Can PTSD be cured?
Written by a licensed therapist in Long Beach specializing in PTSD.
For some people, PTSD can be cured and for other people therapy can help you manage your PTSD symptoms to the point where you can function better in your day to day life. The difference between people who can be “cured” and those who cannot has NOTHING to do with will power, strength, positive thinking, work ethics or character.
When you experience trauma, your body’s first step to protect you is to dissociate. This is why some people with trauma have a hard time getting close to people, because they are detached out of survival. If that doesn’t work, then your body uses Depression and PTSD as a way to protect you from future traumas. If you are in bed all day, you are less likely to get hurt. If you have PTSD, you are always on alert and you feel like you are less likely to get hurt.
Just like when someone has a fever, you wouldn’t tell them they are horrible or weak or lacking positive thinking because they have a fever because you know it’s the body’s way of trying to get better. Your body heats up (with a fever) to kill bacteria in an attempt to make you better. Depression and PTSD is like having an emotional fever for adverse life experiences and/or trauma. Your body is trying to protect you and heal you. The more depressed or the more PTSD symptoms you have, the more your body is working to shut down the wounds that you have experienced. Most people don’t realize that the “core wounds” that often times cause the most issues to people are wounds that most people wouldn’t’ think anything about.
What is an adverse experience?:
1. Your parent forgot to pick you up one day at school.
2. Your parent looks at you with disappointment when you struck out.
3. You are 8 years old and your older sibling who you have always adored says you are stupid because they are upset at something that doesn’t even involve you, but your 8-year-old self took that in.
There are many different treatments that we offer for PTSD. The two treatments that work with the most people (in research studies) are EMDR Therapy and TFCBT Therapy (Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy). Both of these treatment options are offered at Long Beach Therapy. When you have your first appointment, your therapist can help you decide what the best treatment approach is for you (which is highly dependent on what you feel comfortable with).