Comments on: Mental Health Meds: Lifesavers or Emotional Chains? https://cptsdfoundation.org/2025/11/20/mental-health-meds-lifesavers-or-emotional-chains/ The Foundation for Post-Traumatic Healing and Complex Trauma Research Wed, 26 Nov 2025 15:11:09 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 By: Dr. Mozelle Martin https://cptsdfoundation.org/2025/11/20/mental-health-meds-lifesavers-or-emotional-chains/#comment-45362 Wed, 26 Nov 2025 15:11:09 +0000 https://cptsdfoundation.org/?p=987500691#comment-45362 In reply to Lesley Vlietstra.

Lesley, thank you for sharing such a powerful piece of your story. What you described—dissociation as survival, unraveling after safety, the numbing overlap between meds and trauma response—is so real, and so often unspoken. Your clarity at 74 is a testament to the lifelong work of healing, and it’s deeply validating to others who may still be in that early fog. I absolutely agree: therapy should be the main lifeline, and when medication is needed, it should support—not replace—that deeper process. I’m honored the piece resonated with you.

]]> By: Lesley Vlietstra https://cptsdfoundation.org/2025/11/20/mental-health-meds-lifesavers-or-emotional-chains/#comment-45334 Wed, 26 Nov 2025 00:58:21 +0000 https://cptsdfoundation.org/?p=987500691#comment-45334 I agree fully with the information in this article. From early childhood until the age of 42, I coped with sexual, physical and emotional abuse from my father, stepfather and husband, by completely dissociating. After I finally left my marriage I began to unravel as I no longer had any reason to continue to fight. My doctor asked me to try an antidepressant to deal with the overwhelming emotions now coming up. I did try them but the numbing effect was similar to the dissociation so I stopped and she got me into therapy.Now, at the age of 74, and after many years of on and off therapy, I can see the benefits of having the full use of my mind throughout the process of understanding the why and how I’ve been affected by both the trauma and the therapy. Having said this, I can also see the need for medication when the emotions are so new and frightening. But therapy needs to be the main lifeline.

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