Can PTSD Be Cured?

[anthony]

Ok, at present, it is medically factual that PTSD has no cure, however; it has been stated that people have learnt a technique that adapted to themselves worked for them, thus giving them the belief that they are cured, because no longer do they suffer any of the PTSD symptoms under any circumstances... or so said anyway!

If so, why? If not, why not?

[Nam]

From a medical standpoint, there probably is no cure. PTSD permanently changes people. I would like to think I'm cured, but when I look at my life right now, I have made significant changes to feel the way I do. I don't have a job, which has eased my stress greatly, and I'm still on meds, so obviously my mind is still a little off balance. I avoid certain places and people. For me, PTSD is more like an injury to the mind. What is a "cure" for an "injury"? We are permanently scared. I think it's possible to return to somewhat of a normal life and functioning but never like it would be if no PTSD. I'm past the really rough spots, and I've gotten to a point where I'm satisfied with my recovery. The lifelong effects of PTSD has now become a part of me. It's who I am. So with the new me, I consider myself healed, not cured. Can it be? I don't know! If cured means to return to who I was before PTSD, I don't want to be cured. There will never be a magic pill, so I guess I'm leaning toward the no side, but that doesn't mean that you can't heal.

[piglet]

I vote no, but hold the hope that it may be possible in the future.

[anthony]

I sit pretty much exactly with you Nam, though I am no longer medicated either. I do know though, if stressed, I will relapse under certain symptoms, I could get worse again, so I know I am not cured... though most certainly healed past all the rough bullshit that PTSD puts upon us.

Amen to that Piglet. I am hoping and providing as much as possible to hope someone develops a cure also.

[carpediem2006]

I have to believe that I will be better, that does not mean to say if presented with a life threatening situation from the same person I would not feel fear or that it would not affect me.

That it is different depending on the level of threat means that I am getting better.

To say that PTSD remains forever is depressing and many are misdiagnosed anyway. I refuse to accept it, as doing so would be negative in terms of me expecting to recover.

Many people recover from rape, being in explosions etc. Ofcourse it is difficult to learn trust again to be comfortable in situations that give a reminder of the threat.

What is harder still is to accept not only what has happened but that this has caused long lasting harm.

Forgiveness is also important in dealing with the anger. Reflecting on flashbacks and why they occurred is important, as is recognising the failures in our own behaviours as a response to what has happened. That is a problem becuase although it is a reason, it is not an excuse. That for me is very frustrating, as I look at the negative impact this is having on my life, and how the perpetrators are completely unaffected.

[anthony]

Hi Carp...

Welcome to the community. Your absolutely correct, in that it does become depressing to think there is no end to PTSD, but that is just the medically factual side of this illness. I am certainly not cured, but I am most definately on the other side, the better side, of PTSD. Sure, I cannot put myself in some situations that allow me to get undue stress, because the end result could be quite messy for all concerned, but I can certainly live an improved lifestyle now, than what I was before with uncontrolled PTSD running my life.

Great to have you here, and look forward to chatting with you.

[carpediem2006]

Hi All/Anthony

I am looking into this in the country where I am living and there is nothing that suggests so far that I see that this is permanent.
I think that there may be no overlap here between what they call PTSS and PTSD. I have no idea, but if I have now been diagnosed as disabled, I can kiss my career goodbye. I am kind of scared to ask (Sounds PSTDesque, I guess).

You can never forget what happened. There will always be individual triggers for people (perhaps for yourself loud fireworks), but it is not so abnormal for the body to react to an adverse threat it has learned to be dangerous.

When I think about it a friend has told me about the time when she was raped and I had no idea. She is outgoing, friendly, adventurous....but for one year could not go out alone many years before we met.

You have my sympathy for the things you must have seen as I believe them to be worse than my own.

