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Living with PTSD can be devastating, not just for service members but also for their families.

There is a well-established connectionbetween PTSD and relationship problems. Veterans with PTSD are twice as likely to get divorced and three times more likely to be divorced more than once. In addition to that, veterans with PTSD are also much more likely to commit violence against a family member.

Getting help is important, not just for yourself, but for the people that matter most to you.

It doesn’t have to be this way. PTSD is treatable, and it’s up to family members to encourage their loved one to seek help and to facilitate the treatment process, and the first step is gathering information.

Time to Seek Treatment

There are four main symptoms associated with PTSD:

• Reliving the event: Vivid memories of the event resurfacing without warning. This may include nightmares or flashbacks.
• Social withdrawal: Avoiding activities or people who remind you of the event.
• Emotional numbness: Difficulty expressing feelings or discussing the trauma.
• Anxiety/Hyperarousal: Feeling constantly on edge or watching for threats. May also be associated with quick mood swings to anger or irritability.

If you or someone you love is experiencing one or more of these symptoms for an extended period, it’s time to seek treatment. Here’s a look at several different approaches.

Types of Treatment

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

CBT is a type of psychotherapy and has proven very effective against PTSD. The goal is to make patients more aware of the thoughts and feelings associated with the trauma and help them develop coping mechanisms. There are two main methods of CBT:

• Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) works to help patients examine thoughts and feelings associated with the trauma and to develop tools for changing these patterns.
• Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE) exposes the patient to situations that force them to confront the trauma. While this can be stressful initially, repeated exposure to stimulus in a safe environment can help the patient overcome their fear.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)

EMDR stresses hand movements or body tapping while discussing a traumatic event. Over time, patients become more aware of these physical reactions to stress, resulting in an increased ability to manage symptoms later.

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)

These medications heighten serotonin levels in the brain in order to help an individual deal with PTSD symptoms. Like other medications, there is a possibility of unwanted side effects such as nausea, decreased sexual appetite and drowsiness.

Caring for the Caretakers

While a strong support network of family members and friends can make a world of difference in a veteran’s recovery, it’s important for those people to take care of themselves too, especially spouses.

Taking care of someone with PTSD can be incredibly stressful, and it’s important that spouses take care of themselves as well.

Spouses of veterans with PTSD are particularly susceptible to their own stress-related disorders, such as caregiver burden or secondary PTSD.  These are disorders in which the strain of caring for someone with a chronic illness creates a secondary condition in the caretaker.

Caregiver burden can occur as the result of being the only one capable of working, managing finances and parenting in addition to the responsibilities of caring for a loved one full time. Research has shown that as symptoms worsen for veterans suffering from PTSD, so, too, does the stress of the spouse trying to care for them.

Secondary PTSD symptoms often mirror those of the afflicted spouse. It can result from listening to a loved one describe a traumatic event in great detail, causing listeners to feel as if they experienced the same event. Spouses suffering from secondary PTSD can actually have dreams of the traumatic event, and exhibit many of the same symptoms as normal PTSD. Fortunately, it is also very treatable, usually through therapy, and symptoms tend to disappear quickly.

Spouses need to make sure that while taking care of their loved ones, they also make time to take care of themselves. There are support groups available specifically for spouses of veterans with PTSD. Even stepping away for a short amount of time each day can drastically reduce the stress associated with being a caregiver.

In the end, the health and happiness of your family is the most important thing. If you know a veteran suffering with PTSD, help them get the treatment they need and deserve.

Photos courtesy of the The National Guard and chmeredith

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