Help Is there a real treatment for trauma?

[Daria98765]

Is it possible to remove all the consequences of psychological trauma?
After a trauma, a person has negative associations, fears, and many other things that torment him.
Is there a way to remove all this in such a way as if the trauma itself never happened?I heard that the brain is able to block out some traumatic memories from childhoods,so the person completely forgets about what happened.
If typical psychotherapist ''advices'' like ''Deal with it'', ''Learn to live with it'', ''Find a new goal'', ''Take these pills for a year and everything will be fine, and if not, I'll just prescribe you another '',''try to meditate''
helped you,then I'm very happy for you, but this does not help me, so please do not suggest this.

I hate myself for asking this question,because i'm fed up with those 'looking for a solution'' tries of mine that almost always were ignored or got answer with top-10 ''deal with it'' ways.
I'm already so stressed just by typing all this..I wish i would be able to delete this after posting,i mean after couple of days.

 

[αmber]

I am no psychiatrist nor a psychologist, but I think once you carry with yourself the traumas you had when younger there is no way you can live as if none of that has ever happened. The traumas we have at that young age have a big negative effect upon our psychological and physical brains, since they are still in development. There may be ways to better cope with those traumas, but I don't think there are ways to fully forget them.

I wish I knew how and I wish I could help you.

I wish we could start all over again. In another ambient, in another family and with proper cares during our childhood.

 

[Daria98765]

I am no psychiatrist nor a psychologist, but I think once you carry with yourself the traumas you had when younger there is no way you can live as if none of that has ever happened. The traumas we have at that young age have a big negative effect upon our psychological and physical brains, since they are still in development. There may be ways to better cope with those traumas, but I don't think there are ways to fully forget them.

I wish I knew how and I wish I could help you.

I wish we could start all over again. In another ambient, in another family and with proper cares during our childhood.

I got my trauma 2 years ago, I'm 20+, so I wasn't at a young age. I'm happy you were honest. I don't know why I'm even asking this here.My stressed brain torments me with the thought that I need to look for methods to treat trauma, in which all the consequences can be removed. I searching sites with scientific articles about the treatment of psychological trauma, but everywhere the same thing under different sauce : people are simply forced to ''get over it'' in different ways, but no one really trying to heal people.

 

[Eternaloblivionplea]

There are lots of potential treatments but no 'cure' as far as I'm aware. That is from my experience dealing with major early childhood trauma.
Psychotherapy, drug interventions and lifestyle changes help to an extent.

treatment: something that you do to try to cure an illness or injury, especially something suggested or done by a doctor
cure: something that makes someone with an illness healthy again

 

[NobodyKnowsMe]

I think much of it depends on how old you are and how emotionally mature you are when the trauma happens - and what the trauma is and whether the trauma continues over time. When we are really young, we just don't have the tools to fully comprehend very many things or to deal with them. In theory, we gain the ability to deal with some trauma as we grow older and mature emotionally. However, I also think that there are some tramaus that are so horrific that we could never fully deal with them, no matter the age - they will always linger and control a part of our lives.

 

[Eternaloblivionplea]

I am not well versed in the neurobiology of trauma. Am making an effort to learn about practical tools to treat trauma, rather than going down rabbit holes of looking at scientific literature on 'cognitive deficits'. Regulating physiology make a noticeable different to symptoms. E.g. in this video 2 sharp inhales through the nose and 1 long exhale through the mouth.



Another '$cientific' breathing pattern that I am aware of is 5 breathes per minute (professor Paul Gilbert founder of CFT) it's the exhale that activates the 'soothe system'. So 5 seconds inhale, 7 seconds exhale. 5+7=12. 12*5=60. There's an emphasis on breathing through the heart. Related to this is Dr Alan Watkins BREATHE model of performance. Breathe Rhythmically Evenly and Through the Heart everyday. E.g. 4 seconds inhale, 6 seconds inhale. 4+6=10. 10*6=60.

 

[natali4]

A therapist once told me that you can't erase traumatic memories but you can learn to not let it affect your day to day life.

