Psycho-Babble Medication Thread 554132

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When do you medicate for PTSD (warning: violence)

Posted by delna on September 12, 2005, at 9:25:59

My friend just got married and her husband has started battering her to the point where she was clinically dead for a few minutes. She inists on going back to him even though he is aggressive. She has her friends/family's support to leave him and all the pychotherapy there is. Plus she has no financial reasons for her to stay on. Everyone is scared for her life and health.
She mentioned that post her first battering, she was told by a therapist that she has PTSD. However she never saw a psychiatrist or was never treated with medication. Just talking therapy.
I spoke to her at length and she is very irrational so I asked what her therapist said about her PTSD and she said it 'had gone away'.
I think she is not well and needs to diagnosed and possibly medicated by a psychiatrist. But I am told that not all issues require drugs and not everyone is 'mentally ill'. Doesn't such an incident require medical help?
Where do you draw the line with drugs? I know people are given antidepressants after natural diasters..PTSD doesnt just vanish does it?
Very worried....

 

Re: When do you medicate for PTSD (warning: violence)

Posted by linkadge on September 12, 2005, at 10:43:09

In reply to When do you medicate for PTSD (warning: violence), posted by delna on September 12, 2005, at 9:25:59

She will not get better, drugs, pschotherapy whatever if she is still being abused.

Meds can be helpful for PTSD, but it can get better on its own too.

If doctors don't think she needs meds then either she doesn't need them, or she is not being fully truthful with doctors about any symptoms.

Keep your eye on her, but encourage her to do the right thing about the situation.

Linkadge

 

Re: When do you medicate for PTSD (warning: violence) » delna

Posted by SLS on September 12, 2005, at 11:11:17

In reply to When do you medicate for PTSD (warning: violence), posted by delna on September 12, 2005, at 9:25:59

I don't think a proper diagnosis of PTSD is a priority. I think the priority is to remove your friend from the chronic situation that would cause such a thing to develop in the first place. I know you have been trying to do exactly that, and it must be frustrating to see her remain in such a physically and emotionally abusive relationship. There are so many ways this thing can go. Perhaps her husband would be willing to be evaluated for pathological aggression or poor impulse control, things that would indicate treatment with Tegretol or Trileptal combined with Zoloft.

True PTSD doesn't relinquish its grip over someone voluntarily. It takes hard psychological work and, in many cases, the addition of a medication to dissipate or quell the storms of anxiety and fear that come from it. If your friend doesn't have PTSD, it is very possible that she will develop it or some other mental illness as the result of chronic abuse.

Again, I think removing your friend from the traumatic situation takes priority over a diagnosis of which mental illnesses may result from it. If this is not to be, then perhaps a professional psychiatric diagnosis by an M.D. would help sway her judgment in recognizing the harmful effects her unhealthy situation is causing her such that she might reconsider doing something about it.

Perhaps an intervention would help. Perhaps it would make things worse. If the husband is intractable and the abusive relationship is intractable, that leaves just the support and guidance of the people around her until she decides to leave the situation. Don't give up on her. Just be there.


- Scott


> My friend just got married and her husband has started battering her to the point where she was clinically dead for a few minutes. She inists on going back to him even though he is aggressive. She has her friends/family's support to leave him and all the pychotherapy there is. Plus she has no financial reasons for her to stay on. Everyone is scared for her life and health.
> She mentioned that post her first battering, she was told by a therapist that she has PTSD. However she never saw a psychiatrist or was never treated with medication. Just talking therapy.
> I spoke to her at length and she is very irrational so I asked what her therapist said about her PTSD and she said it 'had gone away'.
> I think she is not well and needs to diagnosed and possibly medicated by a psychiatrist. But I am told that not all issues require drugs and not everyone is 'mentally ill'. Doesn't such an incident require medical help?
> Where do you draw the line with drugs? I know people are given antidepressants after natural diasters..PTSD doesnt just vanish does it?
> Very worried....

