Myth-busting: incurable = untreatable

[anthony]

One of the many myths surrounding Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a belief that it can not be successfully treated. PTSD is just a word that encompasses a range of symptoms. There is no known biological aspect that is called PTSD. The symptoms that result and cause dysfunction can be treated, and sufferers can fully recover from the majority of the issues hindering their daily life.

What Causes Symptoms Relevant to PTSD?

Trauma is the primary culprit. Trauma can be treated with trauma therapies such as Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (TF-CBT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Prolonged Exposure (PE) and other combination therapies or alternative complementary methods, such as aroma and equine therapies. When therapy has helped your brain obtain the resolution needed, most symptoms dissipate entirely. When treated early, other symptoms may not have time to form depth in your life, thus trauma treatment can remove all symptoms in some cases.

There are secondary symptom profiles relevant for their own treatment. For example, agoraphobia will not be treated by resolving traumatic memories. Agoraphobia occurs as a reactive measure to reduce symptoms, and the brain correlates isolation to symptom minimization positively. Once you heal your trauma, this once protective measure is now negatively impacting your life, but through exposure exercises isolation can be removed.

This necesitity of further treatment past trauma processing repeats for several secondary symptom profiles. Another example is alcoholism or drugs, which are used to detach oneself from the reality of symptoms. Escapism is the primary reason alcohol or drugs are used, as they offer quick and effective detachment. A sufferer may need to partake in alcohol and/or drug rehabilitation to remove such negative consequence from their life.

There are alternative treatments readily available that have proven links to reduce symptom severity and maintain symptom reduction. Exercise prevents depressive symptoms; yoga teaches breathing, and it can help you control panic attacks; meditation reduces anxiety. There are many alternative therapies that complement primary therapies to help minimize symptoms and maintain quality of life. Finding what works for you individually can be a little trial and error, and it is important, though sometimes a struggle, to give things an honest try.

For approximately 5% of those who obtain PTSD, this group will endure symptoms the remainder of their life. Their trauma has such core depth, all facets cannot be healed. This does not mean that most symptoms cannot be removed or reduced. They can, but it will instead take constant effort to maintain symptoms. They won't ever be completely removed, and these symptoms will likely get worse if left untreated for any length of time.

 

[Andy1]

Thank you so much for these entries. I cannot find a provider that doesn’t just listen to me talk and nod understandingly… I live in Massachusetts and I wouldn’t think it’d be so hard!

 

[EmmaOwl]

Thanks for this. Not only have I had to declare disability with PTSD as the root cause (fibromyalgia secondary), to discharge some of my student loans I had to declare that I was “Totally and Permanently Disabled”.
Now, that was depressing! I hated to do it, yet my parents paid so so much money, and there were so many loans for me to go to an excellent but expensive private university (take note: declaring bankruptcy does not discharge college loans), and just 2 years after I graduated with a BA, I got too sick to continue school (in a master’s program), and too sick to work. It still cost my parents a LOT of money – the process was not easy, to say the least, and took a very long time – much worse than applying for social security disability, that might give someone an idea of how difficult it can be. – I couldn’t do any of these things myself, really; I am incredibly lucky for my father who worked and still works hard for me and my family. But STILL, even signing the paperwork, it goes back to the unpleasantness of the terms, of declaring oneself as permanently disabled. Well, this was my own experience anyway.

So to your article – the “incurable vs. untreatable thing” makes total sense. As I understand it, despite declaring “permanent” disability, I’m still “allowed” to get better without being sent back to student loans. I think. Of course it is all about paperwork, jumping through hoops…but it’s still a hard thing to declare about yourself.
It’s been more than 10 years since then. I am still working on treatment. Getting better but so damn slowly. I’m sorry for anyone who falls into that category. (I’ve had people say, “Wow. If that was me, I would have given up by now.” What on earth do you say in response to that??? All I am trying to do now is improve my quality of life. And I have. Just slowly. Very very slowly.)
I’ve found a good word to use instead of incurable, and it is “intractable”. I don’t know how to make it into a link but if it is a new word to you, google it and take a look. I find it pretty accurate and it’s a heck of a lot better than “incurable” and “permanent”.
I’ve got intractable PTSD. I can accept that. I can get better (things like spending less time being suicidal) but I cannot expect to ever be cured.
Best to you, thanks for writing.

 

[anthony]

I tend to agree, intractable is a good word for personal use (to be difficult or stubborn to deal with). Befits controlling PTSD to a tee for those of us with lifetime PTSD.

 

[EmmaOwl]

Sorry I wrote so much off the actual topic, sometimes I have trouble editing myself. I just also have trouble with labels!

 

[Alz]

Thanks for this but what does one do when they’re in a country where trauma therapies are rare ( almost unavailable) any free online sites that can help?

 

[anthony]

You’re on one…

 

[GENERAL_ROB]

Thanks for that Allie. I’m a male who also suffers from PTSD induced Fibro and it’s rare for males to acquire the syndrome. In fact, most Dr’s including the VA think I’m making it all up and the symptoms are one in the same.

 

[SherryAnn]

This is great! Yes the agrophobia tends to get better with treatment of PTSD but it still rears its ugly head during stressful times. I naturally retreat and avoid being social when stressed as I’m sure I’m avoiding triggering a major PTSD episode.

 

[Mary Herrin]

Thanks for all the information. I feel much better knowing it is fairly common. I also feel like I have a little electricity going through my body, when I have these anxiety episodes.

 

[anthony]

PTSD is not common, not sure where you concluded that. PTSD is one diagnostic outcome to having endured catastrophic trauma. Anxiety is common. A panic attack is less common. Depression is common. PTSD… not so in the scheme of the worlds population.

 

[Sally1]

Treatment for PTSD is great, but what about cPTSD? From my research as my doctors’, Ive never come across any treatment reported successful for people with cPTSD. If you add on anhedonia like I have and then add on my liver disease as well, life becomes unlivable. If anyonr knows of any treaemts for cPTSD pleasr tell the psych communitu because right now they refuse to accept that we nerd different treatment than people with regular PTSD.