Go to To Your Health, by Dean F. Giannone, M.D.
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Medication
It is such a question isn't it?
I work in a rehab where the women suffer from trauma.
The question of medication is an ongoing one. They are allowed in some circumstances with a view to coming off them as soon as possible. Rehabs and other places of healing are really as good as the administration. If the person in charge can keep an open mind and ascertain the merits of each case seperately without judging or becoming narrow minded then compassion is allowed to be the main value guiding principles.
Thanks for the post and thanks for the comments,
Jo
posted by
brisbane_artist
on October 19, 2005 at 2:27 PM
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I suffered from PTSD for years--and still do to a much smaller degree.
Therapy helped for one major reason--it helped me to better identify when I was experiencing PTSD, thus enabling me to control my emotions and actions better. I think--for me--that was they key. Medications did little more than mask the problem.
posted by
Renigade
on October 19, 2005 at 5:40 AM
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In response to medications....
Many times that are very stressful for me, my dreams are so severe that I get too much REM sleep. It's important that I get quality sleep, or the paranoia takes over. It's a myth that the fear is of any particular event with all cases, as with mine. Medication to help with sleep (not sleeping pills, but others, and possibly herbal if they don't interact with other medication) does help. I get so much REM sleep that I am dreaming constantly and therefore exhausted. This is similar to sleep paralysis, but happens to PTSD suffers as well. Sometimes, there is no trauma to work through. I don't remember the event that created my initial imprint, as called by experts. I only know that subsequent events created further imprints and restimulated the original...it's like once you have a concussion, you are prone to more. Once PTSD happens, you are more sensitive to trauma and can restimulate. It's about learning good self-care and how to deal with stress. Additionally, anxiety medication is essential. Trust me, it covers no feelings. You have to deal with all medication, as you know, with moderation and care. But the constant fear of some bad thing happening, the hypervigalence, etc., I could not function without medication. You are right when you say counseling is essential, but medication to get through is okay, and sometimes just as essential.
I am, as it happens, to be a Buddhist. We believe that all things have a reason, a purpose, a lesson. This actually brings peace to my world because I don't (most of the time) see pain as a tragedy, but as an opportunity. This makes it less stressful. It's my faith, and I've become a stronger person because of what I've learned in this struggle. A better one, found a new path for my life: therein lies the purpose. There must be balance in the universe, and we do not (try not to...) assign bad/good/right/wrong (although there is a moral compass, and we do recognize things like war and hurricanes as horrible....) to situations in order to see what lesson lies within. It's happened now, so what can we learn. We cannot change it by suffering more. It's easier said than done, but it's a blessing when done.
posted by
Temple
on October 19, 2005 at 5:08 AM
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