Getting help for PTSD

[Emma_1604]

Hi. My husband is severely struggling with PTSD, depression and anxiety. His PTSD stems from childhood trauma that has continued for most of his life in one form or another (he is approaching 40 now). Almost three months ago, he had a breakdown and he just can't seem to get out of it. He is stuck in his own head.

After years of trying, I managed to persuade him to self-refer to the IAPT. He was honest about using tiny amounts of cannabis as a coping mechanism for the severe intrusive thoughts he suffers, so they said they couldn't help him and he had to go to the drugs service. He spoke to the GP, who prescribed anti-depressants. They don't seem to be having any effect at all. He has gone to the drug service, but it seems to be geared up for people on heroin or cocaine. The drug service even says the amount of cannabis he's using would hardly have any effect at all.

He needs one-to-one counselling that can address his trauma and PTSD, but we don't know how to access it. GP and IAPT passes to drug service. Drug service is passing back to IAPT. GP only seems interested in prescribing anti-depressants. The doctor hasn't even really asked him what's going on, how he's feeling.

Has anyone had experience of getting help in this area? Or are we looking solely at private treatment? We have financial constraints and I worry that we would not be able to afford this. I'm feeling so desperate. I know he needs help, he knows he needs help, but every door just seems to be closed in our faces.

[Charles_2112]

Counselling services are under a lot of strain at the moment and will use any reason to avoid taking someone on. This one is a bit spurious to say the least and I suggest a try again, with the argument that the drug services don't think the cannabis use is an issue and that you believe their judgement was too hasty. After all, he's not addicted to the stuff.

Worth a try.

[SuomyNona _2202]

There is some novel research, that isn't to my understanding conclusive, that MDMA assisted psychotherapy has incredible potential to 'cure' a big part of the PTSD. Regardless of whether or not it is an effective procedure for a large group of people and a safe procedure, there are many people who had been considered unresponsive to all previous treatment methods that scored very high on the PTSD scale that now proclaim to be cured verified by physicians.

I must add that this post does NOT advice anyone to try MDMA without supervision since it comes with incredible risks.

The reason why MDMA is suspected to work so well is because for one, it lowers activity in the amygdala thus lowering the fear response of memories and it enhances the ability to recall memories similar to other amphetamines. It also drastically increases the release of serotonin and other hormones which increases the feeling of love and compassion. These help sufferers during therapy sessions to talk about their traumas without having to go through all the heartship and within a very few amount of sessions make incredible and drastic progress.

The reason I personally post even though I am NOT a psychologist and/or psychiatrist, is because I'm very passionate about research on MDMA and have read a decent amount about it. Read various papers etc. This post does NOT imply that it is proven that MDMA works, only that there is research that seems to implicate it and more verification studies are needed. I have to be skeptical regardless of my passion, personal experience and the science I have read. The easiest person to fool is yourself. I also do not exclude the possibility of any other method to work, this is just one I am aware of.