When Is The Right Time To Leave The Forum?

[Abstract]

Thanks Anthony! Apologies.

 

[anni]

KC, 'Dreck' is just pretty much a made up term, please don't waste what's probably precious spare time tracking anything I have to say on the subject ( most subjects ) to a source since there won't be one. It just means all-things-awful when one feels them- not exactly professional or helpful! As you can see from the above posts, there's a ton of genuine information here easily accessible and much more helpful than something made-up by an aging artist with a vague grasp on facts.

Welcome to the forum, by the way. :)

 

[k.c. gregory]

Thank you!!

 

[angel2write]

I have to say this about the trauma therapy I'm doing now- it moves quick. Writing about these memories, talking about them, dealing with them in this way has been fast work. It's like an avalanche. I'm working as hard as I can just to keep up. But at least each memory is laid to rest as it's dealt with.

Previously I've done as much as a year and a half of traditional "talk therapy" and gotten very little good out of it. No real change- just fatigue with the process. I can easily see the talk therapy going on forever.

If I continue with the trauma therapy at the current rate, though, I know I'll have gone through and processed the majority of the memories in less than a year. But I'm still wondering if the symptoms are going to back off when that happens. So far they've only gotten worse, and it's hard to believe claims that I'm going to be "better" in a year.

Anthony- in other articles, you say the brain chemistry problems can never be reversed. Does that mean if you need medication to cope, you'll probably need it forever? Even after the therapy part is over? (I'm not on meds now because I'm hoping to get better without them, but if feeling like this is forever, I might reconsider.) How do you reconcile your statement that we shouldn't need the forum after two years, with the statement that PTSD can never be cured, but only coped with?

 

[anthony]

Anthony- in other articles, you say the brain chemistry problems can never be reversed. Does that mean if you need medication to cope, you'll probably need it forever? Even after the therapy part is over? (I'm not on meds now because I'm hoping to get better without them, but if feeling like this is forever, I might reconsider.) How do you reconcile your statement that we shouldn't need the forum after two years, with the statement that PTSD can never be cured, but only coped with?

Information is also old and outdated.

Due to neuroimaging, there is no chemical balance, or imbalance, to begin with. It is also becoming quite proven that anti-depressants are actually a hindrance to PTSD treatment, not helpful, which means SSRI's. Many physicians are leaning away from them and more to just medication that treats the anxiety. SSRI's are an anti-depressant used to treat anxiety as well... and seem to only cause more issues than good from current research data. So not being on meds, is more than likely helping you at present.

Therapy is a process... it depends on severity as well. The average time frame to heal trauma is 12 weeks of therapy. That figure is low because the majority are minor issues. For those of us who fall into the more extreme range of things, a year of therapy + several more years putting it all into action is more realistic. Complex trauma may be in therapy for up-to 2 years, with another 2 - 5 years putting it all into action and walking the path of life to build resilience and technique.

Whilst in therapy, you are constantly being provoked, simple as that. It isn't until you remove it you begin to see results, and that applies to only if you're putting into action what you learn, and that the therapy is good in the first place. There is no one way to achieve the aim, and there are many many factors that hinder the process uniquely for each person. If all you have is one session a week or fortnight with a therapist, then it will take time.

Some people attend 1hr of therapy a week or fortnight, then do little to nothing inbetween. That is not going to achieve a great deal trying to heal PTSD. My interpretation of healing, would be a person committing themselves to a good 10hrs+ per week of self hard work. One hour of therapy, the rest learning and implementing, pushing themselves and working things out on what happens when they do x, then how to counter it... then go practice it, which is what exposure therapy is.

There are other constant stressors within lives, ie. employment, family, relationships, etc... they are the big ones, and there constantly adding stress into your internal cup.

Whilst some people may want to jump on this next statement, it is not a broad application, but does apply to some people, which is denial and they need to snap out of. Some attend therapy, do one hour of work on PTSD per week, then spend the rest of the week trying to avoid PTSD, distract themselves from it, suppress everything that comes up, etc etc. They get triggered by something, and instead of hitting that trigger hard to desensitize themselves, they avoid it instead, adding it to become a constant problem that will just later need to be dealt with. It is common to see people in complete denial whilst in therapy, and they use the attendance of therapy to tell themselves they are doing something, then do nothing the rest of the time except complain about the symptoms, until the next session, when they let all those complaints out to the therapist, maybe poke at one or two things, then there out of time again, repeat cycle.