New Has anyone had treatment for PTSD for trauma experienced decades ago

Elizabeth CP · ‎08-12-2015

Hi I have experienced depression & anxiety for years and sought medical help more recently as it escalated. I recently gave up work as it became too difficult to cope while caring for my husband whose medical condition has deteriorated recently. My psych recommended treatment for PTSD but I am now feeling more stressed & anxious as it is stirring up really bad memories and feelings. It also means there isn't time to focus on other things which are causing stress and increasing depression. I feel like there are are so many negative thoughts and feelings in my mind I am overwhelmed. The initial trauma occurred when I was 10 but there has been other experiences as an adult which had the potential to cause the same problem. (I usually go somewhere I feel safer and only return home when the I feel it is safe.)

Guest_5218 · ‎08-12-2015

Hello Elizabeth. Welcome to the BB Forums.

In answer to your question - Yes, I have had treatment for PTSD related to a traumatic event in my life which occurred over 19 years ago, when I was 36. I have also had 3 further qualifying traumatic events happen to me over subsequent years as well. All this contributes to the development of PTSD. If one of the events dont get you, then one of the other ones will! And the build-up certainly exacerbates the symptoms.

Since 1996 I have suffered from all the typical symptoms of anxiety, and also OCD. Along with regular triggering of memories resulting in increased nightmares, flashbacks, fear, dread, vulnerability, etc. I'm sure you can relate to all that?

I did not seek any treatment for a long time. Only this year, after a particularly difficult period in my life, and further trauma, did I finally accept treatment. I went through a series of Exposure Therapy and CBT for trauma. Is this what you are going through?

By necessity this treatment will definitely stir up bad memories and feelings. It will leave you feeling very vulnerable and exposed. It is a very overwhelming experience to go through. You are required to relive all your worst memories and to talk about, confront, and attempt to process very personal and distressing events and feelings. The theory is that with repeated therapy sessions you will become partially desensitised to the traumatic memories of your past experiences.

How far into your therapy are you now? I can report that the therapy I had earlier this year has been partly successful, but given that you only get 10 sessions with mental health plans, more still needs to be done next year. My psychologist wants to try EMDR (eye movement) therapy, which is a little different to the other therapy I had this year. Perhaps this is what you are having?

Anyway Elizabeth, I would strongly advise that you continue with your treatment. It is normal to want to give up, after all we are reliving memories that we have spent years trying to forget or to push as far out of our minds as we possibly can. It is understandable that we dont want to go there! But that is probably part of the problem. By not confronting and processing and accepting what happened to us, we are not letting it go.

So please persevere Elizabeth, and let me know how you get on over the coming sessions. I am very interested to hear of your progress.

Thinking of you ............. xx

Elizabeth CP · ‎08-12-2015

I hav

Thanks for the reply. I have just started with exposure therapy. Unfortunately sessions have been very spread out due to other circumstances. Specialist appointments for an injury I sustained some time ago & appointments for my husband. It is difficult as I have difficulty seeing what I can achieve. I am probably at the worst time with everything being stirred up

Guest_5218 · ‎08-12-2015

Hi Elizabeth,

Yes it sounds like it is not the ideal time to be starting such an all-consuming course of therapy. But there again, there isn't ever a good time. I understand that you have such a lot going on. I also have a long term injury which I manage as best I can. It prevents me from working full-time though and I am now only able to work part time at best. And even then there are some weeks I am unable even to crawl out of bed due to the pain. So I understand you there. It sounds like your husband has fairly major health issues, which can be a major strain on you both. I am also carer for my husband who has significant health issues, both physical and psychological. It actually sounds like we have a lot in common? : )

Your Exposure Therapy sounds like it is somewhat disjointed and spread out. Thats unfortunate. I think ideally they like to do weekly sessions over a period of 6-12 weeks. I packed most of mine into a period of about a month. Some weeks I had 3 sessions of up to 3 hours each, and other weeks just the one. I wanted it this way because it coincided with my husband being away for a month. So it was pretty intense. But I think for me it worked pretty well that way. But everyone is different of course. Maybe for you spread out sessions will work.

Has your therapist gone through with you just what your goals and expectations from the ET are? If not, then I think you need to discuss this with them at your next session. If you dont see how it can benefit you, then its going to be really hard to keep turning up for each 'torture' session. But be patient, if my experience is anything to go by, it does become easier. I hope it will for you too, and then you can see the benefits of continuing with it.

