Does anyone recover from ptsd

People with PTSD require professional support, especially therapy, to see improvements. The main focus of treatment for PTSD is therapy, but medications are often a helpful component of an overall plan.

Patients with PTSD benefit from specialized types of therapy, including trauma-focused behavioral therapies and exposure therapies. These force the patient to face traumatic memories but also give them practical tools to use to cope with these memories. In addition to therapy, some patients with PTSD may get some relief from medication.

Medication alone is not adequate treatment for PTSD, but it can be a useful supplement. The most common types of medications used for PTSD are antidepressants. These drugs help improve mood, decrease anxiety, and make it easier to concentrate and even sleep. Anti-anxiety medications may also be used but less often. A newer drug called prazosin may help minimize or stop nightmares. These treatment measures, along with positive interactions with friends , support groups, healthy lifestyle choices, good medical care, and other factors can help most people living with PTSD feel better.

It takes a commitment to the treatment process, which can be difficult because of the necessity of facing frightening memories, but ongoing professional support can lead to recovery. However, it is possible that patients with PTSD can experience a total resolution of symptoms and go back to living a normal life.

Even for those patients who do not see their symptoms completely disappear, life is much better with treatment. Symptoms improve, normal functioning can be nearly entirely restored, and relationships with friends and family can be repaired. There is every hope that someone with PTSD who seeks and commits to treatment will recover and enjoy a much better quality of life.

If you or someone you care about is struggling with PTSD, reach out and find mental health experts who can provide good care and treatment.

I went to Bridges to have a dedicated few weeks to work on myself. I feel safer in life now--less afraid of my illness. Treatment Specialties. View Our Facilities. The most highly regarded psychotherapeutic option is an approach called cognitive behavioral therapy. Some doctors also use other psychotherapeutic approaches that include eye movement desensitization and reprocessing, brief psychodynamic psychotherapy, family counseling and group therapy.

The studies under consideration included 81, adults diagnosed with the disorder. On average, the studies looked at the outcomes for untreated PTSD patients over the course of 40 months. At the low end, the recovery rate for the participants of one study was just 8 percent; at the high end, the recovery rate for the participants of another study was 89 percent.

All told, 44 percent of the participants in all of the studies recovered from their condition and no longer qualified for a PTSD diagnosis. The therapist may use certain types of trauma-focused therapy, including cognitive behavioral therapy CBT or dialectical behavioral therapy DBT. DBT helps people to deal with stress , self-harm urges, and suicidal thoughts and behaviors.

After preparation and practice, the therapist will ask the person to recall the traumatic memory. The therapist will move a finger from side to side, and the person will follow the movement with their eyes. When effective, this process helps to desensitize the person to the trauma so that they can eventually recall the memory without having a strong adverse reaction to it. Some medications for depression may reduce the symptoms of complex PTSD.

These medicines may be especially effective in combination with psychotherapy. A person may take the medication for the short or long term, depending on the severity of their symptoms and the effectiveness of therapy. A doctor may prescribe one of the following antidepressants for complex PTSD:. People living with complex PTSD can seek support from organizations that understand the condition.

It may also help to attend a support group, either in person or online, to connect with others who are going through similar experiences. Complex PTSD can cause people to lose trust in others, and it is essential that people try to engage in everyday activities. This can be a key step for people working toward leading healthy, balanced lives.

One goal of treatment is to attempt to develop or recapture feelings of trust in others and the world. This can take time, but participating in healthy relationships with family and friends is a positive step. For some people, the condition poses lifelong challenges. However, with therapy, medication, and lifestyle changes, people can manage their symptoms and enjoy a good quality of life. Depersonalization is when a person feels detached from themselves, for example, through an out-of-body experience.

It often stems from emotional…. Learn about the symptoms of anxiety, including when they might occur, what causes them, and what you can be do about them. Find out also how an…. Anxiety, other mental health issues, or stress can trigger what people used to call a 'nervous breakdown. Hyperarousal is common in people with post-traumatic stress disorder PTSD.