I do think though that the best thing I can do is try to get a positive mindset about it, look at what I need to do and accept that seeing a psychotherapist is not so negative. In that case I realise that I am also breaking down borders, my own lack of acceptance of needing to get over harassment at work and the above, and a childhood fear that if I talked I would be institutionalised (therefore doctors meds etc are a bad trigger for me). I don't think of the person that did those things badly anymore. I just recognise that they are affected by their own abusive background. What people are capable of doing to one another is amazing. What I want to do is continue to be able to do better for others. Regardless of how many decide that they want to shit on me along the way. Lose faith in yourself and you lose faith in anything of value. (You have me on a positive moment :smile: )

[anthony]

Lose faith in yourself and you lose faith in anything of value.

Well said Carp. Continue along with that attitude, and you will do just fine. Its funny though what you say about how you perceive others events to be worst than your own, as just about everyone here does. People say mine is worst than theirs, though I think the opposite, where theirs is worst than mine. A funny merry-go-round it is, and I think its part and parcel to do with accepting our trauma for what it is, trauma. A terrible event or circumstance thrust upon us unsuspectingly, and we try to extinguish its intensity, or dismiss it as less than what it is.

Interesting thought perception that one...

[aloysius]

this mental thing is taking on a renewed life of it's own since starting the research and prep. to submit my paper to the VA for comp./pension

[mouse]

I dont believe that it can be cured however I do believe that we can learn to live with it and its symptoms and to be able to react appropriatly when we are triggered but that it takes a great seal of work, determination and will power

[becvan]

Nope, I don't believe we can be. Once your brain is altered, how are they going to alter it back? On top of that. when I took EMDR I was told that was a "cure" also.. and look where that got me.

I believe we can learn how to live healthy and adjust to how we need to live thereby having a better quality of life. Good enough for me.

bec

[veiled]

I am still on the fence. Hope maybe? I have not voted since being here and the poll still waits for my answer above. I just cannot let go that I may be better one day. This one I may be on the fence about for a long time as I feel if I vote a certain no I may lose hope trying.

[Linda]

I take a life with PTSD as a fight, and I do beleive, that someday I will win.

[Snoozer]

Early on I believed that it was possible to be cured from complex PTSD. As I get older I am understanding that learning to live well with myself and my quirks is more realistic. That through life long learning I can continue to make this work with and for me.

[Shinigami_Shimai]

At the point I'm at I don't believe there is a cure and no longer search for one. I just try to accept that this is the person I am and learn how to make it more part of my life, turning nightmares into novels and artwork instead of letting them control me and the like. I've been classed as permanently disabled for nearly 15 years now and I fought it for a time, trying to prove that I could be something more, but now I realize that this is the person I am if the longer I fight it the longer it is going to take me to get better. No cure, just acceptance...

jaa ne

Kat

[kkoehler]

I wish PTSD has a cure but like eating disorders, it doesn't. I try to be reminded of how people survived the Great Depression or the Holocaust. It changed the survivors. I hope someday I can say what many of them have. That great trial and tribulation changed us but also made us wiser. "We are survivors". I'm not there yet. I really want to be.

There may be one cure for PTSD. Prevention. Though its very specific. Its something I've been thinking about. It doesn't cure it after the fact, but I do wonder about preventing trauma if when - if at all possible. There seems to be a moral in there somewhere. I know there is no way of knowing when something terrible will happen but I go back and think about what I could have done different and try very hard to apply that in the hereafter. Like I said, its something I've been thinking about. Though not actually practical.


In the meanwhile, I'd like it very much if there was a cure for PTSD. I really do.

[skyward_falls]

I don't think its a matter of a "cure" or being healed. Its a matter of learning how to cope and live with it each and every day of your life in a healthy way (as much as possible).

I remember hearing a few news clips about erasing memories - new treatments. I always wondered why. I wouldn't want to lose my memories because it is where I am today that counts and it is a good place (I think those memories are important and I appreciate what I have now because of what I have been through).

Now, if they could erase the PTSD....I'd sign up for that.