Is therapy for PTSD worth it?

[Ptsdtrauma]

If the trauma makes you physically unwell when recalling events (eg chest pain )?

Or is it better to not relive the experience ? Does anyone have any experience?

Yes, absolutely. I would look into EMDR. The reason it causes physiological symptoms is because the memories are almost stuck and you can’t process them. So every time you think about them, your body re-experiences them as if it’s happening all over again, because the brain when in survival mode can’t distinguish between ‘just a memory’ and the ‘real thing’ when it happened. Certain therapeutic approaches, like EMDR, help you to process the memories so that your body no longer has that survival response, because you’re no longer stuck re-living the trauma like it’s happening all over again. It’s kind of like it gets put away for good in the memory box and your brain now knows it’s not real.

Yes, it's way easier to fix trauma recall than other ongoing mh issues

I think it's always worth trying to resolve trauma to enable you to live your life fully. You do need to find a safe, effective method for doing that though.

I had EMDR and it was really helpful for me- it doesn't work for everyone though, and can be very tough for the first few sessions.

If it is affecting you to this extent then it's worth looking into.

Yes, I had it after a horrifically traumatic event. It can sound harsh, I was often asked to relive the moment - but it worked. It was done very gently and with so much consideration, the therapist was an angel.

I saw my DH trampled by a horse - he nearly died. I still had to deal with our horses and was considering selling them. I couldn't even look at them and I'd have a panic attack (just one of the problems I was facing). Now I'm fine with them, and can even watch DH ride - though that took time. I couldn't have done it without EMDR. It was fantastic.

I’m a therapist, EMDR is the gold standard for treating PTSD. Had it myself and it was a game changer

I can only relate to my own experience where it absolutely worked for me. It was a tough process but when it was done it was incredible how much better I was.

I highly recommend EMDR. It was life changing for me.

EMDR was life changing for me. I was severely disabled before hand and am almost back to pre trauma in terms of my function.

I’ve had EMDR twice got different traumas. The first time I’d had loads of cbt/counselling did not help at all. Then had EMDR worked amazingly well.
Second trauma went straight to EMDR, again had worked really well.

A friend of mine had EMDR, it was life changing. Yes it's difficult but she said less difficult than counselling & CBT which she had tried first.
If you are considering it, the best thing to do would be find a therapist and talk it over. Hear what it will involve then you can decide.
It could really help 💐

Thankyou I will maybe give it a try I’m just anxious due to the physical symptoms I worry I’ll actually have a heart attack sometimes but I think it’s just psychological pain I’m not sure but it actually does hurt?

OP, if you do try EMDR, your therapist will ensure you're safe throughout, and if you're becoming overly distressed, they will work through grounding exercises with you.
I had EMDR. It was life changing. Hard work though, and I was knackered afterwards -particularly the first few sessions.

What about if the trauma was many years ago? I am struggling with resurfacing of stuff from when I was a teenager that never troubled me for many years but seems to have come back now that DD is at the same age. Can it still work now?

Yes I'm doing emdr for cptsd including childhood trauma and it works really really well

I had EMDR following PTSD after the birth of my daughter and it honestly changed my life, couldn’t recommend it more highly. It was very hard work, and I felt absolutely drained after the first few sessions, but a weight was absolutely lifted!

It really helped me, specifically EMDR. I found it so difficult, as others say you end up putting yourself back in the moment. I was at a course run by my health trust who likened PTSD to a really disorganised filing cabinet. Your brain doesn't know what's a real threat and a perceived threat hence the physical response. The EMDR helps to file everything in it's right place again.

Can I ask you for more details as to how it was life changing ? I'm physically disabled and my function has been impacted severely by an assortment of mental health issues

I chose to avoid that route as I didn't want to relive or talk about the experience.

I've slowly come out of it myself. I've let myself rant in my head to a reasonable degree, used sound to zone out (sound baths and thunderstorm ambient noise), I've had audiobooks to help me focus on something else (like a really long Stephen King story), and the occasional drunken rant at my friends at how unfair everything is. Over about two years, I gradually let it fade and the flashbacks lessened.

It's still a very unpleasant memory that I don't want. But ultimately, I can't turn back time and I can't change things that have already happened and all the stressing and sleepless nights and crying fits in the world aren't going to change that. So I've slowly learnt to be stoic about it and it honestly does bother me significantly less.

I'm not advising avoiding therapy but just wanted to give a bit of hope for the future. Time will take you away from the severity of your symptoms.

Trauma doesn’t know time. Thats why people are so affected from
PTSD years and years later. EMDR is so effective for CPTSD, childhood sexual abuse etc etc as it re-processes traumatic target memories and stops the physical sensations of re-experiencing, panic etc

I'm aware of that and there are no miracle cures, of course. But it's still possible to see improvement in your symptoms without therapy. It's not completely hopeless if you concentrate on looking after yourself, being your own best friend, and finding something like meditation or yoga.

I'd prefer to give that reassurance in case OP feels like she isn't ready or doesn't end up going. I was in a terrible state at one point and I'm significantly better now simply from making sure I took the time to deal with it as I knew best. I could not have opened my mouth to talk about it with a therapist, for certain. Some people just don't get on with that kind of thing.

Anyway, just my two pence on the subject. Feel free to disregard anything you don't find useful.

@HeadJudgeShirley I wasn’t responding to contradict you, more to explain to a PP who asked about traumatic events from many years ago and effectiveness of treatment.
Lots of people manage and improve symptoms of PTSD without therapy through self soothing and self compassion etc.

I guess from my experience in a clinical setting, as well as my own lived experience of PTSD, is that sometimes this only gets people “so far” and for some people that will be enough and they can live happy enough lives stopping there, whereas for others, the physical symptoms left over are so debilitating that specific therapy like EMDR is the only thing to alleviate it completely.

I can only use my own experience - delayed PTSD following the death of my daughter.
Therapy and medication have certainly helped me to a great extent. At least to be able to get on with my life as normally as possible with my daughter who was born subsequently.

EMDR doesn't necessarily even mean talking. I do a mix of talk and emdr but that's because I have never successfully kept a thought in my head in my whole life. My therapist told me that some people don't tell her what's going on for them during the processing at all.

@ValleyClouds before EMDR I was variable in terms of what I could do but it would take me several hours to get up every morning and then psyche myself up to leave the house. I struggled to eat sometimes because choosing something was overwhelming, I sometimes couldn't leave the sofa at all, I couldn't remember words for things, I couldn't think properly. It was like I was walking through fog. I felt terrified all the time and spent a lot of time online scrolling and also watching TV to distract myself. I lost my temper easily, I couldn't cope with travelling on trains or going somewhere new. I couldn't go anywhere too crowded.

It was really debilitating.

Now I am still nervous of some situations but most things are fine.