When a partner, friend, or family member suffers from PTSD, it has an effect on you as well. PTSD is difficult to deal with, and it can have a significant impact on relationships and family life. You may be hurt by your loved one's aloofness and moodiness, or you may be perplexed by their behaviour, wondering why they are less affectionate and more volatile. You may feel as though you're walking on eggshells or if you're sharing your home with a stranger. You will also have to shoulder a greater share of household responsibilities and cope with the frustrations of a loved one who refuses to communicate. PTSD symptoms may result in job loss, drug abuse, and other issues that affect the entire family.
Offer Social Assistance
Withdrawal from family and friends is typical in people suffering from PTSD. They might be embarrassed, don't want to bother others, or think that others won't understand their situation. While it's crucial to respect your loved one's limits, providing comfort and support will help them resolve feelings of helplessness, sadness, and despair. In reality, trauma experts agree that the most critical factor in PTSD recovery is face-to-face help from others.
It's not always easy to know how to show your love and compassion for someone who has PTSD. You can't make your loved one get better, but you can aid in the healing process by simply spending time with them.
Listen attentively.
Although you shouldn't force a person with PTSD to chat, if they do, try to listen without judgement or expectations. Make it clear that you're interested and concerned, but don't feel obligated to provide advice. It is the act of listening intently, not what you say, that is beneficial to your loved one.
Restore confidence and protection.
Trauma changes a person's perception of the environment, making it seem to be a dangerous and terrifying place all of the time. It also undermines people's ability to trust themselves and others. It will help your loved one heal if you can re-establish their sense of security in some way.
Anticipate and deal with potential triggers.
A trigger is something that reminds your loved one of the trauma which causes a PTSD symptom like a flashback. Triggers aren't always visible. A war veteran, for example, could be activated by seeing his battle buddies or hearing loud noises that resemble gunshots. Those may take longer to recognise and comprehend, such as hearing a song that was playing at the time of the traumatic incident, and now that song, or others in the same musical genre, are triggers. Triggers, too, don't have to be external. PTSD symptoms may also be triggered by internal thoughts and sensations.
Dealing with volatility and anger
PTSD can make it difficult to control one's emotions and impulses. This could show up in your loved one as irritability, moodiness, or outbursts of anger.
People who suffer from PTSD are constantly under physical and emotional strain. They're constantly stressed, on edge, and mentally strung out because they have trouble sleeping, which makes them more likely to overreact to everyday stressors.
Rage may be a mask for other emotions such as sadness, helplessness, or shame in many people with PTSD. Instead of feeling frail and helpless, they feel strong when they are angry. Others try to keep their anger hidden before it erupts unexpectedly.
Treatment should be encouraged.
Your love and support are important, but they aren't always enough. Many people who have been traumatised need PTSD treatment by a therapist. However, bringing it up can be difficult. Consider how you'd respond if anyone told you you needed counselling.
Wait until the appropriate time to express your concerns. When you're debating or in the midst of a storm, don't bring it up. Often, use caution when expressing yourself. Anything that means your loved one is "crazy" should be avoided. Reframe it in a bright, realistic light: therapy is an opportunity to develop new skills that can be applied to a number of PTSD-related issues.
Look after yourself.
Allowing your family member's PTSD to take over your life while ignoring your own needs is a surefire way to burn out and risk secondary traumatization. Listening to trauma stories or being subjected to troubling symptoms like hallucinations can cause you to experience your own trauma symptoms. The more exhausted and overwhelmed you are, the more likely you are to become traumatised.
You must support and care for yourself in order to have the power to be there for your loved one over time and reduce the risk of secondary traumatization.
Final Thoughts
It's difficult not to take PTSD symptoms personally, but keep in mind that a person with PTSD may not always be in control of their actions. The nervous system of your loved one is “stuck” in a state of constant warning, making them feel constantly helpless and insecure, or forcing them to relive the traumatic experience over and over. Rage, irritability, depression, distrust, and other PTSD symptoms will result, and your loved one won't be able to switch them off.
Your loved one's nervous system can be "unstuck" with the right help from you and other family and friends.
Helping someone with ptsd is very challenging. You need to have a lot of patience on doing this task