mid 40's) and never understood why I needed it. Hated myself for being weak for needing it for my nightmares.
After the diagnosis I am a lot more forgiving of my cannabis consumption. Especially after giving all the traditional remedies like SSRI and benzos every chance to try make the difference a single spliff would....

It sounds like you are aways further down the line than I am. I am 6 months into CBT, not fully stable for EMDR, a year and a half from the trigger trauma event that loops to past, and all the nasties that come with it.

You are the first person I have 'met' (I avoid forums) that has CPTSD also, I may be like a kid with loads of questions (rather than my current 62 year old emotional toddler).
When you say 'unknowable' (I hope it's okay to ask?) I had no idea what was happening to me, never heard of CPTSD, I knew I was 'bulletproof' always had been...and I was falling apart - likely textbook (?)
Did your symptoms evolve?

No SSRI for me, prev Serotonin Syndrome.

 

[Fiddlesticks]

It sounds like you are aways further down the line than I am. I am 6 months into CBT, not fully stable for EMDR, a year and a half from the trigger trauma event that loops to past, and all the nasties that come with it.

You are the first person I have 'met' (I avoid forums) that has CPTSD also, I may be like a kid with loads of questions (rather than my current 62 year old emotional toddler).
When you say 'unknowable' (I hope it's okay to ask?) I had no idea what was happening to me, never heard of CPTSD, I knew I was 'bulletproof' always had been...likely textbook too (?)
Did your symptoms evolve? I think mine have started to settle.

It is fair to say that anyone with CPTSD is from the school of hard knocks.
In terms of symptom evolution, basically I muddled through life till breakdown of marriage and homelessness forced all my childhood issues to resurface. I started behaving like I was when I was a child again and put two and two together. Its the things you have no control over that worry you the most and my CPTSD has a number of elements that are "involuntary"
Before that I told no one what happened.
I never needed confirmation of what happened to me when I was young but being a high functioning person being unable to function is not fun. So I did need help.
In terms of the unknowable aspect I always thought I was a maverick or just fated for the things to happen to me that did. Very stoic. Unfortunately I was as affected as anyone. So rather than being some sort of rogue spark, I was a textbook case. That took away a lot of the spark that had kept me going.
Tough stuff.

The hard part is what you said about symptoms. I struggle daily but I always have. Having full spectrum understanding of an issue gives me little and I over intellectualize issues rather as a way of avoidance.
Still I am typing all this with a big smile as I make myself laugh the most.
Remember that the last laugh is always on you!

 

[Al.]

100%

Thank you

 

[Lank72]

Numb.

So I speak to this Dr last night. Summary follows, paraphrasing:

I have to explain why I think I have PTSD, go through symptoms, etc, which I didn't want to do more than once, but ok, this guy is giving me some advice for free so I share the mimimum without getting into any specific trauma.


1. 'You should go through Bupa, if you call X number and say Y then they will give you an auth code and you won't need to get a referral or explain this to multiple people'

2. 'Your prior sensitivity to SSRIs,. SNRIs, ADHD medication and others is in your head and you need to be willing to put up with the side effects to get the benefits, treatment for PTSD must be pharmaceuticals plus therapy, so don't bother if you are not going to be willing to take the pharmaceuticals again'

3. 'I don't know anything about cannabis, that is a different specialism', followed soon after by 'cannabis is crap compared to this drug I am used to prescribing because canna only relaxes and does nothing else useful, it won't help you with anything else' and then followed by 'cannabis is very expensive right? So I am trying to save you money'


So I call the Bupa number and say what I was told to say. Can you guess what Bupa said?? Yeah, same as first time, 'you need a referral', you need to speak to a GP, either you own or one of ours first explain everything and they will confirm if you need an assessment / treatment.

I am struggling so much, it's taken so long to realise / accept I need help, longer to ask for it. Well this caused a meltdown last night and I am double exhausted today and feel further back rather than forward