Curious If Medications Are Helping Ptsd/cptsd Sufferers?

[Icanheal]

I find most medications make me so much worse, I have tried a few of various types and all turned me into something I never was. My worst day without meds was better then my typical medicated day. However I can take benzodiazepines like lorazepam and bromazepam and be completely normal and free of anxiety for most part.

I am wondering if this is common with people diagnosed with complex ptsd and ptsd?
What has worked for others? Thanks

 

[madmax]

Where's the depression? ! Have you been diagnosed with PTSD?

 

[anonymous]

Some medications have helped me a little bit. However most medications have caused, rather than solved issues. The best help I got for PTSD was a great trauma therapist. In my opinion medications for PTSD don't solve the issue. They may help you get by in the short term, but working hard in therapy is really only the long term way to move forwards.

 

[BloomInWinter]

Medications did help me sleep and raised the bottom of my depression. Until I started sleeping at night for a few hours, I wasn't making much progress.

But as has been said, the journey to relief for me has mostly been due to a firm commitment to therapy. Learning to stay present, to control my breathing, to learn tools for affect regulation have all helped me be able to actually do the work I need to do in therapy. It's been a few years for me now and I'm still going strong.

I'm also getting stronger. I can see a life without needing medication someday. Medication is a tool. I now have many tools in my healing toolkit. Many of those tools were picked up in Dialectical-Behavioral Therapy (DBT) and Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Now that I am adept at using them (thanks to a LOT of practice) I have progressed to trauma therapy and EMDR.

It's definitely a long journey to healing, but the rewards, just a few months in, kept me going. Now, I'm so glad I committed to doing whatever it took to get better.

 

[Lynnkaz]

Hello! I was diagnosed with ptsd, depression and anxiety last year.

The psychiatrist prescribed fluoxetine (prozac) for my depression and alprazolam (xanax) for my insomnia. They're still trying to find new medication that'll work for me.

The prozac has no benefits for me, it just makes me nauseous. The xanax doesn't work either.

 

[madmax]

Xanax made my first wife wild; it helped that she was a closet alcoholic.

 

[Lynnkaz]

Eh the xanax just makes me drowsy for about five minutes.

 

[madmax]

Then my ex was just "rat shit crazy"....sorry Sharon.

 

[Pencil]

made my first wife wild; it helped that she was a closet alcoholi

Sorry Max, but this is funny :hilarious:

 

[madmax]

I can laugh now...my separation anxiety was actually high when she walked away. So everybody has a sorted past now that that's on the table....But I am truly blessed to have Kim put up with me.

Max

 

[Pencil]

But I am truly blessed to have Kim put up with me.

You are

 

[Pencil]

The best help I got for PTSD was a great trauma therapist. In my opinion medications for PTSD don't solve the issue. They may help you get by in the short term, but working hard in therapy is really only the long term way to move forward

I agree with this