 

Re: When do you medicate for PTSD (warning: violence) » SLS

Posted by fairywings on September 12, 2005, at 12:08:48

In reply to Re: When do you medicate for PTSD (warning: violence) » delna, posted by SLS on September 12, 2005, at 11:11:17

I agree if family and friends could get her away long enough to do an intervention and keep her away long enough to do some serious therapy so she could understand the damage that's being done to her, then maybe she could see that this is not love, and could leave this monster. unfortunately, it's possible he will try to hunt her down if she tries to leave him, but it's probabaly her only chance. is the family willing?

I also agree that meds aren't always necessary. Things like xanax help with anxiety, they aren't always necessary. i guess it depends on each person. But i can't imagine that she won't need therapy. if you can get her out of there, make sure she gets a good therapist.

fw

 

Re: When do you medicate for PTSD (warning: violence)

Posted by linkadge on September 12, 2005, at 17:22:11

In reply to Re: When do you medicate for PTSD (warning: violence) » SLS, posted by fairywings on September 12, 2005, at 12:08:48

I know I've used the analogy before, but whats the point of taking painkillers when you refuse to take your hand off the stove element?

Keep doing what you're doing to help the situation.

Linkadge

 

Re: When do you medicate for PTSD (warning: violence)

Posted by Phillipa on September 12, 2005, at 18:38:23

In reply to Re: When do you medicate for PTSD (warning: violence), posted by linkadge on September 12, 2005, at 17:22:11

Anyone in an abusive relationship needs to get out. There are shelters for battered women. It's hard to believe that someone you love would abuse you and I'll bet he said it will never happen again. And PTSD can sufface years after the incident. As an example i'll use my Son. Lost two fingertips and eyesight in Desert Storm with 82 Airborne in Iraq. He denied any depression/anxiety until this year and finally was diagnosed as depressed and put on zoloft 200mg with I think some ativan. It slowed him down enough to put things together and now he's working with the VA. Fondly, Phillipa

 

Re: When do you medicate for PTSD (warning: violence) » delna

Posted by kerria on September 12, 2005, at 21:33:09

In reply to When do you medicate for PTSD (warning: violence), posted by delna on September 12, 2005, at 9:25:59

Hi Delna,

Your friend is so blessed to have a good friend as you.

PTSD is different with everyone that has it- and some people are helped by meds.

Most PTSD symptoms aren't helped by medication very much. Usually it's not a constant symptom like depression- when the person needs their mood lifted because all their thoughts are sad.

With Post Traumatic Stress Disorder there are times when a person is triggered and a memory/flashback is relived about the bad event, she can be totally in a state of panic for hours but not All the time. It comes and goes.

My Dr gives Valium to take as needed- for panic, sleeplessness or take before therapy. It doesn't make much difference, it's still upsetting. Talk therapy supposed to be the main thing that works for someone who doesn't have constant sx.

i think that your friend should get away from that guy also but things like that are so complicated for the victim. Maybe she can totally forget and not ever think of it.

Anyways the medicine can't stop that guy from hurting her again and it probably won't change her mind about staying with him if she really wants to.

Maybe he should get the medicine and talk therapy /anger management- if someone could get him to see his problem and go for help.

That's so good that you could be a supportive friend to help - that's better than meds for PTSD. Try to have her see a psychiatrist if she tells you about any symptoms like panic attacks or has trouble with not being able to make decisions or feels depressed.
The terrible thing about PTSD is that it changes who we are. People always misunderstand and think it's about forgiveness but it isn't at all. It changes victims - not for the better- but they need so much more help than medicine.

i'm not an expert except have that dx also.

Take care,
kerria

 

Re: When do you medicate for PTSD (warning: violence)

Posted by SLS on September 12, 2005, at 23:42:31

In reply to Re: When do you medicate for PTSD (warning: violence), posted by linkadge on September 12, 2005, at 17:22:11

> I know I've used the analogy before, but whats the point of taking painkillers when you refuse to take your hand off the stove element?

