He Was Part Of The Team That First Named PTSD; Now He's Advocating That "Disorder" Should Be Called "Injury" (ft. Dr. Frank Ochberg)

Life After PTSD Podcast: Healing From Trauma

In this episode we welcome Dr. Frank Ochberg, a founding board member of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies and recipient of their highest honor, the Lifetime Achievement Award. He edited the first text on treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and served on the committee that essentially defined PTSD. In an article dated September 19, 2012, titled: “AN INJURY, NOT A DISORDER: post-traumatic stress disorder has been an accepted diagnosis since 1980. It’s time for clinicians to adopt a new name- Post traumatic stress injury - that is more accurate, hopeful and honorable," Ochberg advocated that the former mainstream view that PTSD is a disorder is inaccurate. "PTSI is a better term than PTSD. It is accurate. It does justice to the condition. It is preferred by those who contend with the condition. The APA [American Psychiatric Association] would bring credit to itself and respect to its patients by adopting this improvement in diagnostic terminology." We were privileged to have this living room style conversation with Dr. Ochberg, who shares that his advocacy is in no way to minimize the significance of PTS rather to offer broader support to those who suffer from this operation injury (as it's referred to in some other nations already) of war, violence and human cruelty. As Ochberg learned from many sufferers, "the concept of an injury, rather than a disorder, does justice to their experience. Once they were whole. Then they were shattered. When their counselors, employers, friends and loved ones behaved as though they were survivors of injuries, with lingering wounds, they could heal. When they felt like mental patients and were treated as persons with pre-existing weakness, they could not heal." (original article citation: https://dartcenter.org/content/injury-not-disorder-0) - The show is intended to provide encouragement for the listener but is for entertainment purposes only and NOT a substitute for proper treatment or to be used in any legal capacity whatsoever. Please seek help from a qualified mental health provider.