Poll Is PTSD Preventable?

[anthony]

I absolutely concur with that statement Don.... the military do need this, though they don't do it because the military want soldiers with PTSD on the battlefield as they produce higher aggression, they function longer at more vigilant speeds, they tolerate greater pain thresholds. Shame IMHO.... I agree with you whole heartedly mate, they should prepare at an emotional level also.

 

[coolgirl]

i believe it can prevent ""some"" , not all.

 

[anthony]

Hi coolgirl, welcome to the forum. All opinions valid here.... I don't think it could prevent all either, though a majority I believe. If that narrowed those who obtain PTSD from x% by 2/3rds or more, that would be astounding to just achieve that IMHO.

 

[nor]

I voted "no". The damage has been done. It is permanently ingrained in your brain. I don't have any scientific or medical knowledge to back that up-just personal experience and observations.

In my past, there were various situations in which I would react strangely. I never knew why-I just did. It was the memory of the trauma that haunted me and my reaction to it at a young age. I highly doubt that forced counselling at the age of 6 could have prevented these memories from festering.

I understand that several of the posts here deal with getting therapy at an older age, when there is actual decision making processes involved. But, my initial trauma happened at an age where forced counselling wouldn't have helped with the "prevention of PTSD". How do you prevent a memory from resurfacing? I can't-they just happen.

And I also believe that young children that are sexually molested at a young age-even after counselling-will experience the remnants of the trauma throughout their lives-in some form.

From what I remember in child psychology-many many years ago-the child's brain develops different areas until the age of 12. IMO if a trauma occurs at an early age, the brain will engrain and retain that memory in some form.

You could have a million counsellors telling a 6 year old that "it wasn't their fault, and that the person who abused them was wrong, not them"-but what will actually register in that developing mind will be something totally different. It will rationalize as best it can, so that the child will continue living day to day. At least that is what happened to me.

Counselling may be beneficial in showing a young impressionable child various techniques to handle the memories. What happened with me, is that I used the same bad technique (dissociation) with all other traumatics encounters I experienced throughout my life. Perhaps if someone assisted me with the first trauma, I may have been better apt in handling the future ones.

I believe that counselling comes into play to assist the trauma recipient with the management of the memory. But the memory still exists, as will various responses to it. Through therapy we learn to face the trauma with different tools, so that we can continue living. Things don't have to stop because of a PTSD episode. That is why I think counselling would be helpful in guiding the sufferer towards productive management-but not prevent anything.

Sorry-didn't mean to go off on a tangent, just got a little wrapped up in my own past experiences.

 

[Deleted member 487]

I need to add a bit from me. Because of my conviction I am forced by the court to get counseling. In my case *I* am paying for it, *I* have to drive 35 miles one way for it, and *I* have to pay for the fuel for the trip. They are doing exactly what is NOT supposed to be done. I need it, and I want it. Only reason why I'm cooperating. But even then, I have had to fire counselors because they tell me I had no right to use force to defend myself. Or like the second to last one, that I'm not trying to get rehab'd because I won't try EMDR, then she tells me how jail is good for me because of the networking and how I don't have to do my own laundry or cook for myself. I have a few comments about her that are best left unsaid. My question is what the hell do they expect? I have nothing to lose by not getting counseling under these conditions. I'll be sent off to prison, and there I get NOTHING. So what's the loss? As much as I know I need it, forcing me builds an internal resistance to the counseling. Doesn't matter how much I know I need help, my inner "defense" will object. I have already seen it when I get smart-assy with the counselor.

With that said, the PTSD continues to get worse. In my appeal my lawyer verbally pointed out that I was convicted for being a victim, not a criminal. The jury used that against me and decided I am a man of poor character because I was raped, assaulted, a man tried to murder me, another assaulted me with a deadly weapon, infinitum ad nauseum. So when I see that someone I never disclosed my personal feelings to points this out nearly to a "T" of how I felt, it hits me to the core. I am still stunned, though it's wearing off. The irony is there.

So, who are they trying to help? Punish me for the crimes that have been committed against me and then force me into counseling? WTF?

ETA: any referral to books reports or publications that verify the damage I am talking about is greatly appreciated.

 

[anthony]

CJ, if your resisting and its not working for you, then the obvious is to stop resisting and trust these people to do what is in your best interest! What have you got to lose? Making yourself vulnerable at worst?

 

[rat]

The military is thinking of giving propranalol to soldiers immediately post-trauma. It blocks physiological and emotional effects. I don't think PTSD is preventable by therapy simply because the bad guys aren't going to stop torturing you and let you get therapy, then start in on you again. In some instances I guess it could work, like when on-site mental health professionals counseled people at Ground Zero.

 

[Deleted member 487]

CJ, if your resisting and its not working for you, then the obvious is to stop resisting and trust these people to do what is in your best interest! What have you got to lose? Making yourself vulnerable at worst?

Not that easy Anthony. I have opened up and trusted before. And I got royally screwed. Just ain't worth the risk.
Of course now things have changed, not the court order, but the fact that my privacy is gone. Just a matter of time before someone beats the crap out of me because they "don't approve", tries to murder me because I won't give them the intimate details, or shoves a loaded gun to my head because I won't loan them money. I guess in the eyes of Colorado I deserved all of that.
Not mine. Not ever. F**k the State of Colorado.

 

[anthony]

Rat, Australian soldiers are monitored nowadays on operations, and they are sent to a padre, SNCO or officer for counselling on any matters during operations. Prevention is better than cure, I believe the saying goes. Soldiers don't get away with it anymore... because military must take responsibility for their actions.... just because the US fails their troops, not all other countries are that ignorant. I was in a time where it was still being discovered so readily and how best to prevent it, so I was unlucky, though by the time I left the military they where starting to get some very good strategies in place with compulsory counselling to all troops on operations before they left the operation zone, then further follow-up counselling at scheduled dates on return. Again, it doesn't fix all, but it is fixing some, it is preventing... that is the aim.

Its a shame that the USA simply use and abuse their troops and do not actively support them after the fact.

 

[Kathy]

Rat, Australian soldiers are monitored nowadays on operations, and they are sent to a padre, SNCO or officer for counselling on any matters during operations.

I am pleased (and relieved!) to report that there is a similar program available to my son and all Canadians currently serving in Afghanistan. Along with family support, we are hopeful this helps him to not develop PTSD. I am sorry to hear that apparently such a program does not exist in the USA, it is well worth the effort in my opinion.

 

[upstream]

No.

In my experience therapy was only as effective as I allowed it to be.

I was forced into therapy as a child, and decided it was all a bunch of BS. As a result of those experiences I stayed away from therapy until I was so bad I was desperate to try anything. Had I not been "forced" into it initially, had I not reached those conclusions, I may have sought it out on my own years earlier... before I got that bad.

I guess my question would be, could forcing a person into therapy do someone more harm then good? Some might view it as dis-empowering, degrading, or even embarrassing... adding insult to injury.

 

[spiritofnow]

'Forced', implies the person is not aware of their issues? Isn't the whole point of therapy that the person receiving it is self -aware and is not in denial about their issues and where they stem from. Therapy and therapists are facilitators not miracle healers.

How can someone work on a a broken down car and fix it if they do not feel the car is broken?

I guess the major point to this post for me is that you get to a person before they have PTSD symptoms, they receive counselling for their trauma and because of it as a preventitive measure, rather than them being 'forced' to do sometihng that they are not aware of. Counselling after a traumatic event for me would mean, to educate and explore and in this instance I voted yes!

Spirit x