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Gift From Within - PTSD Questions & Answers with Frank Ochberg, M.D.

PTSD: Definition of PTSD How Common, Who Gets PTSD? Is PTSD a normal event? Does PTSD Affect The Brain? Duration Pregnancy Delayed Onset PTSD PTSD Tip Sheet for your Doctor Medications for PTSD Distinguishing PTSD from BPD Generalized Anxiety Disorder Can the Wounds of PTSD Heal? Complex/Chronic PTSD: CPTSD Explanation Long Term Prognosis & Complex PTSD PTSD vs. CPTSD Managing Past Intense Feelings Overcoming Complex PTSD PTSD Symptoms: Anger and Brain Injury Anger Flashbacks Loneliness Feelings Of Loss And Sense Of Self Anxiety Numbing Re-Traumatization Differences bet. Depression, Dysthemia, Major Depression Depression vs. Sadness and Grief Biological Depression Memory Loss Triggers and Body Sensations PTSD & Facial Tics Emotional & Physical Reactions Delayed Stress Response after Experiencing a Shock Can A False Memory Happen? Differences Between Hypervigilance and Hyperarousal Negativity & Pessismism after Trauma PTSD/PTSI Insomnia: Not Being Able To Sleep PTSD/PTSI & Psychosis Relationships: Peer Support Issues Explaining PTSD To Children False Memory Toxic Family Of Origin Protection From Unwanted Contact Preventing Intergenerational PTSD Numbing in Male Survivors of Domestic Violence How To Increase Social Support Caregivers/Partners with PTSD: Starting a Conversation about PTSD Both Partners with PTSD & its Complications Fiancé Doesn't Believe in Therapy Managing PTSD After Partner Pushes Too Hard Childhood Abuse: Emotional Abuse Childhood Trauma & Intrusive Images Revisiting The Scene Of Trauma And Abuse Gaslighting Stockholm Syndrome & Child Abuse Survivors Can a Child be Born Depressed Childhood Survivors and Being a Parent Work Issues: Disability Letter for Attorney-Sample Low Stress Jobs Doctor's letter for Employer Sample Dealing with Co-Workers Job Searching with PTSD Recovery: Frank Ochberg's Color Wheel of Positive Emotion Triggers Rebuilding Self Esteem Life After Trauma Coping During The Holidays Substance Abuse Improving A Damaged Self-Concept Explaining PTSD is a Responsibility Grief & Loss from a Tragic Death The Trauma Bond & Forgiveness Sudden Panic, Anxiety & Flashbacks Stockholm Syndrome, Trauma Bond and Undue Influence Therapy: Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Inadequate Therapy When to End Therapy Repeating Your Trauma Story PTSD Symptoms After The Therapy Hour Exposure Therapy Service/Therapy Dogs & PTSD ECT (Electro-Convulsive-Therapy) Bipolar & ECT Therapy: An Interview Telling Trauma Story to Therapist PTSD Client Expectations from Therapy Sessions Veterans & PTSD: PTSD A Disease Seasonal PTSD & Anniversary Reaction. Emotional Injury Therapy Sessions Active Listening for Moms and Friends Military Sexual Assault Professionals: Compassion Fatigue Consequences Of Emotional Numbing School Teachers And PTSD Using The Counting Method with Clients Helping Clients with PTSD Other Conditions: Borderline Personality Disorder Social Phobia Dissociation Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) Cutting & Self Harm Link between PTSD, BPD and Bi-Polar Somatization Disorder or Briquet's Syndrome Stockholm Syndrome & Child Abuse Survivors Dealing with Psychopaths & Narcissists

PTSD Questions & Answers with Joyce Boaz & Dr. Frank Ochberg, M.D. Read "Survivor Psalm" by Frank Ochberg

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Biological Depression. Q: Hello Dr Frank! I am a long-term member of GFW. I have a question that maybe you can give me a general answer. Joyce said you don't feel comfortable giving "advice" to people you don't know and I understand this. I have PTSD/long-term depression from trauma that started around age 5 that lasted into my teenage years. Sexual abuse from 3 different family members. My question has to do with the depression with probable brain chemical imbalance. Does this chemical imbalance ever resolve itself? Will there be a time when I no longer have to take something to treat this brain imbalance? Thank you Dr Frank for your support to GFW. The site has provided me with much valid and reliable information A: Dear T, Some people have "biological depression" -meaning, through no fault of their own, they have a medical condition in which their brains do not produce enough nerve-transmitter to make all systems work as they should. The pills for depression can help this condition enormously. The pills are not nerve-transmitters (those substances can't get from the blood into the brain). But the pills can make the brain's own nerve-transmitters act effectively by blocking re-uptake and causing the concentration to reach appropriate levels. That is why there is no black market for these pills. They are not "happy pills" or "uppers." They do not help medically normal people feel high. They only help those who need the boost, the same way certain pills help diabetics improve their concentrations of insulin. Bottom line - you may need ant-depressant medication and if you do, it is safe to take the pills for a lifetime. Some people do reach a point where they no longer need this class of drug. It certainly makes sense to try to reduce or eliminate drugs which require increases in dosage to do the job (pain killers, sedatives, minor tranquilizers like Xanax or Ativan). But I'd stick with Prozac, Zoloft or other drugs in that category as long as they seem to help. No real harm in long-term use. Best to you, Frank Ochberg, MD Tweet Was this helpful to you? If so, please consider supporting our work.

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