Posted by SLS on September 12, 2005, at 11:11:17
In reply to When do you medicate for PTSD (warning: violence), posted by delna on September 12, 2005, at 9:25:59
I don't think a proper diagnosis of PTSD is a priority. I think the priority is to remove your friend from the chronic situation that would cause such a thing to develop in the first place. I know you have been trying to do exactly that, and it must be frustrating to see her remain in such a physically and emotionally abusive relationship. There are so many ways this thing can go. Perhaps her husband would be willing to be evaluated for pathological aggression or poor impulse control, things that would indicate treatment with Tegretol or Trileptal combined with Zoloft.
True PTSD doesn't relinquish its grip over someone voluntarily. It takes hard psychological work and, in many cases, the addition of a medication to dissipate or quell the storms of anxiety and fear that come from it. If your friend doesn't have PTSD, it is very possible that she will develop it or some other mental illness as the result of chronic abuse.
Again, I think removing your friend from the traumatic situation takes priority over a diagnosis of which mental illnesses may result from it. If this is not to be, then perhaps a professional psychiatric diagnosis by an M.D. would help sway her judgment in recognizing the harmful effects her unhealthy situation is causing her such that she might reconsider doing something about it.
Perhaps an intervention would help. Perhaps it would make things worse. If the husband is intractable and the abusive relationship is intractable, that leaves just the support and guidance of the people around her until she decides to leave the situation. Don't give up on her. Just be there.
- Scott
> My friend just got married and her husband has started battering her to the point where she was clinically dead for a few minutes. She inists on going back to him even though he is aggressive. She has her friends/family's support to leave him and all the pychotherapy there is. Plus she has no financial reasons for her to stay on. Everyone is scared for her life and health.
> She mentioned that post her first battering, she was told by a therapist that she has PTSD. However she never saw a psychiatrist or was never treated with medication. Just talking therapy.
> I spoke to her at length and she is very irrational so I asked what her therapist said about her PTSD and she said it 'had gone away'.
> I think she is not well and needs to diagnosed and possibly medicated by a psychiatrist. But I am told that not all issues require drugs and not everyone is 'mentally ill'. Doesn't such an incident require medical help?
> Where do you draw the line with drugs? I know people are given antidepressants after natural diasters..PTSD doesnt just vanish does it?
> Very worried....
poster:SLS
thread:554132
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20050909/msgs/554188.html