 

[liza-lee]

Not one I've found works.. there are lots of things that enable us to cope with it but it never goes away. As long as you can see a place to take your next step.. you'll be alright eventually

 

[Bake]

Yes, there is. I received almost two years of residential trauma treatment. I can confidently say I'm cured of my complex PTSD.
The unfortunate thing is that this road is exceedingly expensive (hundreds a night).
However, what I can do is isolate the treatments that were most effective.
Most of the actual therapy modalities weren't actually that helpful.
The number one most helpful for me was the trauma specialist of site there. We did a range of things including talk therapy, EMDR and neurofeedback.
A close second was the other people there who started to feel like the family I never had. I also had an episode with one member of staff whereby I shed a tremendous amount of childhood grief caused by neglect.

TLDR: get yourself into a trauma clinic if you can afford it, and a trauma specialist if not

 

[Marine]

Healing relationships, safe environment, belonging, empowerment, self care. Real life support.

 

[Enigmatic Sailor]

Interesting video

 

[motel rooms]

Is there a way to remove all this in such a way as if the trauma itself never happened?

No. All you can do is manage your trauma as best you can.

I heard that the brain is able to block out some traumatic memories from childhoods,so the person completely forgets about what happened.

The brain can't repress traumatic memories on command. We have no control over our unconscious mind.

 

[Angi]

Is it possible to remove all the consequences of psychological trauma?
After a trauma, a person has negative associations, fears, and many other things that torment him.
Is there a way to remove all this in such a way as if the trauma itself never happened?I heard that the brain is able to block out some traumatic memories from childhoods,so the person completely forgets about what happened.

There is no such thing, I am afraid. We become what our lives shape us into. We can continue to grow, but our past will aways be with us. Think of it like a plant. If you tear up one of its leaves, it can continue to grow, but the broken leaf will remain. On the flip side, after the plant has grown many new functioning leaves, maybe it can live without the broken one being a burden?

If typical psychotherapist ''advices'' like ''Deal with it'', ''Learn to live with it'', ''Find a new goal'', ''Take these pills for a year and everything will be fine, and if not, I'll just prescribe you another '',''try to meditate''
helped you,then I'm very happy for you, but this does not help me, so please do not suggest this.

Sounds like pretty shitty advice. Maybe try to find a better psychotherapist?
"Deal with it" - sure, tell me how!
With meditation, I second the idea of trying, but you should give up if it makes you worse. It does that for many people, and the should absolutely be a warning sign on meditation, telling you to stop if it hurts more than it helps!

 

[onlyanimalsaregood]

I agree with all the comments and I think some great advice was given.

I also wish there could be a way to erase from our memory certain events.

I hope things get better for you.

 

[ornitier199]

Not for me.
Repression is the best I got. But of course every now and then it rears its ugly head.
Sorry, his ugly head.

 

[MyStateKilledMe]

The brain can't repress traumatic memories on command. We have no control over our unconscious mind.

It can, to an extent. But the problem is that 99% of the-rapists will rip your emotional wounds apart like a Christmas gift wrap, and retraumatize you. Their beliefs are stupidly simple: "just share your feeling about your trauma, and it will go away". And when you do, they will demand to know about all the misery you went through and all the feelings you felt at the time. I tried telling about my own traumas to my the-rapist as a teen, hoping she'd make it go away. Instead, she made it worse; I started drinking to numb the trauma she brought back, and never really stopped. To go with the spelling I use, she emotionally raped me.

So you must think twice before sharing ANYTHING traumatizing with the-rapists. Your trauma is their income. They will keep it alive to keep their income alive.

