Sufferer Fighting For A Cure Or Peace?

[Calmpeace]

I'm so happy to see this here. There are so few support groups for ptsd. When my trauma happened, no one could accept it. People's reactions were just crazy. I think they were shocked that I struggled. I'd always been the strong one who made it through loads of ridiculous events when most people would have given up. I'd even lived through equally traumatic events before without developing ptsd. Its been tough. I lost a lot from it. Job, relationships etc. Despite how hard the losses were I am happy to see the truth behind my work and people around me. Most people don't get that chance. Made me see who I was wasting my life on. I also had to stop being the hero. I had to be the victim. Being the hero all the time is exhausting. I had to fix my boundaries, which saved lots of my good relationships, because I had to learn to be self focused. I've read self help books for the first time in my life. It's been the first thing in my life that has been uncontrollable. As you know, it comes from a deep, deep place in the mind. I can't wish it away or ignore it. It's combat sometimes. I've pulled out all the stops. Meds, therapy, prayer, meditation, different types of therapy. I'm throwing everything I can at it. It's helping, but I get hurt when people talk like it's fixable. Even my therapists have all talked like it can go away. I started thinking maybe my instinct is wrong, maybe it will just go away with time and therapy. I get preached to about not giving up hope. But I get irritated because I can't be real about the possibility that maybe this will be a struggle of mine potentially for the rest of my life. My instinct tells me it is real. It tells me that it's hard, that when I do get it under control there is still a chance for relapse. That I will always need to keep my guard up and be aware to prevent triggers and to prevent panic. It's like everyone thinks there is a cure. There is hope. There is coping. There will be long stretches of peace, but I feel like I'm not doing myself any favors by not being realistic about how this has changed me. Has anyone here ever been "cured"? Has anyone never had to struggle again with ptsd after a certain therapy or medicine? To be honest I think I will have more peace in acceptance than in searching for a cure that has thus far been elusive. I dont feel like that is giving up, but i can tell people think it is. Maybe people who actually know what it's like to have ptsd have a better perspective. Thoughts?

 

[BlueOrange]

I think it's good to have realistic expectations. The memories will always hurt. There will always be bad days. Once we have learned a painful lesson, we will never be innocent again.

At the same time, things can improve. We can handle things more gracefully. We can get stronger.

 

[EveHarrington]

Welcome!

Has anyone been cured?

No.

There is no cure for PTSD. A cure by definition is something that fixes almost everyone. PTSD is such that we all heal in different ways.

I don't believe in a cure. At least not now or in the near future. How do you fix a damaged nervous system? It's slow to heal and takes much time.

Healing can happen, full remission can happen. But for me, I won't ever get to the point of being normal functioning and I'm learning to accept it.

 

[Pixielicious]

When I was told that there is no cure for PTSD, I was horrified, it felt like a death sentence to me....but,I'm now learning to accept it, live with it, instead of trying to cure it.
I have, as of yet , have yet to fully accept that I will be living with this disorder for the rest of my life .... In The back of my mind I'm thinking "it's just a temporary phase I'm going through" "I can fix this right ?" but I also know that this kind of self denial will only make my condition worse.
Perhaps, if I can learn to accept it as an extra extension of my being, things will be easier.... Perhaps.