Published on 12, July, 2020
Hi All,
I have Complex PTSD and I'm looking into treatment options. Anyone else with C-PTSD here? I've tried medication (given to me for depression / anxiety) and it didn't really help. I've also tried talking therapies which have helped me to understand why I feel the way I do but it hasn't helped me to feel better. I'm now looking into EMDR. Has anyone tried EMDR? If so, how did you get on with it and is there anything that might be different for me as an autistic person, or any adaptions that the therapist might need to make? Are there any other treatment options that have helped you?
Thank you
Hi there, I also have autism and complex PTSD. It's a really difficult experience having both, I'm sorry you're going through this. I personally found Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) really helpful for managing overwhelming emotions and unhealthy thought patterns. I had it through the NHS and it was very intense and hard work I will say but definitely worth it. I tried EMDR but I don't think it really worked for me - as my therapist said at the time she didn't think my brain was properly letting me access and engage with my memories so I couldn't process them. For me the best part of trauma therapy was finally talking about things in a safe place and being validated. I have tried different antidepressants and some were awful and one was very helpful for my anxiety but I have stopped because of the side effects. I would recommend speaking to your doctor and discussing the option of DBT and then trauma therapy/EMDR. Doing DBT first was good for me because it helped me to know how to manage difficult emotions that came up in trauma therapy. It's a shame there are such long waiting lists but these therapies were what worked best for me personally. Sorry if this is a bit rambly, hope it makes sense, I'm currently in a burn out from work stress so not great at writing but I hope this can help somehow. Really wishing you well, I know how hard it is.
Sim said:validated
Agreed: it can be helpful talking about c-trauma in a safe space and being validated.
Ideally, effectively the clinician would help introduce you to yourself (Just quite what did you notice of it all? How might that benefit from being "re-filed" for and by yourself now? What might the circumstances inform you about the journey perhaps did not realise; potentially included achievements too?). Which strategies might it be worth exercising to help you now?
...So that you can better understand and explore, with a safety net, what the experiences have / still mean to you (not a comparison / competition with what or how anyone else thinks about / responds to the similar experiences - nothing to do with what others think you "ought to ... - whatever - you might have worried is expected of you").
Helping you to find your own path through - well, a guided homework of achievable tasks / having a reflect upon things within a confidential framework.