recovery?

A high number of C-PTSD sufferers are misdiagnosed, mismedicated, and spend time in psychiatric hospitals. I've been wrongly treated for psychosis, too. Anti-psychotics act as a depressant for me, so it was potentially lethal.

More recently I've been prescribed Pregabalin https://www.addictionhelper.com/prescri ... regabalin/, to which I'm now addicted. I'm pestering my bewildered doctor with a conflicting request: I need a way to get off this without going nuts, and I need a higher dose.

For treating C-PTSD Bessel Van der Kolk, author of The Body Keeps The Score, has listed
1 Symptom management
2 Creation of narrative
3 Recognition of repetitive patterns
4 Understanding the connection between internal states (rumination, dissociation, etc.) and self-destructive actions
5 Identifying key traumatic incidents; treatment with exposure therapy, EMDR and body work
6 Practising behaviours appropriate in interpersonal relationships
https://www.researchgate.net/publicatio ... mplex_PTSD

It's my belief that a feeling of connection with the therapist, providing at least one 'safe' person in the sufferer's life, makes the biggest difference. That being said, unless there's provision for indefinite therapy, it can turn out to be another disappointment.

As an older woman, I'm now writing my autobiography (creation of narrative). It's just for me at this stage, and I'm finding it therapeutic to revisit the worst as well as the best times in my life. It would be nice to have a miracle cure for the final chapter, but I suspect there isn't one. Two therapists have treated me with their variants of EMDR with no effect. You might have better luck.

Alongside that, I'm working on the idea of resilience, https://www.verywellmind.com/ways-to-be ... nt-2795063. I daresay you're very hard on yourself while overlooking all kinds of bad behaviour in others.

Taking better care of yourself, exercising and eating well so you don't feel compelled to eat too much, may give you a platform for effective self-treatment. No one knows your quirks and hot buttons as well as you do, so I believe you have to trust yourself and find your own path through the maze.

Hi Candid,

Thank you very much for sharing what you've found helpful - sorry to hear that you've also had struggles with c-ptsd.
It can feel like a long and at times, arduous, journey and I was feeling quite low when I posted. It was kind of you to share the links too and offer advice.

I shall check out the book recommendation. Since posting I found that turning to prayer to God gave me a sense of peace, but of course I believe He works through people too - thanks again..

Since C-PTSD usually starts in early childhood, it's impossible to know what a 'cure' would look and feel like. For me it started so young (hostile primary caregiver) that I can't know how I would be without it. It can also be hard for sufferers to see what's C-PTSD and what's almost universal.

I do my best to eradicate mental anguish about petty things. With multiple traumas under my belt, I'm often mystified at the things other people get upset about. That can be a big factor in alienating us from other people.

I'm glad you're finding peace through prayer. Thought experiments are among my armoury, too.