ptsd Question For Those In Long-Term Treatment For Ptsd

[2E151]

Question for those of you who've been fighting PTSD for a while now and are still seeking treatment: I've been in treatment since February of last year; the first nine months was with the OIF/OEF clinic basically zeroing in on my diagnosis and just going over coping mechanisms.

Last fall they moved me over to the mental health unit. I went to the in-processing class and they basically gave us a menu of what kind of treatment we wanted.

Well I got put into the Cognitive Processing Therapy, which to make a long story short made my symptoms worse. I’ve told everyone who will listen at the VA that I’m eager to get treatment, but going to see a psychologist who wanted me to go over my stressor in graphic detail every week definitely wasn’t helping me.

My wife eventually had me withdraw from it because my deterioration was scaring her.

So I went back and essential got the same menu. About 10 options, all eight to 12 week sessions; I ended up picking a group one that will essentially help you cope with your diagnosis and how it affects your life.

I know the VA is trying to tout a lot of these as cures for PTSD; I’ve looked up CPT and the VA pretty much considers it a cure if you complete all 12 weeks.

For those who have been in treatment for years, does the VA keeping trying to cycle you through this same menu? I’ve heard members mention that they’ve been going to group for years, or seeing the same psychologist every week for years, but all I’m seeing is a express lane for a quick cure.

I just need someone to talk to right now. This isn’t like being scared of heights or elevators, what happened to me is deeply personal and I don’t mind coping with the emotions, but I’m not at a stage where I’m ready for someone to bring it to the surface and pick it apart every week. I’m hoping that this group will help me, but I’m also sacred of being pushed back into one of the more abrasive treatments once this is done.

[Aletta]

I agree with the above advice about asking for one on one therapy. I know many Vets that do go to groups and it helps them. My husband refuses to go to groups. He did see on therapist for over four years. Then he left the VA and my hubby kept getting new ones every year. He never 'connected'. He has Medicare so he sees a local therapist. My hubby hates going to the VA anyway. The therapist who he sees was never military BUT she did her training at the VA. Yep, a lady who my hubby has a half way connection with. She has told me that he won't talk about everything.. but she has given him coping tools. He has a hard time with them.. but at least he is trying.

He has never been given a 'menu'. I think that sounds strange myself.

As Bert said; PTSD can't be cured. There are treatments that will reduce the symptoms along with medications. One with PTSD can learn to 'manage' their emotions but that is not a cure. The fact that the stressor event (trauma) did happen can never be taken away nor can the memories.

I have heard the same thing about the CPT and Exposure therapy... In theory, it is to desensitize the trauma.. but it ends up adding to the trauma.. It never make sense to me... The more combat exposure the more likely one will develop server PTSD... and they think 'exposure' to more will desensitized the trauma. Maybe it works for some, but I have yet to hear from a Vet that thought the exposure therapy helped. JMO

[Berta]

This link and the link in it might help with buddy statements.

We have some other Buddy statement info here under hadit search for Buddy statements.

I have certainly seen vets give the VA their C file numbers in buddy statements in a few cases, but I never have heard that a SSA number is required.

VA doesnt even need their C fie number.

The VA might call the buddy up for more details. Sometimes they do and sometimes they dont.

"I don't know how comfortable I am asking people I served with for acouple of months for something that personal. Heck, unless I knew the person well enough, I'd be hard-pressed to hand that information out myself..." You are a man of Honor.

Odd......... buddy statements......one of the worse things that ever happened to me, as a vets advocate, is a vet asked me to write a buddy statement for him for an incident aboard a ship.

The Navy didnt allow women on ships in the days of the incident and I am a civilian anyhow and never even met this vet.

He did get 2 buddy statements from vets but the BVA awarded his claim due to new medical evidence and yet the BVA doubted the statements he got were real.

2E 151, you sure might get some good buddy statements but you might not even need them.

What was your MOS and where did you experience hostile activity?

[2E151]

What was your MOS and where did you experience hostile activity?

2E151 was acutally my MOS at the time, its changed to something similar since 2009. I provide(ed) tactical communications to infantry units. I was in Mosul, Iraq in 2009 supporting a joint SF unit at the height of the surge. It wasn't pretty, in fact it was hell on earth. If you go through google and look at some of the archived news articles from early 2009 through the summer of 2009 in Mosul you'll see what I mean.

IMO there is a lot of stigma associated with communications guys who have been diagnosed with MH issues, especially from veterans who did their time between the 80s and 90s. At my civilian job I work with a bunch of veterans that fall in that range and I don't talk about my problems because of that. There are acouple of us younger guys who have MH issues, but we keep it to ourselves. My boss knows, but my co-workers think I'm just a flake.