 

[Dot]

Slf hve studid trma fr mny yrs nw & ws goin2 qualfy as smatic exprncng thrpst bse of wht hd learnd - b4 th/ hypnoss tht slf dd sabtgd all th wrk tht hd dne

Trma = stord in th bdy - nt ncssrly in th mnd - mny mainstrm trma treatmnts fcus on wrkng wth 'thghts & feelngs' bt tht = nt whre trma = stord - psychthrpy cn hlp w/ sme thngs bt nt alwys depndng on th/ trma - connctng 2 th bdy = cnnctng 2 emotns tht nd 2 b rleasd

Methds lke e.m.d.r & somatc exprncng wrk 2 accss deepr prt of brn & hlp th/ bdy 2 rleas trma & shck tht ws nt rleasd proprly @ th tme of trmatc evnt

Complx p.t.s.d = oftn rsult of nervs systm b-ing trappd on hgh-alrt bcse of cmpoundng chld-hd exprnces whch traind th/ mnd-bdy in2 learnng tht th/ persn = alwys in dangr

Wld recmmd fr n.e.1 instrstd 2 read 'Wakng Th/ Tigr' b/ Peter Levine & 2 also wtch sme y.t vdeos b/ Irene Lyon wh/ wrks in th/ sme field
Othr gd ppl 2 follw r Bessel Van der Kolk & Gabor Mate - 'Th/ Bdy Kps Th/ Scre'= anthr gd bk

Thre = also onlne trma confrnce whch cn b fnd b/ Googl in whch thy xlplain also

Spoiler: Irene Lyon

Spoiler: Reprssd trma

 

[Well-Edited Chaos]

Methds lke e.m.d.r & somatc exprncng wrk 2 accss deepr prt of brn & hlp th/ bdy 2 rleas trma & shck tht ws nt rleasd proprly @ th tme of trmatc evnt

Complx p.t.s.d = oftn rsult of nervs systm b-ing trappd on hgh-alrt bcse of cmpoundng chld-hd exprnces whch traind th/ mnd-bdy in2 learnng tht th/ persn = alwys in dangr

Wld recmmd fr n.e.1 instrstd 2 read 'Wakng Th/ Tigr' b/ Peter Levine & 2 also wtch sme y.t vdeos b/ Irene Lyon wh/ wrks in th/ sme field
Othr gd ppl 2 follw r Bessel Van der Kolk & Gabor Mate - 'Th/ Bdy Kps Th/ Scre'= anthr gd bk

I've had EMDR and it is amazing voodoo magic. It works, is pretty fast, doesn't require you to repeat / relive your trauma, and I've never walked out of a session feeling like my guts were hanging out, the way I'd felt after a traditional therapy session. I recommend it highly.

Ditto Dot's book and author suggestions - excellent.

Can't comment on the somatic experiencing, though. I've heard of it but that's about all I can say there.

Another very promising treatment I'd add to the list is traumatic memory reconsolidation. It seems to work like EMDR, by helping the brain "unlock" the stuck memories so you're no longer reliving the your trauma, with full sensory and emotional immediacy. I haven't undergone that treatment personally myself *yet* but am about to soon. And the science and personal accounts I've read about it are quite compelling.

There is hope, people!

 

[LittleJem]

Ketamine plus talk therapy. MDMA assisted therapy for ptsd

 

[Dot]

I've had EMDR and it is amazing voodoo magic. It works, is pretty fast, doesn't require you to repeat / relive your trauma, and I've never walked out of a session feeling like my guts were hanging out, the way I'd felt after a traditional therapy session. I recommend it highly.

Ditto Dot's book and author suggestions - excellent.

Can't comment on the somatic experiencing, though. I've heard of it but that's about all I can say there.

Another very promising treatment I'd add to the list is traumatic memory reconsolidation. It seems to work like EMDR, by helping the brain "unlock" the stuck memories so you're no longer reliving the your trauma, with full sensory and emotional immediacy. I haven't undergone that treatment personally myself *yet* but am about to soon. And the science and personal accounts I've read about it are quite compelling.

There is hope, people!

@LookingforAnswers

 

[MyStateKilledMe]

Ketamine plus talk therapy. MDMA assisted therapy for ptsd

I'll take the ketamine without the woowoo talk. Talk therapy can be done for free with the Eliza chatbot, which is the same thing as a $150/hour quack. I wonder if there'll ever be a discount clinic where doctors inject you with ketamine, then hand you a laptop with the Eliza webpage loaded.

I say the best treatment for trauma is good experiences, in quantities large enough to "dilute" the bad ones. If you have the resourcefulness to find them, the friends to enjoy them with (somewhat optional), and the money to afford them, get them! They'll work much better than an overpaid woowoo quack for sure. And the benefits will last months after. As opposed to you chugging liquor from the bottle, to numb the pain after getting emotionally raped "for your own good" during a typical therapy session. That will hurt both your liver and your mental health.

I've had EMDR and it is amazing voodoo magic. It works, is pretty fast, doesn't require you to repeat / relive your trauma, and I've never walked out of a session feeling like my guts were hanging out, the way I'd felt after a traditional therapy session. I recommend it highly.

I don't think I'll ever buy into EMDR, but... I remember reading somewhere that some EMDR therapists use high-tech headsets with blinking LED lights, rather than waving their fingers in front of the patient's eyes. Specially because they're looking to reduce the woowoo factor of their specialty and appeal to skeptics like me. After all, a fancy headset is anything but woowoo, as opposed to finger-waving. But even so, until I read enough convincing testimonials from patients, I'll stick to self-medicating with alcohol, reading this website, and engaging in fun activities and extreme sports.

 

[Well-Edited Chaos]

I remember reading somewhere that some EMDR therapists use high-tech headsets with blinking LED lights, rather than waving their fingers in front of the patient's eyes.

Actually, there are now a number of ways of doing EMDR, because they've realized that the key is activating each hemisphere of the brain in turn (bilaterality, I think it's called). When I did it, I held a small "paddle" (about the size of the key fob for a car), one in each hand, and the controller sent a pulse to the left hand unit then the right then the left, and on and on. Other ways to do it are by drumming, tapping, or having sounds delivered by headphone to alternating ears.

 

[MyStateKilledMe]

Actually, there are now a number of ways of doing EMDR, because they've realized that the key is activating each hemisphere of the brain in turn (bilaterality, I think it's called). When I did it, I held a small "paddle" (about the size of the key fob for a car), one in each hand, and the controller sent a pulse to the left hand unit then the right then the left, and on and on. Other ways to do it are by drumming, tapping, or having sounds delivered by headphone to alternating ears.

That sounds binaural beats. Some of them even use infrasound---frequencies below 20 Hz---which allegedly has strong mind-altering properties. They're easy to find on YouTube, where they're totally free. You just need to use headphones for them for proper effect; computer or external speakers won't work.
Example:

Interestingly, dolphins emit infrasound while socializing. It's supposedly why many people feel a mood boost for hours after swimming with dolphins. I swam with dolphins, and I can confirm first-hand: it's TRUE. I also found myself thinking clearer and faster than usually.

I'm sure EMDR-grade binaural beats are more effective than YouTube, but the question is: by how much? I'm sure there are specific frequencies that work better than others, and I'm equally sure EMDR practitioners will never share that information publicly, because income. But it's good to know that EMDR as a whole is not as stupidly woowoo as waving fingers in front of the patient's eyes.

 

[WearyHSP]

I think much of it depends on how old you are and how emotionally mature you are when the trauma happens - and what the trauma is and whether the trauma continues over time. When we are really young, we just don't have the tools to fully comprehend very many things or to deal with them. In theory, we gain the ability to deal with some trauma as we grow older and mature emotionally. However, I also think that there are some tramaus that are so horrific that we could never fully deal with them, no matter the age - they will always linger and control a part of our lives.

Sage awareness.

I will never recover from what happened when I was 7, that I can't remember but have terrible PTSD. In my 40's a strange man broke into my home, strangled me and beat me in the eyes, and I've never had an ounce of PTSD from that.

When you're a child, trauma has such a bigger impact. Most especially because if you can't fight or flee, your only choice is to freeze. Sadly a lot of perpetrators are family, so there's no safe space to recover.
AND double-whammy, when you freeze, the trauma gets held in the body.

Ketamine plus talk therapy. MDMA assisted therapy for ptsd

Wishing I could afford ketamine. I've met several people who all told me it made a huge difference in their depression.
I've done 3 guided sessions with MDMA which seemed initially helpful - it brought submerged memories ever so slightly forward, but didn't make any long term changes. Plus, it's also quite expensive.

I do think both are genuinely good modalities for some people with less compex trauma.

Another very promising treatment I'd add to the list is traumatic memory reconsolidation. It seems to work like EMDR, by helping the brain "unlock" the stuck memories so you're no longer reliving the your trauma, with full sensory and emotional immediacy. I haven't undergone that treatment personally myself *yet* but am about to soon. And the science and personal accounts I've read about it are quite compelling.

Thanks for the tip and wishing you luck with upcoming sessions!

I've done EMDR with no improvement though I believe it's generally found to be helpful. I'll now google Traumatic Memory Reconsolidation. I'm pretty sure whoever practices that won't take my MediCare. None of the good therapists ever do.

I also wish there could be a way to erase from our memory certain events.

"Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" for abuse! Great idea.

I'm an outlier because I don't have memories. But my body, mind and emotions react regardless of submerged memories. The undermining events continue despite lacking a memory. So... How to wipe the memories from the nervous system? From the subconscious?

Actually, there are now a number of ways of doing EMDR, because they've realized that the key is activating each hemisphere of the brain in turn (bilaterality, I think it's called). When I did it, I held a small "paddle" (about the size of the key fob for a car), one in each hand, and the controller sent a pulse to the left hand unit then the right then the left, and on and on. Other ways to do it are by drumming, tapping, or having sounds delivered by headphone to alternating ears.

when I got EMDR my therapist gave me the option of moving my eyes on my own, or she offered to tap my knees - back and forth. That was back in 2007.
I chose the knee tapping.

Yes, there is. I received almost two years of residential trauma treatment. I can confidently say I'm cured of my complex PTSD.

I'm so glad for you and to hear your story.

I've probably spent $100,000 on trauma related treatments, practices etc in my lifetime and nothing has helped. I have no money left as the trauma has caused a disabling illness (as it does!)
Nevertheless, I'm glad to hear someone is seeing improvement. It's nice to hear. Thanks.

 

[WannaBdoneSufferng]

There is a physical, nervous system response to trauma. I always had trouble because all the "help" I have ever gotten has focused on mind over matter type of recovery, once you understand that that feeling of constant danger isn't just you being anything other than completely human, it does make it a little easier. I also swear by medical card. It dampens my PTSD nervous system response just enough that I can almost function like a person who doesn't expect to be (beaten, bones broken, ect) in the next few breaths.

 

[Sweet Chainsaw]

Mind clearing techniques worked for me:

• EFT
• Sedona Method
• Heartmath

Meditation helps too.
Check out Michael A Singer's new book Living Untethered.

 

[SarRy]

I think understanding trauma is the first step. It may be impossible to remove trauma, but it might be possible to leave it in the past and form a new self. Turning it from something that defines you into something that you've merely been through. There may be lingering limitations from traumatic experiences, but learning to live with them can be a part of forming your new life.
Best of luck.

 

[noaccount]

People do sometimes block out trauma and forget that it ever happened, like through dissociation, though whether or not they find that helpful or healing, well some do and some don't.

There are dissociative drugs like ketamine that have similar effects. (If you buy some on the black market, rather than getting it from a doctor, please get some cheap and easy fentanyl test strips to test it first.)

EFT like mentioned above or EMDR work for some people.

Electroconvulsive shock erases memories at random but that's just by causing brain damage, but it's as likely to be cherished memories of loved ones or functional memories of where you put your wallet rather than the traumatic memories you want gone, but hey if you're desperate anything might be worth a try.

 

[gomenasai]

Childhood trauma damages the brain.
People who had undergone abuse as children exhibited thinner myelin coating in a large percentage of nerve fibers. This was not true for the other two brain sample types studied.
But then there is neural plasticity and one can recover, but it's a painstaking process.

 

[MyStateKilledMe]

To add insult to the injury, erasing/treating childhood trauma at a young age is borderline impossible. Even if you see a the\rapist as a child or teen, that the\rapist is working for your parents, not you. So even if your parents and/or extended family are the source of your ongoing trauma, that the\rapist will always take their side and gaslight you into believing there is no abuse, to make you think it's all in your head. In other words, an abused minor is basically fucked over, hence the backslash. Which leaves them with no options other than drugs or The Bus.