Prolonged Exposure Therapy

[tatertot]

Hi there,

This is my first post here and I did a search on here for PE therapy and have read a lot of posts here about your experiences.

I JUST started and had my first session with this type of therapy and we basically covered breathing exercises. The actual memory portion of the therapy we have not covered yet.....that is in 2-3 weeks.

I'm scared to start this program. Really scared but I know it's what I need to get past the trauma from my childhood. I'm curious if any of you started this program and stopped........and how you did after you stopped?

I don't have intentions of quitting and I know it's going to get hard before it gets better. At least that is what she keeps telling me and the more she tells me that, the more scared I'm getting.

What happens to those of you that quit mid way? Are you worse off? I'm terrified of starting this but I've been told it's so helpful. :(

Tatertot

 

[Deleted member 1860]

I guess I'm a bit confused.... I mean I don't know of any therapist who will tell a new patient "we are discussing the memories in 2-3 weeks". It seems a bit irresponsible I guess you could say? At this point she doesn't know you well enough to be able to determine if that's the direction to go in just yet.

 

[tatertot]

Hi Solara, Thank you for your reply......I guess with PE there is a format you follow. The first few weeks are discussing coping mechanisms and whatever else and then you start the sharing of the story, it being recorded and you going home to listen to it every day. That's at least the format she told me. She did say that things can change a bit as she said with me she knows we need to work on more coping skills, so that might be an extra week for me. But once the discussing of memories start, I imagine that the process/format moves on like suggested.

There are two very in depth assessments prior to you starting this program so we met twice and that was her way to determine if I'm a good fit for the program and what the direction is that she needs to go with me. (ie, more coping skills).

My fear is that I start this and then bail on it........because it's too hard. But not sure what the ramifications would be if I'm in the heat of this difficult program and then run. Is that worse than suffering through this? I Just keep hearing on here and everywhere I read how hard this is and I'm scared to do it as a result.

Tatertot

 

[JarHed]

Hey Tatertot

I've gone through PE therapy for my combat related PTSD. It, like all therapy, is difficult. You have to know that it's going to be. You're trying to get at a root problem and 'unlock' some doors that you may have closed a long time ago.

It's normal to be both fearful and apprehensive. I was as well when I started. Do your best to take that one step at a time. Believe it or not, breathing exercises and breath control is key in helping you deal with and cope with both of the things that I first mentioned. You're involved in a worthy endeavor, you're trying to improve your own life. Hang in there with it and try your best. If you're fortunate to have a good therapist they will help you through this. If you like more input about PE feel free to pm me if you like.

The question you have to ask yourself when you think it's going to be hard is this; do you want to continue feeling like you do and perhaps not have the life that you'd like or struggle for a short time and find that you can do this and move forward to where you might like to be in life. Many things that we want are hard to attain. Don't focus on the difficulty, focus on the goal. You can do this.

JarHed