How Do You Know When You Are Recovering From Ptsd?

[Lucycat]

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So I guess I know that I am recovering becasue I am spending less time talking with my therapist about the past and more time talking about the future; sometimes I didn't even know I had.

I guess I have to second that!

However, I have read through my previous post from over 2 years ago and considered myself 95% healed at that time. This last 5% is incredibly slow and the goalpost keeps moving. I think I am done - and then another wee something crops up.

Looking back I have to remind myself that I really have come a long way. It is interesting also to see again Nicolette's comment above about reaching a plateau and then challenging yourself. I think that is where I am at just now - no new trauma but feeling ready to tackle something that I have always shoved under the carpet.

 

[cherryblossom]

I don't think it ever goes away completely.

But such things as already mentioned; having more good days than bad, needing less therapy time dealing with the past, and dealing with smaller things /less important things. All great signs that things are moving in the right direction.

There will likely often be odd things that crop up from time to time, and even smaller things have the potential to make the rest of circumstances difficult, for symptoms to increase, and negative thoughts to creep in. A lot of the hard work done in therapy, isn't just the dealing of specific issues, but learning skills that you can apply to all circumstances, when something comes along and throws you off guard. Those are the skills you will likely need for the rest of your life to continue to deal with the negatives as they crop up, to prevent any downward spirals.

 

[Lucycat]

I know I am recovering because when I feel happy I know it, and am able to rationalise it and actually consider how that feels.