These guys remember when the only commo guys who deployed forward were radio guys who called in medivacs or close air support. These days we carry suitcase kits that provide internet, telephones and live feeds from drones forward. Because of the nature of our customers and the importance of their mission in 2009 a lot of us were thrown into roles beyond our skillset or training, but we had to make due.

In many ways I feel lucky, I never had to fire my rifle, never got a TBI.

I came back from that mission with a Joint Commendation Medal, an extra stripe, and a lifetime of memories I can't escape. The last lines in my wife's statement is the man she married never came back from Mosul, just the man she loved. I cry everytime I read that.

[Philip Rogers]

I've had PTSD since I left VN, in 1967, only I didn't know it. Attempted suicide by motorcycle, in 1971 but survived, with many fractured bones. I was diagnosed, in 1989, w/PTSD and still didn't believe there was anything wrong w/me. I've been receiving group counseling for the past 21 yrs and find it's the best for me. I take no psych drugs but have taken them twice during the past 23 yrs, for about 10-12 wks each time. I've found I'd rather face life's ups and down's and feel the feelings that come w/them.

I've been in cognative therapy and flooding, which I believe they now call exposure therapy. The group counseling helps the best for me. I also use what I call avoidance therapy. IE: I avoid places and things that I find are buttons for me, such as fire works, large crowds, supermarkets, veterans service clubs (where a great number of REMF's tell their lies) and similar places. I've been in the same group for over 15 yrs. I've tried a few others but some just weren't for me. In my opinion, many combat vets are full of sh*t. Some state they were in it 24/7 which is BS. In VN we had many routine patrols, most very dull, but then every once in a while the stuff hit the fan, and if you weren't scared to death your a liar.

PTSD hits each of us a different way. What doesn't scare some, scares the hell out of another. Your wife knows you, just like my family knows that the real me died in VN, between 9/65 - 9/67. It doesn't matter where or how you got your PTSD, you should find a group or therapist that works for you and go as often and long as you need it. Over the yrs a few have left our group, some have died, and new ones added. We filter out the phonies and they usually leave quickly. I don't know why they call it a mental illness, as it's a normal response to some very abnormal experiences.

I attend my group faithfully because I feel that just because I'm ok, this wk, doesn't mean someone else won't gain from listening to me, this wk. We generally check in with each person in the group and then if someone has something they want to discuss, we will. Sometimes we just remenis and sometimes we really get into some heavy stuff. We always come out feeling better.

Good luck, whatever you decide!

pr

[2E151]

I've had PTSD since I left VN, in 1967, only I didn't know it.

I can relate to that, when I got back in 09 I felt like I was on top of the world, that the wound up clock feeling I felt was motivation. I took on every responsibility I could, civilian, military, and academically. About a year later that "wound clock" sprung, and things started overwhelming me. The panic attacks and sleep problems started, and from there its kept snowballing even until this day. I tried to man up for several years until the wife finally convinced me to get treatment at the VA.

I've been receiving group counseling for the past 21 yrs and find it's the best for me.

Is this with the VA or outside of it? Because it seems like the only group counseling at my VAMC are 8-12 week courses, and the one-on-one courses are exposure based like CPT.

I take no psych drugs

My doc is trying every any depressant under the sun with little to no positive effects. The only thing that keeps me employed is the 6-8mg of Xanax I take a day (prescribed 240 pills a month)

I've been in cognitive therapy/I also use what I call avoidance therapy.

​I lasted 4 weeks out of 12 in cognitive therapy, it wasn't for lack of trying. As soon as the therapist found out avoidance was one of my major "stuck points" she really tightened the screw,and I came out much worse for wear.

Thanks for sharing Philip.

I'v been reading up, and to file PTSD you need a VA doctor to fill out an Initial PTSD DBQ, I know the VA keeps that forum internal, but does anyone know how it compares to the 21-0960P3?

[john999]

I was in group therapy for many years, but not a VA group. If a shrink is going to induce you to relive horrendous events in your life he must be a real pro. Some things are better left as sleeping dogs. The expose therapy idea is from WWI where shell shocked soldiers were able to get better by talking about their experiences. My group therapy was very good for me. We had RVN vets in my group even though it was private. I respected these guys because we had a common experience, and one of them really set me straight on a few issues. My experience in 70's and 80's with VA groups and individual therapy was awful. I stopped going for 20 years. The VA used my group therapy sessions against me when I filed for compensation saying I did well in groups, so I could not be that disabled even though I was in locked ward.

For the VA to force you into exposure therapy is really malpractice. You are in charge of your therapy.