Recovery from trauma is slow. Not slow like waiting in line—slow like watching a child grow. Day to day, nothing seems different. But look back over months, and everything has changed.
The problem is, when you're in it, you can't see the progress. That's where tracking helps.
Why trauma recovery feels invisible
Healing from trauma isn't linear. You have good days and bad days. Triggers appear without warning. Progress feels like two steps forward, one step back.
Your brain adapts to your current state. Last month's improvement becomes this month's baseline. You forget how bad things were because you're focused on how hard things still are.
This creates a distorted picture. You might be significantly better than you were six months ago, but it doesn't feel that way. Without data, you can't see the trend beneath the fluctuations.
What the research says about timelines
There's no universal timeline for trauma recovery. Individual factors—the nature of the trauma, support systems, access to treatment, co-occurring conditions—all affect how long it takes.
That said, research provides some reference points:
- About 20% of people recover within 3 months
- About 50% recover within 2 years
- About 77% recover within 10 years
- With evidence-based treatment, significant improvement often occurs within 3-6 months
"Recovery" here means symptoms have reduced to the point where they no longer significantly impair daily functioning. It doesn't mean forgetting or being unaffected—it means being able to live with what happened.
What to track
The standard assessment for PTSD symptoms is the PCL-5 (PTSD Checklist for DSM-5). See what your PCL-5 score means for detailed interpretation. It's 20 questions covering the four symptom clusters:
1. Intrusion: Unwanted memories, flashbacks, nightmares
2. Avoidance: Avoiding reminders, thoughts, or feelings about the trauma
3. Negative changes in mood and cognition: Negative beliefs, detachment, emotional numbness
4. Arousal and reactivity: Hypervigilance, being easily startled, sleep problems, irritability
Total scores range from 0 to 80. A score of 31-33 or higher suggests probable PTSD.
For a quicker check, the PC-PTSD-5 is a 5-question screening tool (see what your PC-PTSD-5 score means).
What counts as meaningful improvement
On the PCL-5:
- 5+ point decrease: Suggests positive response to treatment. This is real change, not statistical noise.
- 10+ point decrease: Clinically significant improvement. You're measurably better.
- Score drops below 28: You've likely moved into the "healthy" range—symptoms are no longer in the clinical zone.
These thresholds matter. A 7-point improvement might not feel dramatic when you're still struggling, but it represents real progress. The numbers help you see what your feelings might miss.
How to track
Frequency: Monthly is usually appropriate for trauma recovery. Weekly can be too granular—you'll see noise more than signal. If you're in active treatment, your therapist might use a different schedule.
Same conditions: Take the assessment at roughly the same time, same day of the week. Avoid taking it immediately after a triggering event—that spike won't represent your overall state.
Record context: Note major events, triggers, therapy milestones. This helps explain outliers and gives you context when reviewing later.
Keep the data somewhere you can access: Spreadsheet, notes app, paper journal. You need to be able to look back and see the trajectory.
The non-linear reality
Trauma recovery includes setbacks. These are normal, not signs of failure.
Common patterns:
Therapy-related dips: Starting trauma therapy often temporarily increases symptoms. You're engaging with material you've been avoiding. Scores might rise before they fall.
Anniversary reactions: Symptoms often spike around dates connected to the trauma. This doesn't mean you're regressing—it means your brain is marking time.
Trigger exposure: Encountering a strong reminder can elevate symptoms for days or weeks. The trend still matters more than individual spikes.
Plateaus: Progress often stalls at certain points. This might mean you've reached a temporary ceiling, or it might mean the current approach has given what it can and something needs to adjust.
None of these patterns mean treatment isn't working. They mean recovery is complicated.
What to do with the data
If scores are dropping steadily: Keep doing what you're doing. The trend is your evidence that it's working, even when day-to-day feels hard.
If scores plateau for 2+ months: Consider discussing with your therapist. Might be time to try a different approach, increase session frequency, or address something that's blocking progress.
If scores are rising: Look for patterns. Is it connected to external events? A therapy phase? A trigger you can address? If it's sustained, flag it with your provider.
If treatment isn't helping after 10-15 sessions: Evidence-based trauma therapies (CPT, PE, EMDR) typically show improvement within this range. If scores aren't budging, it might be worth trying a different modality.
Why this matters
When you're deep in trauma recovery, it's hard to trust that things are getting better. The bad days feel permanent. The improvements feel fragile.
Data cuts through that. It shows you the trajectory your emotions can't see. A chart of your PCL-5 scores over 12 months tells a story that "I had a rough week" doesn't capture.
That story might be: "I started at 54. I'm at 31 now. I've dropped 23 points even though last month was hard."
That's evidence. Evidence that the work is working. Evidence that slow progress is still progress. Evidence you can point to when the healing feels invisible.
Getting started
1. Take a baseline. Complete the PCL-5 today. This is where you're starting from.
2. Set a monthly reminder. First of the month, last Sunday, whatever you'll remember.
3. Record each score. Date, total score, brief notes about context.
4. Review quarterly. Every three months, look at the trend. Calculate the change from your baseline.
5. Share with your provider. This data helps them understand your trajectory and adjust treatment.
You won't see the improvement day to day. But the numbers will show it. Trust the data when your feelings are unreliable.
Recovery is happening, even when it doesn't feel like it.
Related guides
- How to track mental health over time — General principles for tracking
- What your PCL-5 score means — Understanding PTSD assessment results
- What your ACE score means — Childhood trauma history
- Tracking mental health through divorce — When divorce is traumatic
- Tracking grief after loss — Trauma and grief overlap