Thinking back.....

Remember when you were diagnosed with PTSD/Cptsd, or what event caused this to be addressed? Don't share the event. What has changed during that time, from then to now? Feeling better, feeling worse?

I think it's better. I'm not as shellshocked when I get into certain situations (like large crowds of people). I'm still not all the way there yet.

I understand completely. Not sure if it will ever go away, just can't make memories do that. So I guess our best hope would be that they have less of a negative impact on our lives. It's just really hard to gage progress in this, ya know? What's progress, and what's just shape shifting of the condition?

Worse and better at the same time. Sure, I've got my coping techniques down pretty good and I'm able to keep myself in line for the most part. However, it seems as though my mental health has deteriorated rapidly since I was diagnosed over a year ago. I don't even function outside of the very basics, much like a child (all over again). It's frustrating for me considering I'd always been proud of myself for the single fact of "being able to take care of business". Now, I can hardly go on an errand if I have to leave my car and wonder into a densely populated area. I can't work anymore and I gave up on my education. I feel very washed up, anymore.

I don't know. I'm pretty close to giving up, at this point. I keep saying "I won't. I'm not going anywhere" but I'm starting to having trouble believing it myself.

Is saying "me, too" trite? I don't even have coping mechanisms. Whatever I try just gets washed away by a tidal wave. I can't really remember when I was 'diagnosed', but there's no doubt the cPTSD has been with me for years, probably since childhood, I guess. I look back now and all I see is a wasted, lost life. So, to answer the OP, I've gotten worse. A lot.

I know it's frustrating and seems there's no light at the end of the tunnel most of the time. That everything we try doesn't work or fights us. I think the thing to look at is that this has been going on with us for a long time. Though I just recently was diagnosed and it was brought to my attention. I think before I was diagnosed it was easier to bounce back. But now that I know it's a mental health condition it's harder to pull my big girl panties up and move on. Plus this time it seems so much darker. I'm not giving up because there are some small things that I enjoy doing and I want to make an all out effort to do these things once the weather gets better. A little bit of enjoyment is better than none. I owe it to myself and to the people who love me. It hurts them so much to see me hurting, I get that and know how that feels. So giving up is not even an option, and shouldn't be for anyone. But if you ever think you can't deal with it anymore please ask for help. We are here for you, believe that.

I've always heard that healing is not a linear process, that there are peaks and valleys along the way. Yes, we can look back and see how much time has been wasted out of life because of this. There's noting we can do to get that back. But we can recognize this, try hard to make a plan to change this, and move forward. Even just baby steps is moving forward. Set small goals and work your way up to bigger ones when you feel like you are ready. Yes, there may be set backs in this, but that's no reason to stop trying. There's no promises in life even without a MH condition. Even if a goal doesn't work out, it's not a failure. Maybe it's just not the right time for that goal. "All things in their proper time"