Treatment for PTSD. Help me feel safe again
Donation protected
Hi, my name is Nicole and I have PTSD due to childhood trauma. Unfortunately, I’ve found only minimal relief after several years of trying every means available to get better. I have tried medications, supplements, daily exercise, multiple kinds of therapies (EMDR, CBT, IFS) and even special diets, without much success.
rTMS is an expensive treatment but one that’s effective: 84% of patients see significant improvement and 61% see a complete remission.* It is covered for veterans and other service members because it’s proven to be effective for PTSD. It’s not publicly-funded, though, and it’s expensive to try. My doctors have recommended it to me, including renowned specialist Dr. Ric Arsenau, and think it's worth trying.
[Trigger Warning. The next paragraph contains details about sexual abuse.]
Here’s what happened: I was sexually abused at the age of five by my great-uncle and then abused again by other family members as I grew older. Even though it happened in the past, it still impacts me today: I don’t sleep well at night (because that’s when the abuse happened). I’m scared of most people until I know them and I always feel like I could be assaulted or hurt at anytime. Logically, yes, I can “know that I’m safe”—but rarely does my body feel that way.
I want to feel safe. I want to be able to go out into the world without fear. I want to contribute. Before trauma mounted into a severe condition at the age of 17, I was deeply involved in my community, a straight A-student, a volunteer, and a hard worker with dreams. I still am all of those things, if only I could be relieved this illness at the source.
For those of you who don’t know, I have spent the last 12 years battling poorly-understood health conditions. I live with chronic pain, low physical energy, and a brain that operates at 10% of what it used to be, along with a host of other symptoms. It’s akin to always having the flu, going days without sleep, or a bad hangover that doesn’t go away. One of my doctors [Dr. Ric Arseneau] specializes in people with these conditions and wrote an article suggesting rTMS as a possible treatment. **
All money raised will go directly toward the cost of treatment. Anything you can contribute will be appreciated. Anything you can contribute gets me closer to being able to do this treatment. If I don’t receive any support, I will find a way to pursue this treatment however long it takes, but it will cause significant financial hardship. If you are in a position to contribute, that will be so helpful and affirming. And if you aren’t, please consider sharing this, liking it or commenting with words of support. Thank you sincerely
Here are the sources:
**Link from an article my specialist wrote recommending the treatment: https://www.healthrising.org/blog/2023/11/10/treatment-decisions-chronic-fatigue-syndrome-fibromyalgia-arseneau/
A short video to explain one of my conditions, Myalgic Encephalitis (ME/CFS): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKWk99Fsd_o&ab_channel=BatemanHorneCenter
And for those that like research, here are some studies:
Organizer
Nicole Ashlee
Organizer
Victoria, BC