Hi Tony,
I stumbled upon this conversation while doing a research about inner critic.
I have fully recovered from CPTSD and become a therapist in the process. It was actually after I qualified that I became aware of my condition. Not having a label probably helped. I’m not offering my services, but would like to spark a sense of hope for you and anyone else who believe that it’s not possible to have a normal life. I’m 62 years old and I turned my life around, and truly believe that we all can providing that we stay dedicated to our own healing.There is a group of hypnotherapists whose work is based on John G Watkins PHD , who successfully treated soldiers coming from the front line during the WW1 . If you would like to find out more, I’ll be more than happy to answer your questions. All the best, Jelena

Cptsd is big groundbreaking for psychology ,the use of internet for same similiar outcomes of patients sharing of information is absolutely astonishing , so many mental illnesses as i read more on the internet are being narrowed down to cptsd. Including schizophrenia(((( a very loud loud inner critic ))). I am very comforted by the new discoveries of cptsd and communication efforts,healing, by psycho therapists and astonishing progress ,healing +. from a totally misdiagnoesed patient finding healing , at least 10 wrong diagnoses from child hood , im now 61 .

Relieve of emotional flashbacks , using mindfulness . It took me a few reads of walkers book surviving to thriving to understand what minfulness technigue is and routinely removing emotional flash backs . At first beginning removal i was in an emotional fkash back of fear ,it lasted three days . I kept using the mindfulness technique and the EF vanished . Mindfulness is key , from CPtsd survivor

I was though diagnosed at 51 with Autism Spectrum Disorder (high functioning) when has enabled me to consider how a dual comorbid diagnosis of ASD (hf) and CPTSD interact. Including which is which, as there is so much overlap between my lived and living experiences. This begs the question. How prevalent is comorbid CPTSD and ASD (hf) but being missed due to lack of access to appropriately trained, qualified and skilled assessors? With, lack of awareness within the general population who may have these current conditions but for a variety of complex reasons, are not aware of or do not recognise what they are living through and with include signs and symptoms that would when presented and appropriately assessed aggregate into a dual comorbid diagnosis of ASD (hf) and CPTSD. This obviously has resource implications within a variety of dimensions including schools, families, communities, health professions, research, funding and funding priority, treatment research etc.

Yes brother’s everything you said is true.

I am very sorry you have had a bad experience with mental health professionals. CPTSD is a difficult diagnosis to work with. In my experience, I noticed that after ten or so years I too was feeling sicker than before. But, ten years is nothing compared to the abuse you endured. You are feeling emotions that were long buried and it will take time to unravel them. I get it, you feel let down by the mental health field. Don’t give up. You may have another underlying diagnosis that is holding you back. We’re here to support you in any way we can. Shirley

Same here. My inner critic, emotional flashbacks, have only
Gotten worse with age despite over 10 years of therapy, doing all the recommendations from Pete walker as a daily practice, yoga, eating healthy, EMDR, positive affirmations, gratitude journaling etc.

I’m fact, all of these habits have made mu CPTSD much worse.

The emotional flashbacks are so strong I’m in a permanent state of “freeze.” As a man this makes it impossible to have a dating and sex life. Fortunately for women with CPTSD at least they can have a sex lift and have some feeling of human intimacy.

Women are repulsed by me because I come across as “creepy.”

I’m starting to realize the entire mental health field is a giant money making scam. They prey on our pain to make money without fixing anything.

Has anyone actually fully recovered from CPTSD? I highly doubt it.

Hang in there. I am 42 years old and just started working on my inner critic at 40. It still takes over but it’s getting better. The muscle is strong so it will take time ❤️