PTSD: coping and dealing with or without medication..

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder has become more and more prevalent in not just veterans but also teenagers,mothers,fathers etc. There are alot more people being diagnosed with this Disorder. The key to this is do we medicate or not medicate? Myself? My teenage son? Well it has come to my realization that my son who his now a teenager is "finally" feeling the brunt of the past abusive situation that we have survived. I myself know it will be a LONG road to haul helping him deal with these emotions but I know deep down inside he will get through it. It takes time and patience. I was leary about putting him on medication but sometimes you have to do what you have to do. It was a last resort. He is young and resilient so hopefully we can get through this together. I am not "anti medication" or "pro medication" but I have come to realize that sometimes we do need something other than counseling to get through things for that moment in time. I don't recommend trying to deal with PTSD without it. Been there done that. I also had intense therapy through the ordeal. I see and know everything my son is going through and it pains me that he has to go through this now. I guess I was hoping that this was all behind us but some like I said in another post heal at there own pace and some never heal. An abuse survivor can go through the same effects as a veteran just on a different plane. There are still flashbacks, triggers reliving the pain over and over again in our minds and even having to reprogram our minds not to think like our old selves. I was told by the pyschatrist that dealing with it now between the ages of 14-19 have better chances of healing it as a opposed to waiting till we are adults. He had stated that someone my age will probably have to deal with PTSD on a certain level for the rest of my life because a part of our brain that processes those emotions and memories shut down after a certain age. Basically what is engrained there stays there and goes on permanent lunch, in less properly treated. I don't know how I got through my own "stuff" I guess I wanted it so badly to be free I did everything I knew possible to deal with it. I sometimes still have a hard time talking about it. Not so much for the fact that I don't want too but more so because I am embarrased of it and also don't want to be reminded of who I was then. In my eyes that person no longer exist and is not who I am today. Writing my book on what I had gone through was also very healing and therapuetic. I honestly believe that was a BIG help on healing my heart and soul. It was a roller coaster every step of the way. PTSD is not something you can just "get over" it can take years to heal and deal. Most cases do need medication I only say that because it helps you focus and sort the things you need to deal with once you open a flood gate. The medication helps you handle and sort each instance and emotion one at a time instead of an avalanche of them. It helps it become not so overwhelming. It is not a cure nor does it make everything "go away." So to medicate or not to medicate?