Keep in touch. xx

Guest_2350 · ‎10-12-2015

Hi Elizabeth,

I am sorry to hear you are having such a tough time, but it is good that you are reaching out. I found the people on this forum a great help in my own journey and I hope you will find help here too.

I am very much at the beginning of my own journey, although I have been seeing my GP and psych for 7 months. I have not even really started talking about my PTSD. Once I started talking about the past, I felt worse, I also distrusted my last psych and changed, which has dragged out the process. I am medicated now and feel a lot more stable, but my psych will only start interpersonal therapy in the new year, when we can have regular appointments. I actually talk to a psychiatrist now - not a psychologist, but I am not sure why.

My psych has told me that I will decide when I touch which part of my PTSD and it could be a long time, before I am ready to go back to some of the events. I find it extremely confronting, but I feel much more at ease since my psych told me that some things are better be left unstirred until I am ready. So I have been assured that this will happen at my own speed.

I also have to coordinate work, other specialist appointments with GP and psych and it is a challenge. That is why we agreed to wait until a point in time when I can better commit to a regular schedule. I have been lost and disoriented when I first started talking and it was pretty bad. I now say when I am not comfortable to cross certain limits - often I just write. For me my safety is the most important thing and I have discussed and agreed this with everyone involved.

I hope you can find a way to find your own pace for dealing with your PTSD and I hope you can find the support you need. Please come back if you have questions, update us on your journey or just say Hi.

Take care, Yggy

Wilcox · ‎10-12-2015

Hi Elizabeth. I am being treated for PTSD related to trauma which happened nearly thirty years ago now. Granted I have been working with my complex trauma since I was 23 years old but over the years the focus of my recovery has shifted and changed. PTSD symptoms can be terrifying, overwhelming and seemingly unmovable at first; and the temptation to shove everything back into its box is a daily temptation. Without meaning to sound trite, dealing with PTSD symptoms at the beginning is a little like being asked to conduct an orchestra with no experience - you are assaulted with noise, power and emotion that, at first, you don't have any control over. But gradually, with practice, you will be able to navigate your way through the bad memories and the old experiences. I've had decades of practice with flashbacks, triggers, intrusive thoughts, suicidal ideation, and their ability to overwhelm me has lessened over time. They still occur, and that is a testament to the severity of the original trauma. But, by learning to navigate my PTSD I have been given back the parts of me I never knew I lost. I am still regaining parts of myself but I know the territory so well now I have great faith that they will return to me. I'm not saying grit your teeth and bare it, as it sounds as though you have many challenges at the moment. But work with your psychologist to find a way through. Be kind to yourself.

Elizabeth CP · ‎11-12-2015

Thank you. I discussed goal at my last session although they are not really clear. We are still working out what is achievable & appropriate under the circumstances. One of my problems is I can get hooked into constantly checking on related events even when they don't directly affect me eg checking the internet for updated reports to see if the danger is passed. This means we need to be careful the exposure therapy doesn't lead to more problems. The other issue is working out the most appropriate reactions to stressors as there will always be situations I will have to escape for my own safety and other times I need others to change their behaviour so I feel safe. Learning to do this is difficult as even family members don't understand and have made fun of me when I have felt threatened.

The other issue I have is feelings of guilt and poor self esteem related to my behaviour as a child during the initial trauma and subsequent events.

sorry I feel like I am not explaining myself very well

Elizabeth CP · ‎11-12-2015

thanks it is good to know I am not alone in this journey. Good luck with your treatment

Guest_5218 · ‎11-12-2015

Elizabeth, please dont apologise, I think you have explained yourself perfectly well. I expect that anyone who has not gone though traumatic experiences like yourself though, would have a hard time understanding. And that may be where the difficulties lay in communicating your needs and expectations of them. People who have not gone through it just dont understand! It's not their fault of course. But we do have to try to be patient with those we are close to, as well as with ourselves. Your feelings of guilt and poor self esteem are very common with PTSD. Exposure Therapy is usually conducted in conjunction with CBT and is designed to help change or modify your perceptions of 'self'. So I think you will find that it will have a positive effect for you.

By the way, I'm happy you've stayed in touch. It does help to talk with others, especially given that your therapy sessions are so 'spasmodic' in frequency.

Sherie xx