A SOLDIER'S PERSPECTIVE
THE WEB'S LEADING MILITARY BLOG SINCE 2004
The other day I was tooling around the Internet and came across another website proclaiming to have found the”cure” for PTSD. That in three or four treatments they will be symptom free, ooo ooo ooo, and many in less! I just had to post a comment for people who would buy into this crap, to give some perspective on the misguided who may want to purchase this hopeless endeavor.
Below is the comment as I lay out a foundation and briefly discus the why and how’s of chronic traumaitzation as it relates and conflicts with a possible “simple solution”,
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) centers on skill building and the restructuring of the cognitive scaffolding that has been damaged by constant neurophysiological interactions mediated by the nervous system; the sympathetic, parasympathetic systems and regulated by the endocrine system (Clinician’s Guide to PTSD: A Cognitive-Behavioral Approach by Taylor, 2006).In cases with extensive traumatization such as chronic childhood abuse of an interpersonal nature, results in complex trauma based disorders. The cognitive structure of the brain has not fully developed as it has been arrested by the violation of relational attachments vital to interpersonal relationships. Further, the forming of the personality stems from the interactions with others as we engage with others to find our identifications and identity (The Dissociative Mind by Howell, 2005, and The Haunted Self by Van der Hart, Nijenhuis and Steele, 2006).
I have done expensive research into the causes and treatments of trauma based disorders and have found that, no one treatment can cure chronic or complex traumatization. Simple trauma based disorders may be treated on a short term basis, and this “treatment†that you claim to have perfected and can “cure†PTSD, without an evidence-based credibility does nothing to add to cutting edge treatment modalities.
As noted in Van der Hart et al. (2006) the Theory of Structural Dissociation of the Personality (Lee, 2009) and the Phase-Oriented Treatment modality covers most of the symptomology and comorbidity.
It will take years to integrate multiple traumatizations where the personality has been impeded developmentally and dissociatively compartmentalized.
Again I state that, no one treatment, can cure a chronically traumatized person of their maladies.
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AirmanMom
Prayers to those who suffer with PTSD!
~AM
womba
Ive got it, the complex version, and its an interesting experience to be in that therapy. Its important to remember that its a injury just like any other, and not a sickness. Visualize a broken leg, your nerves and dreams having suffered an impact, and then try to fix it.
Unfortunately, most PTSD victims have problems working, except in safe enviroments, and this makes most of them poor. So those with resources in the US might want to consider guarded businesses with a nil-profit margin as good ways of resocialising those with the nerves. It breaks the principles of capitalism, true, but it functions better than brutal cost/efficiency.
Roman General
An injury is a good way to visualize PTSD. This is an excellent way to describe what happened to me.
Most employment entails some kind of “risk cues” to individuals with trauma based disorders. I think what you are describing is the profession that I am educating myself for, Social Work. *chuckles lightly*
Brian
Hello – well said – currently I am pursuing a PhD in Psychology with an emphasis in treating PTSD – what people (the military included) must understand is that each case requires its own unique focus and that each solution is subject to vetting on an individual and NOT upon a group diagnosis.
Great piece – thanks you
B
Roman General
Thank you, as you well know the troubles with diagnosing trauma based disorders. The taxon or categories of diagnosis, do not fully encompass the spectrum of pathological traumatization responses. Hopefully this will be fully redressed in the DSM-V.
To many services include a group therapy portion as a central component, mostly to save money. Group therapy can be beneficial for survivors of trauma based disorders, if the goal has a skills based construct and the individual has simple trauma based disorder. More complex traumatizations will require individualized treatment regimens utilized with great care and technique.
Chronically traumatized people will need an empathetic practitioner employing the latest treatment modalities. Sadly, the prevailing treatment therapies do not include a comprehensive scope of highly integrative treatments.
Good luck in achieving your PhD and cheers to your profession of choice.
Roger
For you to use a blanket statement to say that it can not be done with the new (and effective I might add) treatments is a literal lie.
Many of the treatments developed through NLP techniques are proven and work well. I know because I am one of the successes.
PTSD derived from physical, mental and sexual abuse for years as a child would, I think, qualify me for a “Complex” diagnosis. Traditional therapy was very expensive and prolonged and pretty much got me nowhere. so I am qualified to make a distinction between the two types of treatment.
