Did you find you PTSD treatment effective? Did you make significant improvement?

MAJ Ken Landgren — Sun, 10 May 2015 18:47:32 -0400

For those who went through PTSD treatment do you think it was effective? My treatment was going to group therapy for a year. It was very random in nature. What is your story if you wish to share it? Did you make significant improvement?

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made May 10 at 2015 6:58 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 10 May 2015 18:58:15 -0400

I haven't even tried group therapy yet. I only go to one on one sessions. They work for me.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made May 10 at 2015 7:13 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 10 May 2015 19:13:21 -0400

I didn't get ptsd from a deployment, but I got it from a horrifying near death experience. I tried the group thing, but didn't like sharing with so many people. I went to about 15 therapists and social workers before I found someone I liked. After that, a lot of improvement, and much quicker than I expected. It was simple, no frills talk therapy. We added meds in the beginning for the anxiety attacks and insomnia. It took about a year before I went off the meds. I am a different, stronger, tougher, & more resilient woman now. (Individual results may vary.). Talking about it, and how it made me feel, and telling the whole story from start to finish was a relief in and of itself. If what you are doing feels stupid, or you don't like the therapist, you won't make much progress. You have to find someone you trust and feel comfortable with. That is the key.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made May 10 at 2015 7:15 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Sun, 10 May 2015 19:15:46 -0400

The path I took myself was get hope, work on symptoms, making sure I don't step backwards. When I wake up, I clear my head of any emotions for a couple hours, then I can work on the small symptoms that randomly bothers me.

Response by 1LT David Moeglein made May 11 at 2015 2:48 AM

1LT David Moeglein — Mon, 11 May 2015 02:48:00 -0400

My treatment was initially 10 years of talk therapy. Then I began taking medications. I transitioned off of the psychopharmaceuticals by replacing them with nutritional supplements. I treat people with PTSD and other mental disorders, and by helping my clients with therapy, I am also doing therapy on myself. I don't let myself isolate. I engage in a mindfulness practice, attend 12-step meetings, read books that better me, and hang out with all around good people.

One thing that I use with my clients is something I call CBT mindfulness with rhythm and motion. I teach them a series of movements, and help them to get into synch with my rhythm. When we experience trauma, we are objectified and feel like an it. We lose our humanity and rhythm. By getting back into rhythm with others we regain hope as we regain a connection with something bigger than ourselves.

Something else that I've found effective is a group format called "Seeking Safety." It is a CBT evidence based practice for the treatment of PTSD and substance use. It is psychoeducational but allows for processing our experience within the context of the material being presented that day. It also allows for some psychodynamic work if our past is getting in the way of our living in the present.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made May 11 at 2015 9:47 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 11 May 2015 09:47:23 -0400

I do one-on-one with the therapist off-and-on depending on my work schedule. I've been on medications and did biofeedback.

Combined they helped out with the little things - I recently used what I had learned to talk a soldier down from a panic attack.

Honestly, the thing that worked best for me was self-prescribed equine therapy. I'm too scared that my issues aren't 'legitimate enough' to qualify for the program (for example: one must be assigned to WTU to be able to attend lessons), so I started volunteering at a horse rescue.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made May 11 at 2015 11:02 AM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Mon, 11 May 2015 11:02:45 -0400

It appears like we share a common bond of never being our old self again. I am stable now, but have to defend myself against the symptoms every day. I think this is as good as it gets for me.

Response by SGT Ben Keen made May 11 at 2015 12:59 PM

SGT Ben Keen — Mon, 11 May 2015 12:59:24 -0400

It has been my experience that treatment of PTSD differs just as much as what caused it from person to person. I am not a fan of the "rubber stamp" treatment that some people try to pass off. While some see great success with group therapy, some benefit more from medication, while some might need both. However, there are certain things that we must remind each other of when it comes to PTSD and treatment.

1) The process that you are going through following a deployment is NORMAL. Scanning the road, looking around as you walk down the street, sitting in a public place with your back to the wall, and all the other outward signs you may display are normal for us. You just finished spending 1, 2, or even more years where you had to train your brain to do these things in order to stay alive.

2) Seek out treatment! Seek out a way to remain connected to your brothers and sisters-in-arms who are going through the same thing as you. Do not be afraid to say you need help in order to win the battle back home. Again, you are not alone in it. Call upon your battle buddies just as you did while deployed to help.

3) Understand that it might take you a few times to find the treatment plan that works for you. Again, there is really no rubber stamp treatment that covers all of us. The human brain is a tricky thing and a lot of factors go into play when figuring out what works for you.

These are just 3 things off a list that I'm sure goes on and continues to grow. I wish I had the 20/20 vision of these things when I first got out. I avoided the VA and any sort of treatment for the first 2 years. I thought I was better than that. I didn't want to be labeled. I didn't want to be judged or be seen as weak. I turned to masking the pain I felt by drinking a lot of booze. I truly feel that if I continued down that dark path, with the thoughts in my head and the actions I was taking, I would not be here today. There is no other way of putting it, I was drinking myself into my own grave. My marriage was falling apart, I felt lost, I felt forgotten. Captain Morgan though...he was always there and he was able to let me sleep and not replay the nightmares in my head. Then after 2 years of that craziness I came to realize what I was doing. I shifted my energies and sought out treatment. I am very thankful that my therapist is truly amazing. I started going to groups, started taking some meds (which I have been able to reduce in number of years), started to see that what I was going through is normal. Got back into doing things I loved before like photography and biking riding.

Now, almost 5 years later, I'm here trying to help other Veterans in the region see that through my example there is a way out. There are people here that truly understand and willing to help. I'm thankful for everyone here on RallyPoint and I'm thankful to know that you all have my back.

Response by PFC Tuan Trang made May 11 at 2015 1:14 PM

PFC Tuan Trang — Mon, 11 May 2015 13:14:39 -0400

Best thing is to go to rehab to cope with the ptsd. And have some relax time with family, also get a service dog, they will help you with your mind, cause when you walking for instance and there a loud sound, it might soubd like enemy fire, the pet will either lick you or bark to get you out of that "I'm in the battlefield" stage.

Response by 1SG Jason Fitzpatrick made May 11 at 2015 1:21 PM

1SG Jason Fitzpatrick — Mon, 11 May 2015 13:21:25 -0400

Dealing with the issue currently. It is effective, but the issues are not going away, just how i deal with them is changing. I still have significant issues dealing with things that bring back times best forgotten, but hopefully, I will someday at least be able to go through an entire day without losing control of my mouth, temper, emotions, Etc, Etc Etc