Psychiatrist Said Therapy Has High Success Rate For Curing Ptsd

[Sandstone]

. According to most data I've read, they tend to claim that delayed onset is rare.

Yet, in the(self-selected) sample of this forum, 49% state symptoms started a year or more after the event.When Did the Symptoms of PTSD First Appear, After the Initial Traumatic Event?

 

[anthony]

Yet, in the(self-selected) sample of this forum, 49% state symptoms started a year or more after the event.

Correct. But then the majority of this forum are those at the severe spectrum. I'm not going to make a correlation, as statistics are far from accurate... but that could means delayed onset is more a predictor of severe PTSD than PTSD?

I don't know. The experts claim it is rare... our data says its near 50/50.

Saying that... many of this community work and function in daily life... so is that severe? Complex / severe doesn't necessarily mean debilitating in employment or such, but only that the symptoms debilitate in one area of many within the criterion.

 

[Suzetig]

My s/o is a psychologist (it's not as convenient as it sounds). Re: CBT, he states CBT has some of the highest success rates of any therapy.

I do think that reflects in part the ability to standardise CBT in a way that lends itself to research. Meaning that wide scale studies are carried out with relative ease, and therefore an evidence base easily obtained when compared to more relational, less manualised therapy.

Interestingly enough there's some research which indicates the long term effects for CBT are no better, and in some cases slightly worse, than other therapy modalities.

Literature would support the principle that regardless of modality, the therapeutic relationship is the biggest influence on therapy outcomes. Long term, relational therapy is considered the treatment of choice for developmental, interrelational trauma whereby the client basically relearns - or learns for the first time - what it is to be in a safe, trusting therapeutic relationship.

Basically it's very much about what works for you and that may be different at different points in treatment as well as varying between individuals.

 

[heyheyhey]

Yeah, but not all trauma is the same. A car accident as an adult is different than being sexually...

I don't think you could say the same thing about 99% of traumas. I don't endorse the view that we should be thankful for our traumas, just because I am recounting what he said and his opinion of it. As a survivor of sexual abuse, I certainly don't feel thankful for it. I'm just talking about trying to have some hope irregardless. I'm trying to resist letting the asshole that did that to me permanently destroy my life and happiness.

 

[heyheyhey]

We're not even talking about the same thing.


???

I don't think most people are thankful for their experience of trauma. What do you think I'm talking about?

 

[Seasounds]

What I have to add is that when I have been closely bonded to or in love with a stabilizing, respectful, and empathetic individual-be it a lover or a therapist or a psychiatrist), my symptoms greatly decrease.

One takeaway of a safe relationship is that it allows me 'an in' to a new neurology-new ways of perceiving and grounding in the world; mirror neurons at play, most likely.

After the relationship passes I do have more positive bonding skills and better 'processing skills' (of trauma). My brain has new neuropathways to call upon that are more in the forefront, that lets the past traumas recede. And my brain is still my brain-plastic as it may be.

"Cure" is not an appropriate word for PTSD, except through lobotomy or death. Providers may, with good intentions, misuse that term; and they may see a decreased symptoms while in therapy-which leads them toward the notion of cure. With therapy, I have greatly benefited-increased ability to work through triggers in a shorter time period, but not found 'cure'.

I think that rating overall PTSD 'resilience to stressors' (both subjectively & objectively) is a more accurate term to use as a measure of improvement. In that case, resiliency could be defined to 'a sense of hope', decreased suicidality, and increase in optimal functioning skills-per individual,

The right relationships, a personal commitment to transformation and continual experimentation-to find things that help me, have increased my resilience but has not cured my PTSD.

After saying that, I 'knock on wood' to keep my current positive trend going. :cool: