PTSD can completely change the way you live your life. It often feels like it takes over everything, and can cause horrible flashbacks, anxiety, depression, and so much more. No matter where your PTSD stems from, there’s one question that most people struggling with it always want the answer to—will it ever go away?
There’s good news and bad news.
The bad news? If PTSD goes untreated, it can last an extremely long time. In some cases, it’s something you might have to deal with for the rest of your life.
The good news? With treatment and support, you can learn to better control those intrusive thoughts and keep them from taking over. The effects of your PTSD will become weaker and won’t take over your life.
If you’re suffering from the effects of PTSD and you’re desperate to know how long it will last, keep reading.
Understanding and Accepting PTSD
One of the biggest issues people face with PTSD is that the symptoms can remain ‘dormant’ for years. Some people experience a traumatic event or situation and start to feel the symptoms immediately. Others might repress the trauma. That often occurs in things like child abuse or neglect.
If that’s the case, you may have had PTSD for years already, but the symptoms are just starting to show up. Understanding the root cause of your trauma is the first step in treating it. Until you get to that core cause, it will be very difficult to overcome PTSD and manage your symptoms.
Underlying Factors
Even if you know what caused your disorder, there are a few factors that come into play that often determine how long your symptoms will last and how severe they might be. Some of those factors include the type of trauma you went through, how severe it was, how long it lasted, and how deeply it impacted you.
These factors can either make it easier or more difficult to respond to treatment. However, even if you experienced a long traumatic event that created a deep impact on your life, it’s still not impossible to overcome many of the symptoms.
Can PTSD ever completely go away? Unfortunately, no. But that doesn’t mean you have to deal with the same severe symptoms for the rest of your life.
How to Cope
If you’re struggling with PTSD and wondering when it will end, start focusing more on symptom management rather than wanting the experience to disappear. It will always be with you, and you’re going to have a hard time forgetting it. That doesn’t mean it has to define you.
So, how can you cope and step into a healthier, happier future?
The best way is by seeking out professional help. Treatment can help you work through the lingering effects of PTSD, so you realize that your fear doesn’t have as much power over you as you think. Even if you stumble and get “triggered” by certain things, you’ll be able to get back up again and keep moving forward.
The big problem with PTSD is how powerful it can feel at times. When you experience flashbacks or images that take you right back to the event, it can be difficult to focus on anything else. However, with the right treatment and support system, you can take the wheel and feel more in control of how you react to those things.
If you’re struggling with PTSD and you’re ready to address the symptoms that are trying to take control of your life, feel free to reach out. You don’t have to be a prisoner of your past forever, and I’m happy to help you find the freedom you deserve with PTSD Treatment.