Questions on How I Was Able to Arrest The Major Symptoms of Complex PTSD

A friend of mine had these questions from one of my last postings,

I finally received help after 15 years ... Follow the links in the side bar and see how I came through to the other side...It made me wonder, what specifically are you pointing to that you felt helped you? And are you saying "helped" as in "over with," or helped as in I'm dealing with it, but it's better?

Thanks!

I would describe it as better and definitely not over it. What helped me was a mash-up of modalities similar to Phase-Oriented Treatment. I actually intuitively (and with advice from an empathic counselor who never quit on me) took this route without being introduced to it. I started out with cognitive-behavioral restructuring of the mind, while learning interpersonal and social skills, and simultaneously I attended traditional psychoanalysis concentrating on childhood issues (sexual and physical abuse) to give me a foundation to where I could begin to tackle the integration of my combat experiences. I have just begun exposure therapy to do just this

All this took about three years (actually there was a period of about 4 years where I relapsed back into insanity in between this time period) of continuous and extensive therapy which I would not have been able to do if I was not in a treatment center for homeless veterans where I resided for 20 months. I took a break from therapy for about 1 1/2 years to concentrate on school and work

As I said before, I took a much needed break from therapy and have recently begun the exposure therapy. I was highly suspicious of this type of therapy, but have recently done some research from researchers that I trust and they have found that traumatic memories and emotional ties (structural Dissociation) to them have been separated and that's why they have such a profound hold on the mind. Exposure therapy is geared toward the integration of said memories and emotionality

The links under the heading "A Suggested Guide to PTSD Management" detail how I was able to arrest the major symptomology of complex combat PTSD.