Hello Wifewantingtohelp,
Welcome to the forum. I have suffered the effects of PTSD for three decades, I have been in trauma therapy for over seven years, doing EMDR for four to five years (highly dissociative persons are advised to wait two years of therapy before starting) and using mindfulness meditation for three years. The difference to seven years ago is massive, I expect to be in regular therapy another two to three years, possibly longer. I am getting a new life from moving forward with therapy and self growth. I have hope now that I haven't had for nearly two decades. I can see every six months that my symptoms have lessened. I still fall into many of my old patterns but these hold less and less power over myself and my consciousness. I persecute and blame myself less and less for doing this and have much more ability to consciously manage and overcome the symptom clusters that comprise my disorder(s).
Therapy, self awareness, self growth, awareness of symptom clusters -their causes, patterns and consequences all work together to produce an incremental and gradual growth within the individual. Commitment to the therapeutic and self growth process are necessary, as is self study of the disorder, also it is necessary to complete homework. Exercise and hobbies also have a part to play.
Change with PTSD is more than likely to happen, but the process can be very frustrating to start. Symptoms can worsen to begin with will almost certainly reduce with time and commitment. Many persons on this site describe a "three steps forward, two steps back" approach, I really agree with this and this is what I have experienced. Whilst I could see therapy having very good effect it took two and a half years of stabilisation to really get a even half day that was moving towards low levels of symptoms. However after starting EMDR things got a little worse at first, I just accepted this as part of the abreactive process. The difference that EMDR made for me was that progress was much faster and more discernable in a shorter period. By four and five years I was really feeling the difference and dissolving the high levels of symptoms experienced daily.
Avoid expecting too much in too short a time. Review progress annually and you are likely to witness change that is very real and definite, although for many of us it takes a few years to really feel the difference due to the pervasive nature of this disorder. My advice is that there is hope and it is very real.
Best wishes upon yours and your partners journey in healing and growing.
