ptsd Why Continue To Go To Ptsd Clinic?

[11cvolley]

I been in treatment for nearly two years and I am stuck at trauma processing. Today I told my social worker that I don't think I'll ever be ready to talk about my trauma again. She wants me to just sit in on group and listen and see what happens.

What should I do if group doesn't help? Do I keep wasting my social worker's time just to keep an up to date record for the RO, or what happens if I just go to get my refills?

[Philip Rogers]

i went to ONE group meeting .... it was just not a fit for me... i have been one on one in the states its one meeting every 2 months... during my time in the philippines it was 2 meetings per month .self pay... I dont know how anyone else handles things but seems in group many want to talk about stuff like a rambo movie and because its a PTSD group no one is guiding the meetings , I personally dont like to talk about stuff from back then except for people i meet , and not the fighting stuff so group for me did not work, I to this day dont know why but days i get mad very easy over nothing and other days i am so sad i have to fight crying at a movie ... the best part about the philippines is the doctor visit was never more then 30 dollars for over one hour but i could vent and get stuff out where in group often you want to hold back

Robert - I've been attending the same group for about 15 yrs. We rarely discuss VN and activities there, except when a new member joins the group, and then we introduce overselves, giving our VN background. At our weekly group,we normally discuss how week's been going, for each of us, and types of problems we may be having, which may be family related, money related or even claim related, etc. Most members attend most wks. Sometimes we have to screen out a phoney, here or there. The last was a special ops Coastie, who was attached to the CIA and of course all documents were sealed. I think he said he was there in 75-76. Anyway, I found it helpful for me. I do know I don't have much use for those who've never served, period. Hang in there!

pr

[carlie]

Staying in therapy of some type, helps me continue using the tools I've

been taught and given - to handle daily things without homicide or suicide.

It helps me continue to stay in touch with how I "react" to other actions

happening in life, on a daily basis.

JMHO

[maset22]

Usn308, Hi, I might be the least to say something here, but one thing that I notice in your post I's that a psychiatrist is the only one to prescribe medicine. I see mines about once every four months or so, depending on my level of anxiety.

Can you try to see about getting an appointment with a psychologist? That is the start to getting a group session, maybe is a question of where you are?

Hope our fight turns around, and we can be a little bit happy withing ourselves.

[Tbird]

I've been in therapy on a regular basis since 1991, I was discharged Dec 1990 after 8 years of honorable service as an E-6. So that paints an ugly little picture. I can say this with all sincerity Thank God For VA Psychiatrists and Psychologist's, seriously without some of the wonderful Doc's I had there would be no HadIt.com, there would be no me.

The vast majority of the time over the years I have seen a psychologist once week, in the early years it was twice a week and at the very beginning I was in a Day Hospital program M - F 8-4 (lunch included :) ). I've been in different kinds of groups over the years and always try to be open to trying because you just never know, it may help. What I have found the most helpful is a weekly session with my psychologist and a visit with my psychiatrist every 3 months for a med check.

The early years I processed a lot of trauma, it still comes up in therapy, in life, but mostly I go to therapy once a week to get through that week. Then I go the next week and so on, it is huge for me, it is my main social and emotional support.

Try the group but if it doesn't work for you then it doesn't work, but please make sure to have something else in place of it, don't just drop out of therapy completely, that would leave you without any support or resources, you wouldn't leave a brother or a sister on the battlefield without support or resources, so don't leave yourself that way, you are important.

[john999]

I have been seeing a psychologist for about 40 years with some breaks. The psychologist picked me up out of the gutter, so to speak, and got me back on my feet to where I could actually pay him. I went to groups for many years. Pills are good, but we also need someone to talk to who won't judge us and can reflect back what we are saying and feeling.

[Papa]

I have tried the Vet Center three times. The first time the Therapist got a call, turned his back and I waited 15 minutes before I got up and left. The second and third time another Therapist wanted to talk about nothing but my childhood. I thought that they just wanted to use this against me, I walked out. I take meds from a private Doctor.

Papa