PTSD Treatment

[Pip25]

I was in an abusive relationship for several years and have been diagnosed with PTSD. I have recently started seeing a psychologist to seek help. After sessions I feel exhausted, stressed and find myself crying a lot. I want to know all of this is worth it. Does anyone have any experience with treatment approaches for PTSD that work? Currently, I'm trying traumatic memory re-scripting.

[SubduedBlues]

Hi Pip, welcome to BB

Honestly, you are doing the treatment that works. But it only works if you do it, regularly, consistently, and often.

How about I put the concept of the treatment into laymen terms. The theory goes:

• because anything we hear/see/touch/smell/taste/feel on a regular and consistent basis, the mind accepts as normal.
• because the more often we remember, the more often we retell, the more often we deal with that traumatic event, the more likely its memory becomes one of those things that occur on a regular and consistent basis.
• because once the memory is a normal everyday memory, the mind can then set it aside and not be stressed by it.

Or at least that is what I understood from speaking with Vietnam vets.

The memories will always be there, but the pain relived from recalling the events, does eventually subside. One need only persist and and have faith in the process.

Recalling those events, in my past, enables my mind to deal with the memories, in similar fashion to that of the above. Conversely, not continuing through the recalling and retelling of events, and just burying them, doesn't work. The ones I didn't deal with, still bother me. I wish I had dealt with them 30 years ago. So don't do what I did and ignore them, get them out on the table, speak about them regularly, and resolve them.

Best wishes and keep posting

SB

[Just Sara]

Hi and welcome to our caring community Pip;

I'd like to add to SB's wonderful info and experience; I've been thru many trauma's including rape and violence and abuse during childhood.

PTSD is only a term; the responses and triggers associated with it can be devastating and very, very scary. As SB says, the mind interprets regular emotions, events and thoughts as 'beliefs' and being a normal part of life.

An example might be a man wearing a red shirt walking towards you. To us this doesn't mean anything, but to your subconscious, memories of your past partner's abuse while drunk, watching his favourite football team on TV and wearing his red team jumper, could cause absolute terror. This response is based on memory.

Another common response is to loud noises or intense light. This might not be memory, it could be the wrecked nervous system that's been worn ragged by constant adrenaline fear reactions in the brain trying to cope. The body can only do so much before it's overwhelmed with chemical over production from regular stimulation; anxiety is a bi product of this.

When our hands start to shake, or we get panicky in busy shopping centre's for instance, our very damaged nervous systems are doing their best to deal with things, so the body doesn't respond properly. We get really scared because we don't understand what's happening, then that response (like pain in our chest) might be interpreted as if we're dying. That causes even more severe anxiety/panic.

It's a roller coaster and cycle of confusion, symptoms and fear caused by prolonged exposure to trauma. Every aspect of life is affected. So treatment plans and goals need to reflect the physical body as well as the emotional, mental and sometimes spiritual parts of us too.

Rest, quality sleep, medication, counseling and a calm environment are essential in the beginning, and may take quite a while before results are seen. Just like a physical injury might need a long term treatment plan.

You need to remember you are 'ill'. Treat yourself with gentleness, respect and kindness; you're deserving of no less.

Please keep in contact Pip. I'd love to know how you're going.

Sara