You first have to believe that you will survive without the stove.

The stove has left burns that need acute care (medication and/or psychotherapy) and scars that are vulnerable to reopening that can be reinforced with psychotherapy. In the case of wounds that won't heal, PTSD, long-term medication is often needed.


- Scott

 

Re: When do you medicate for PTSD (warning: violence) » SLS

Posted by delna on September 13, 2005, at 2:18:17

In reply to Re: When do you medicate for PTSD (warning: violence) » delna, posted by SLS on September 12, 2005, at 11:11:17

Thanks Scott.

Perhaps her husband would be willing to be evaluated for pathological aggression or poor impulse control

...Unfortunately all that has been tried and he refuses to get help and blames her for his aggression.

>
> Again, I think removing your friend from the traumatic situation takes priority over a diagnosis of which mental illnesses may result from it.

....I agree, but we have had every intervention possible- short of kidnapping her! No one can talk sense into her. Its like she is all confused and really a diffferent person. Its scary because she was always such a stable and sensible person. It feels like something about her thinking is really pathological. She is aware of the abuse cycle but all this is at an intellectual level.

If this is not to be, then perhaps a professional psychiatric diagnosis by an M.D. would help sway her judgment
....I was hoping that a psychiatrist diagnosing her with something would convince her that her thinking is not rational and in her control. Its a desperate measure right now.

Thanks so much for your help

 

Re: When do you medicate for PTSD (warning: violence)

Posted by linkadge on September 13, 2005, at 7:57:27

In reply to Re: When do you medicate for PTSD (warning: violence), posted by SLS on September 12, 2005, at 23:42:31

I guess what I am saying is that dealing with the situation is a priority before the medication.

If somebody is being physically abused, antidepressants would not be the first thing I would consider.

Linkadge

 

Re: When do you medicate for PTSD (warning: violence) » delna

Posted by kerria on September 13, 2005, at 10:35:46

In reply to Re: When do you medicate for PTSD (warning: violence) » SLS, posted by delna on September 13, 2005, at 2:18:17


> ....I agree, but we have had every intervention possible- short of kidnapping her! No one can talk sense into her. Its like she is all confused and really a diffferent person. Its scary because she was always such a stable and sensible person. It feels like something about her thinking is really pathological. She is aware of the abuse cycle but all this is at an intellectual level.
>
> If this is not to be, then perhaps a professional psychiatric diagnosis by an M.D. would help sway her judgment
> ....I was hoping that a psychiatrist diagnosing her with something would convince her that her thinking is not rational and in her control. Its a desperate measure right now.
>
> Thanks so much for your help.

If your friend really is a different person because of trauma- childhood trauma and she had alters- ones that could live with her a. husband and totally not remember the a. and she received a medical diagnosis of it-

THEN she would have to deal with the knowledge of the earlier trauma also. And the different parts of her and all the personal trauma of being separated.
Getting a diagnosis and living in the effects of it doesn't always have a good outcome. If she doesn't want to go to a MD there's a reason possibly that it isn't a good thing for her.

Knowing about a dx of DID (complex PTSD with other personalities) doesn't always have a good outcome. A greater percentage of persons with DID commit suicide than with any other mental disorder- including depression.
It carries a heavy weight- years of therapy that is very expensive and don't always help. Finding therapists to treat it is very difficult also. There is no medicine to treat it.
Her entire life may fall apart.

This sounds like my life. Everyone was trying to get me to live away from a. husband and then i found a dx of DID. i still live with the h. and now have a ruined life that therapy and meds can't help also.

Unless your friend SEEKS out a psychiatrist, i think you shouldn't press it. Psychiatrists and others have the ability to diagnose but not the ability to help. Treatment doesn't = healing or even helping the situation she's in. She might be worse off receiving a dx on top of everything and made less capable instead of more capable to leave him.

Keep being there for your friend. That's the best help. Hopefully she can become stong enough to leave h.

Take care,
kerria


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