Brad SchipkeFounder of Broken To Unbreakable

How long does PTSD last? #ptsd #cptsd #mentalhealth #overcomingPTSD #tauma

2 Jan 2024 · 1 min

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In this short monologue, Brad Schipke explains that post‑traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) does not inevitably last a lifetime; its duration depends on two key variables. First, the intensity and sheer number of traumatic events a person has endured shape how long the disorder persists—more severe or numerous traumas require a longer processing period. Second, the amount of time a person actively spends processing the trauma (using specific therapeutic tools) determines recovery speed. Schipke distinguishes true processing from mere coping or symptom management, noting that dedicated practice—ranging from a few hours a week in therapy to intensive daily work—can dramatically shorten healing, with some clients resolving symptoms in as little as 30 days. The overall message is that PTSD can be lifelong if the root cause is ignored, but with focused, intensive processing it can resolve much more quickly.

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How long does PTSD last? Now, this is a very interesting question because PTSD does not have to last forever, but it can. If you are not properly healing and addressing the root cause of the trauma and the PTSD, it can last forever, which is very important. If you are actually working towards healing it, there's 2 things that really determine how long it lasts. One is the intensity and the number of traumas that you experience. So if you, you've experienced a lot of traumas that are very intense, it will take you longer to actually go through and process all those traumas. And the second variable is the amount of time that you are putting in actually processing. This doesn't mean coping. This doesn't mean managing your symptoms. This means actually learning and using the processing tools. How much time are you putting in? Because you could be, you could be putting in 1 hour per week at a therapy session, or if you actually know the tools yourself, you could be putting 10 hours a day, 12 hours a day. Literally, I've had clients who do that and then heal in 30 days. So it does not have to take a long time.