I do recall reading that somewhere that the symptoms become milder over time.

Well, even if the traumatic events hadn't occurred, the lesser things would still trigger you to some degree, right? Even when it's not strongly manifesting itself, it's still there beneath the surface somewhere. When something is cracked or shattered, even if it is glued back together, it's still not the same as it was before - and those lines of fracture will always be there, vulnerable to any tap or vibration. Won't they? That's what I always worry about.

So maybe recovery is about learning to intercept and disarm it? Or is it more about learning how to cope when triggered?