What Criteria Would Have To Be Met for PTSD To Be Considered Curable?

[lrs]

Let me pose this question. What criteria would have to be met, in order for something to be considered a cure for PTSD?

 

[becvan]

I have moved this into it's own thread, as I think it's a great question.

Hmm, well my starting thoughts on this is that the cure is attainable by all sufferers of PTSD.

Also, that the sufferer could go back to their way of life (not abusive or anything like that) previous to PTSD and have no stress reactions for longer than a five year period. Now, what I mean by going back to their way of life is that they can be in crowds, work, handle conflict, etc. on a daily and continuous basis without having to using adopted strategies for coping. So no meditation, no music to soothe, no visualization etc. Also I say for a period of at least five years since PTSD symptoms can go into a sort of remission and then come back and bite someone in the arse after many many years. So remission has to be ruled out also.

The other point is the chemical alteration. It would have to be reversible.

Well that is all I can think of off the top of my head. I'm looking forward to the answers to this!

bec

 

[nugget]

When you do find the cure DR BEC i will stop running for PRIME MINISTER

 

[Deleted member 93]

I would want to know that I could sleep at night most every night. I could drive. I could go to the store. I could deal with my teenagers doing really their horrible crap, see my toddler coloring on the wall, my mom call me, my husband pull one of his moves and I won't break out in hives, throw up, and end up hyperventilating with the countless other pleasantries. Too many daily stressors this still happens but I can handle it well now.

To get a job again! To have energy again and not the nervous energy that makes me sick and I get nothing done. Oh, heck I could do this all day. Sorry.

I think we all know what we think cured is and what it would feel like. I know I just settle for managed very happily. I watch myself carefully so not to fall back so hard. I would be looser with the term cure than bec is. I would be just fine and see myself as cured if all I had to do was meditate daily, listen to music... All these little methods are used by many every day to keep a peace of mind and are not ill.

 

[lrs]

I hope a lot our members respond to this question. It made me feel good to see this question moved to it's own thread.
Life is good, and I'm going surf fishing for the next 3 days. Have a great weekend!!!

 

[becvan]

Hope you have a great weekend too Irs and I'm glad this thread has cheered you! I'm also hoping to see more answers!

bec

 

[susane99]

I think that to be considered a cure, it would have to be something that gives me back the personality I was born with - before all the crap - without having to stop and think about every move I make. I think the best I can do is a sort of remission and I would be happy to have that right now.

This is very thought provoking.

 

[Marlene]

Bec wrote about being able to live (and deal with) life and not have to use learned coping strategies. That pretty well sums it up for me. To be able to do what I want, when I want and not have to think and worry it to death first. Be it go into a store on a whim, go out of town with my family, go to a festival or just anywhere I want to.

I used to be able to to do that, and given my druthers, I'd like to be able to do it again. A little spontaneousness without repercussions.

Lisa

 

[kers]

I would consider myself cured if:

• I did not jump out of my skin at the slightest unexpected sound.
• I did not assess every situation for danger, weapons, and escape routes.
• I did not space out or turn off in stressful situations, but instead faced them.
• I did not remember past events with a quickening heartbeat and my stomach turning in fear.

As it is, managing my PTSD seems to be about trying to reduce the upset the memories cause me, and learning to accept the rest as a consequence of being abused. They may lessen, but I doubt I'll ever be free of them.

 

[anthony]

For it to be cured, the brain would have to reform its original neurological state. That state of imbalance is what causes PTSD to be an ever present event within a sufferers life, ie. the symptoms can go away, yet they can also come back at any time under any amount of stress. The only way a cure could be identified IMHO, would be a study performed with before MRI's showing the neurological imbalance with hippocampal decrease, then after MRI that it has returned to its normal size and the neurological abnormality has gone.

MRI would be the only way a cure could be scientifically proven, and one person would obviously not be enough though to call it a cure, it would have to be a large proportion of a study group. Just my opinion though.... obviously that is up to doctors. Medication does not do any of these things presently, it only gives the brain the illusion of correct balance, not physically done. I know LRS your circumstances, and I still believe your circumstances need to be tested further in such a study.

 

[Grama-Herc]

A cure? I remember when I was discharged from the hospital after my "breakdown" The first words out of mom's mouth were--- So, when do you go back to work now that you are cured? I explained that "cured"was not really an option. I explained that I had been in the "Treatment Center" to learn how to cope with and live with this shit. That this was not like I had pnuemonia, took some pills and was cured. Could it be so easy. Cured? I don't think we are ever cured! I think we learn to manage, live with, adapt and handle our shit and not be frightened by it anymore. It amazes me that when we finally get a name for this insanity it some how becomes less frightening

I know that for me this is still causing me to suffer, but I don't get scared as much now knowing it will pass. I just wish it would not come back

 

[vst]

I will be cured when my brain chemistry is corrected so the flight or fight instinct switches on and off as it should. Until then I will continue to meditate, try keep myself in the moment, and have a positive attitude.

vst