The long game
Recovery is not a straight line. Plan for the dips, notice the growth, and write your own standing orders.
★ PTSDIY · Field Manual ★ Part VIII ★
Chapter 35
Setbacks are not failure
Recovery is not a straight line
FM 35-SET-401Plan time 20 min
35-1.Mission brief
You will have bad weeks after good months. An anniversary, a news story, a loss, a new stress. A setback is not proof the work failed; it's a normal part of recovery from any injury. What matters is how fast you get back on plan.
35-2.Intel
Symptom flare-ups after successful treatment are common, and planning for them is a standard part of ending therapy well. Booster sessions help many people regain ground quickly.
35-3.Know your high-risk dates
| Risk | Examples |
|---|---|
| Anniversaries | The date of the event, deployments, losses |
| Seasons and holidays | Times tied to memories or isolation |
| Life stress | Job loss, divorce, illness, moving |
| Reminders | News coverage, a friend's death, a familiar smell |
35-4.Field procedures — the setback plan
| 01 | Name your early signsThe first three things that change when you're slipping: sleep, drinking, isolating. | 5 min |
| 02 | Mark the calendarPut known hard dates in your calendar a week ahead, with a plan for each. | 5 min |
| 03 | List your go-backsThe three tools that worked best for you, from anywhere in this manual. | 5 min |
| 04 | Decide your call trigger"If X lasts more than two weeks, I book a session." Decide now, not then. | 5 min |
35-5.Common faults & corrections
| ✕ | Fault: "I'm back to square one"Correction: You aren't. You have skills and a map you didn't have before. |
| ✕ | Fault: Waiting it out aloneCorrection: Early booster sessions are faster than climbing out of a deep hole later. |
PTSDIY · FM 35-SET-401 · Part VIII35