I also believe you are correct in that there is not a one size fits all treatment, however, trial and error through alternative treatments is viable. For you to mislead sufferers in implying that it isn’t must hold an ulterior motive.
And just to match your sarcasm in the opening paragraph, don’t be a douchebag and tell people things that are not true. You have obviously never tried them.
Roger Rowe
SSgtJ
Thank you Roger for sharing such a moving post. We need more people with success stories such as yours to be brought forward. If we truly want to remove the “stigma” of PTSD, then we need to tell the success stories not just the failures. Thanks again Roger.
Roman General
Dude, you read what you wanted to read. Read it again, I was talking about the many “miracle cures” out there that proclaim to cure PTSD by a simple remedy. Ulterior motive, apparently you have more work to do. You contradict yourself in attacking my statements and then agreeing. Did you see the comment about two or three treatments? I meant two or three sessions to clarify, to many websites are trying to put the grift on our veterans by proclaiming a simple cure with a simple “application.” My sarcasm was a result of the miracle curers attempt to take advantage of our veterans plight, those of the walking wounded.
I am in the same boat as you, I have complex PTSD to include your laundry list and combat to boot. I have had at least three years of therapy, along with spending twenty months in a long-term treatment facility,–traditional and non-traditional–and still attend therapy today (exposure therapy).
Seriously, you back up what I said when you said that traditional therapy was expensive and did not work for you. But, then you attack me in an attempt to say that I am giving NO hope. Your direct quote, “For you to mislead sufferers in implying that it isn’t must hold an ulterior motive.” I gave examples of treatments that DO work in direct conflict with the argument for a simple cure. I even included cited works to back up my statement, which you totally misread. Read all the words and consider the implications of the overall message and try not to get stuck on a couple of words.
My message, and I think that I gave a clear and cohesive message, do not know how you missed it, was to say that offering false hope only endeavors the sufferer to hopelessness and the road to recovery is one of hard work and commitment.
Below is a link that expounds further on this topic,
A Practitioners Perspective, Obtusiveness, & Magical Thinking
SSgtJ
You make some valid points RG. Sometimes these posts just seem to have to much information. It is to easy to miss some major points, at least for me. Maybe my PTSD makes it harder to maintain my concentration that long. Could it be that the “success stories” I want to see have just been missed also?
Roman General
My girlfriend tells me that at times I can put in to much information and can use an ample amount of clinical terminology. PTSD can make it hard to concentrate, but I can overgeneralize and intellectualize the information way to too much at times.
When I talk about PTSD in its extreme form I am talking about the minority of soldiers or veterans who seem to have a resistance to treatment. The ones who find themselves on the fringes of society, cut off from everything and everyone. This veteran was me, I was there and I still live it today. The thing is that I am more capable of handling my life due to the incredible help and assistance I have received.
I want to give a voice to the soldier or veteran who can not for whatever reason find their way home, even as they sit in the middle of it.
I do think the biggest success story in my writings is myself. In all of my writings I pour myself out and lay my soul bare for all to see, feel and experience combat PTSD. I have overcome many obstacles and now am in college to become a combat therapist to help those through what I myself have been.
Roman General
Roger, looking back on my comment I think that I was to harsh on you. I apologize if I offended you. My passion is helping our mentally wounded, as I was one of them. I hope the best for your in your continued recovery.
Jesse W. Collins II
Dear Mr. General,
Would you please contact me at my email address recorded above so that I may respond to your view of trauma’s incurability when presenting as, in your terms, a complex or chonic condition. My comments will treat your position and work harshly. And I have no interest or intent to do so in public. Once we have had our discussion in private, I will post my comment on your blog if you believe that to be most beneficial to American combat veterans. For myself, I do not believe that exploiting your youth and inexperience is the best means of addressing this cause for which I also am a dedicated advocate.
Sincerely,
Jesse W. Collins II
Author: The Etiotropic Trauma Management Series.
Marcus
Please, go ahead and share you comments here without worry for RG’s feelings. He isn’t young nor inexperienced as you claim. He is very much able to take care of himself and getting the discussion into the public now is really most beneficial to our combat veterans.
Jesse W. Collins II
Dear Mr. Ramone General,
You need an email response capability. This unedited comment is not a solicitation.
