Poll Can PTSD Be Cured?

[lrs]

I voted yes.
I say this because of my own experience. I had PTSD, and other psychiatric diagnoses for years.
I was close to dying, no one thought I could ever recover. I was given up as hopeless after 4 months in a drug rehab, that also had a program for people with PTSD. These were some of the best psychiatrists and counselors in the country.
Then I discovered something a person can do, something very simple.
I have not had ANY nightmares, or jumped out of my skin at sudden noises in over 4 years. What were once never ceasing flashbacks are now faint and distant memories.
I wrote about what happened, and there has been some discussion on this forum.
If you think your situation is hopeless, believe me, it is not.


[DLMURL]http://www.ptsdforum.org/thread243.html[/DLMURL]

 

[Cloud]

Hi all,

I vote yes, even though I myself don't have much strenth to fight for my own ptsd. I mean yes, as in manageble life.

I think firstly, is to face reality asses all your strength and weakness as in personality. Try to be a better person everyday and correct your flaws including dealing with the disorder. Secondly, finds ways of dealing with the stress to a manageble degree and learn how to relax. We've since long fogotten how to relax, that is what I'm doing now. Third, find a religion that makes sense to you. Learn to forgive, learn to love nature and animals first...I think for most of us; we've been hurt by human being (evil one). The most important person is to love yourself! Every single time I got hurt by another people, I try to love myself a little more.

However, lately it seems to be harder to love myself......I gues I just have too much too grief for....I can't even control my tears falling down my face....no longer able to control any emotions. My eyes are ever so sad; filled with endless sorrow.

 

[Mercy]

New research shows that our traumatic memories are indelibly written into the code of our primative brain. They will always be there. This is an early human evolutionary thing which probably saved the species. Knowing and remembering threatening things- instantly -when needed is part of that. So I don't think flashbacks and persistant memories can be cured. Anxiety and depression can be mediacted. Therapy can really help me understand what happened to me and help me learn to deal with it.

The Queen Mother, who had been widowed for more than 50yrs, was asked by one of her recently widowed courtiers if the grief and mourning ever got better. She said,"No dear. We just get better at it."

I think PTSD is like that. We learn our triggers and try to dismantal them. We learn that as kids we were not born to be abused.....etc. Our quality of life can improve dramatically. But the traumatic memories will always be a part of me. I guess I am trying to rise above them so I can see a different horizon.

 

[Marlene]

"No dear. We just get better at it."

This is a great quote. I feel this way as well. I've found myself in stressful situations since I started recovery and there are some things that are still there and still the same regardless of the time that's passed. My stressors are still there, my triggers are still there, my mind/body reactions are still there. The only thing that's really changed is the way I deal with all of this. The same thing that six months, a year, two years ago would have knocked me flat on my ass now is something I can deal with. No more fun...but doable.

I guess I'm just getting better at it.

Lisa

 

[pandora]

I too have been dealing alot better with the physical aspects that I can slow down a panick attack..turning into a full blown one. I positive self talk myself all of the time...still seems like two voices in my head though. I am not shaking half as much and am not taking atenolol, use ativan prn. Sleep meds prn...I still dream but they do not overcome my day as much..I get angry but I let it go. I have accepted that I have to accept this disorder and cured or getting cured is done through the healing process and learning tools to overcome the adverse affects that we can learn to control with much research, support and hard work!

WE are the strong survivors here!!!!! When you actually feel your thoughts changing it is kind of neat. (if that makes sense...it was kind of like an aha moment for me when I chose to start looking at positive and that I had been negative so long...I didnèt even realize how bad this was for me and my whole self. You canèt change what you donèt acknowledge...as Dr.Phil would say! UUUGGGHHH My computer wonèt work right..where the heck is this èèèèèèèè coming from when I want an apostrapheÉ and there is the question mark.....I am terribly computer illiterate.

 

[Roo]

I have to say that my intuitive response is "No," at least as far as my own experience goes. I'm 49 years old and have had a whacked-out nervous system since infancy. There's constantly mounting evidence from various branches of neuroscience that show how the brain, central nervous system, and peripheral systems (endocrine, immune, etc.) are irrevocably altered by chronic stress, especially if the stress comes on early in life.

 

[Mercy]

Hi Roo. I've been interested in those studies too. They make so much sense.

 

[lrs]

I have to say that my intuitive response is "No," at least as far as my own experience goes. I'm 49 years old and have had a whacked-out nervous system since infancy. There's constantly mounting evidence from various branches of neuroscience that show how the brain, central nervous system, and peripheral systems (endocrine, immune, etc.) are irrevocably altered by chronic stress, especially if the stress comes on early in life

.

I disagree.
I try to keep up with research in this area, because it is an area I am interested in. I have not seen any research that supports what you are asserting. I would be interested to see any articles on this subject

 

[pandora]

MRI.....they can show you the difference in a brain with PTSD and without it....so if your brain has been permantly altered....then there is no cure. BUT...if I am understanding this right....the definition of cure is pretty much to heal which is what we are all doing now. Again, this all comes down to a persons perception of cure, healing and how things are worded. I think that if your brain is altered and that is medically proven..No cure but we learn to live healthily with it.

 

[midi]

I think the 'cure' isn't so much about getting rid of it (like remove a tumor from your brain) but monitoring and treating the symptoms so that you are able to function again.

 

[cyndi]

I didn't vote sitting on the fence here. I want to believe it can be cured, probably more likely it can be healed from and that is my hope. It reminds me of grief as someone said in another post above. I lost my Dad almost 1 year ago, and it doesn't get cured, the only way out of the tunnel is through it but you can never go back. It changes who you are forever. Part of it seems to be accepting that and grieving the loss of self in it all. Even my morning coffee seems to taste different. So, my 2 cents: accepting you have changed forever, grieving that loss and embracing your rebirth are key to healing.

 

[lrs]

I think that was very well put, Cyndi. I like how you stated that like grief, PTSD does change us. Boy does it ever.