I deal with CPTSD. I have therapy once a month from a psychologist (whom I am seeing tomorrow, by the way). My Psychiatrist would like me to go more often, but I can't afford it. I suffer with anxiety every day, so going to therapy gets me through all this as best I can. I'm struggling with the PTSD from watching the presidential debate on Saturday night. I still shake when the thoughts of it come to my mind. It was a real trigger for me.

The pain of fibro does dominate things at times, but I see therapy a very important thing for us.

Take care.

I have traumas from my childhood and from an assault during my time in the military... but when the VA gave me a test for PTSD (a few yes and no questions) my results came back negative. But I had to start seeking counseling at the VA at one point because I was depressed and the effects of the traumas were effecting every aspect of my life. So I'm not sure how the VA came up with their testing or why mine came back negative for PTSD if everything in my life is effected by what happened to me.

I'm definitely not over my traumas but at least after my 1st yr of counseling I don't have fits of rage anymore so I think it has helped me a lot... I aslo noticed that my fibro flares aren't as severe anymore (both in length and in how much pain). I don't know if it has anything to do with the mental healing or not... but it seemed like the better I felt on the inside the better I felt on the outside as well. Maybe it's connected, maybe it's not. Maybe it was just a coincidence and my fibro was just changing as it does every so many yrs. (shrugs)

Im dealing with cptsd. I have no doubt that my fibromyalgia is related to my cptsd or at least the cptsd compounds the symptoms of the fibro. I really think this needs to be a wholistic approach and so i look forward to catching up with the pain management team next week at my local hospital who will be able to provide a general dr, psychologist and physio. Im also seeing a psychologist who has done some hypnotherapy with me to help deal with the pain.

Thanks all for your replies. It's nice to know I'm not alone.

I've been in and out of therapy for years and years, but this summer, I started seeing a fantastic psychiatrist who also does counseling - and have finally found some psych meds that make a difference for me.

I had been seemingly making some progress with beginning to delve into childhood traumas (a topic previously always off limits) and then boom - I'm taken down by intense pain and 5 months later I'm diagnosed with Fibro.

It's frustrating bc I had been a place where I was like... ok... maybe I'm finally ready to tackle some of this... and now trying to make psychological progress is so far from my mind because the new issue is trying to wrap my head around chronic pain and imagining that it's not every going to go away. I don't really know what to make of it all.

I'm just so confused... sometimes I feel like I just can't win! :(


PS: idajoy - I literally will NOT watch the debates for that same reason. In fact, I won't watch any tv/movie or read anything that isn't neutral or funny... I won't even watch romantic comedies because there is always that tense/awkward moment towards the end before things are resolved. Essentially, I only watch cartoons. Yikes.