I came to this blog only because Mr. General’s article was generated by a search that I am doing on professionals or group leaders who opine that there is no cure for psychological trauma and PTSD. The article necessitating this search provides a view from all epistemologies regarding the cure of psychological trauma and ptsd. The author of your blog and article, Ramone General, limits his research and perspectives to the Nosotropic (symptom focused) paradigm’s no possible cure perspective for which it is notorious. To be genuinely honest and not bigoted to a particular clinical paradigm, comparison and contrast between the Nosotropic and Etiotropic (etiology focused) paradigms should be provided to address this issue.
It is clear that this blog knows and shows only one side of the battle. Consequently, I have no interests in being here other than to notify your author that he is harming the very cause for which he advocates: not just providing ethical and proper care for trauma affected Veterans, but giving the best care and advice to them that is available. If a cure for PTSD is claimed, you owe veterans the service of evaluating for the prospective truth of that claim.
The following two statements taken from your blog article are false.
“It will take years to integrate multiple traumatizations where the personality has been impeded developmentally and dissociatively compartmentalized.”
It takes Trauma Resolution Therapy between 4 to 9 months to reverse trauma etiology from each primary source of trauma.
Your statement:
“Again I state that, no one treatment, can cure a chronically traumatized person of their maladies.”
Trauma Resolution Therapy (TRT) can cure any kind or complexity of trauma excepting that occurring between the ages of 1 to 5 years of age. But in many instances, even that goal is achievable.
A complete and unequivocal cure for PTSD is available for your free study and research at http://etiotropic.com. That cure was developed in 6 JCAHO and government licensed chemical dependency and psychological trauma treatment facilities between the years 1979 and 1985. Thereafter, a course curriculum that provided for the training and certification of ETM TRT was offered through the University of Houston for 4 years. It has since trained and certified as already licensed psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, licensed professional counselors, chemical dependency counselors and government employed chaplains as competent to administer ETM TRT to any patient.
In 1990, a DoD study group of 15 ptsd high ranking military officer and ptsd experts evaluated the models and declared them to be “the only complete trauma management model in the nation.” Following the DoD’s work with ETM TRT, the model was made available and employed in 161 of Texas’ 1057 school districts.
My wife’s and my lives have been dedicated and committed to this work for over 3 decades. We are now retired due to serious health problems resulting from accidents and disease.” ETM TRT is administered today by 2 ETM Trainers and managers, S. Craig Carson of Houston, TX. and Deborah Brehm of American Veterans PTSD Treatment Centers in Lafayette, Georgia.
I am a 100% combat disabled American Veteran having received those injuries, including 2 severe TBI’s during my tour of duty with the United States Marine Corps in Vietnam between 1965 – 1966. My service as an American Veteran is a matter of public record, having been so since 1986.
All information substantiating the claims above are available in the texts for ETM Professionals, ETM TRT for the Professional Due Diligence for the 1st Secular Cure of PTSD. That information is also available free in the ETM Tutorial / Professional / Academic / Development (all sections) and the Bibliography. The ETM Series text book Neurobiology of Psychological Trauma Etiology and It’s Reversal by Etiotropic Trauma Management countervails in detail the blog author’s CB perspectives of the brain’s otherwise phylogenetic integrative responses to psychological trauma.
Originally, I was not going to stop here. But I was so appalled that one of my own brothers would make such a hideous and destructive claim, that I subsequently stayed to straighten the record.
Making it simple for veterans, there are 2 ways to approach combat or any other ptsd. They are called the ‘2Cs, standing for Cope or Cure. Cope is the Nosotropic approach and Cure occurs routinely through the Etiotropic application.
By contract, I do not allow any of the 2500 ETM trained and certified licensed psychotherapists to solicit clients for treatment with or by ETM TRT. The service may only be offered to patients in the most stringent and highly credentialed settings.
Sincerely,
Jesse W. Collins II
Author: The Etiotropic Trauma Management Series (32 titles)
My wife, Nancy Carson, and I are now retired due to serious health problems resulting from accidents and disease.
SSgtJ
Great post Jesse. Thank you.
BTW, Welcome home and Semper Fi.
SSgtJ USMC Vietnam 67-68
Roman General
Mr. Collins,
I typed your keywords (below) to research your proclaimed “cure.” What I found were websites selling a regurgitation of your trademarked information. What I failed to find was any peer-reviewed journal article or articles to back up your claims.
I am not touting a book, a series of DVD’s for one low price (32 titles), or do I have any catchy phrases trademarked. What I offer is my personal experience as it relates to combat PTSD.
Scott A. Lee
Author: PTSD, A Soldier’s Perspective – a blog where I receive no financial incentive
Keywords (without brackets) for the reader who wishes to research:
[Etiotropic Trauma Management Trauma Resolution Therapy ETM TRT]
[Etiotropic Trauma Management Trauma Resolution Therapy ETM TRT filename:pdf]
Roman General
I just reread your comment and had overlooked this little nugget.
You need an email response capability. This unedited comment is not a solicitation.
Usually when someone begins with a defense…
Roman General
Thank you Marcus.
A woman
Hello Roman General,
I have read your above posts. I was actually diagnosed with PTSD after being sexually abused for years as a child. I did go through Jesse Collins trt. It was 100% effective. I had development alcoholism and anorexia and bulimia, all of which I have been free of for three years now.
I have to question why Mr. Collins feels that this type of therapy is so highly specialized that it can only be done in the most highly and stringent clinial settings. I believe I could be easily used in many settings. He sounds very defensive of a very useful tool which is a shame because it could do some good for all of the soldiers who suffer from PTSD. My husband is in the army and has also been through trt. It is a wonderful tool, unfortunately it is so tightly controlled that it will never make it to the masses where it could actually do some good.
A woman
Sorry for the bad grammar. I meant to say I developed alcoholism, anorexia, and bulimia.
Sorry…
Chayannes
Roman General:
Several years ago I was diagnosed with chronic PTSD. I did not appreciate this unwanted visitor and everything that came with it. I researched and was told by professionals there would be no cure. I checked out the sites showing it was an easy cure and they sounded like get rich schemes to me.
With the help of my medical doctor, counselor, psychiatrist, psychologist and an alternative medicine doctor I have had no symptoms for almost one year.(And, no, I did not see them all at the same time.) I was given homework to do by them and the alternative medicine doctor gave me books to read.
During the past year, there has been stress. After all, I did lose my husband, home, job, etc. to this most wonderful of visitors. I am still climbing out of the choices I made while having this determined nightmare.
Unfortunately, you are definitely right, it is not easy nor, do I believe, there is only one way to cure it. It was a lot of work, I had to relearn how I think, how I respond to stimuli, and more. Not for the weak at heart. What worked for me may not work for anyone else.
I have contacted the local VA hospital hoping I can help others, but have had no response from their mental health administrator. I do not have a doctorate in psychology, but I do know how it feels to have PTSD.
I am psychically and physically healthier than I have ever been in my life. I had to change my lifestyle, the way I think and my attitude. It was all worth it, but as you say … it is no one treatment will do it.
John C.
The author is dead wrong. He should ask one of us who has had the gift of getting our lives back with this specific treatment.
One shouldn’t speak to which one knows nothing at all. Seriously.
Roman General
Dead wrong? Know nothing at all? I am a Combat Vet with chronic PTSD, working on my second degree in social work, psychology and sociology. Part of this article is an excerpt from a 20 page graduate level paper where I received and 98% on.
You did not do the research either, theres no peer-reviewed research backing up his claims. My article was extensively researched, I’m not just a guy selling something, what I wrote you can research, I put the links and resources to review.
I have never had the treatment that you endorse and from experience think that chronic Combat PTSD cannot be healed over night. That was my issue, thus ‘Combating a Simple Cure.’ You said it took you 5 years to heal, that is not simple cure.
My article was about preparing combat vets and their families on therapy and the long road ahead. Mr. Collins’ hijacked my post with his “for hire” cure, the only reason I left it in comment section was to refute his claims which was done beautifully.
I may be dead wrong about your experience, but I am dead right on the research and my experience.
John C.
It took me 5 years to heal, but I would not go back to where I was for ANY amount of ANYTHING. I got my life back and am forever grateful. Take it from somone who has been to hell and back.
Roman General
I’m glad you have healed and have a better life, God has truly blessed you.