If you have a relationship with someone who is struggling with PTSD, here are the symptoms and tools to help you talk with them, understand them and help them.
PTSD, or post-traumatic stress disorder, is a mental illness. It can crop up after a threatening experience or the witness of a traumatic event. Most people struggling with PTSD develop it within a month of the event. In contrast, others may not suffer it until years later.
If you have a friend with PTSD, you may not know how to be there for them. Being a support to them is essential.
Thankfully, there are steps you can take to ensure you give them the help they need. And I’m here to explain it all.
I’m sharing this guide on the symptoms and tools of someone struggling with PTSD because I’m a bestselling author on anxiety – with about 2 million books sold globally.
Plus I founded the therapist recommended self-paced online course called The Anxiety Cure.
I love to help people to live calmer, happier lives.
So I decided to share this helpful information about the symptoms and tools to help someone with PTSD.
Below, we discuss PTSD symptoms and examples of how you can effectively respond to a loved one.
If your friend struggles with PTSD, they may have flashbacks. During a flashback, their entire being is in the throes of the event. This is still the case even if they are safely seated in front of you.
Flashbacks are terrifying. Your friend may lash out if you try to get close to them. Instead, ask them what they’re seeing. Find out what response they are suffering. Keep them grounded with simple questions and help them to return to their current reality.
Your friend may have been in a car wreck or was car-jacked at a particular location. If they have PTSD from the event, they may refuse to drive in that area again. Some people may drive miles out of their way to avoid going to the place where the car accident took place.
A friend trying to avoid their symtoms may get triggered by actions they undertook before the traumatic event. Perhaps your friend was assaulted at a bar or is the survivor of date rape. When making plans with them, look for non-threatening ways to get together. Your outing should not push them into a situation similar to what they experienced.
Perhaps your friend wants to try going back to a bar. In such a case, you can ride together. Going together eliminates them having to wait alone. Increase their sense of safety by sticking together. Taking small actions like this may be the best way to support them.
When trapped in a PTSD cycle, it can be easy to fall into hopelessness. Survivors of traumatic events are often told they are lucky and should be grateful to have survived. However, a survivor also knows that terrible things can easily happen again.
Pay attention to your friend’s body language. Perhaps your friend was comfortable with gestures. Now, they keep their hands folded in their lap. Maybe they were verbally and vocally boisterous. However, now they speak seldom or use a flat tone of voice.
You don’t have to be visibly sad to be impacted by depression. Those with PTSD often fall into an abyss of nothingness. The depression they feel leaves no room for joy.
You may have a friend dealing with the memories of a traumatic event. If you notice them shutting down, do everything you can to get them to talk to a professional.
Often, survivors of physical trauma become hypersensitive to movement around them. If you’ve ever put on your jacket and bumped the person next to you as you put on your sleeve, you know you didn’t intend to hit them. An apology should be enough, right?
A person living with PTSD may need to step back from you to ensure the contact does not trigger them. For a time, they may need to:
The fear reaction can be so intense that your friend can’t catch their breath. They may develop hiccups or even become nauseated.
To overcome getting so physically wound up, an option for your friend is to use medical marijuana. Since they have PTSD, they can likely get a medical marijuana card. Veriheal makes it easy to apply for a medical marijuana card online. Even better, medical marijuana cards are available in various states, such as Connecticut.
A measured dose of a soothing cannabis product may lessen the extreme agitation that a flashback or sudden physical contact can cause.
No matter what, give your loved one time. It takes time to come down from a flashback. It may be a year or two before they willingly drive through a particular intersection. They may avoid bars for a while, even if you ride together. Be patient. The fear is real and present, even if the traumatic event happened years ago.
Exolore the therapist recommended audio and video course: The Anxiety Cure.
P.S. Before you zip off to your next Internet pit stop, check out these 2 game changers below - that could dramatically upscale your life.
1. Check Out My Book On Enjoying A Well-Lived Life: It’s called "Your To Die For Life: How to Maximize Joy and Minimize Regret Before Your Time Runs Out." Think of it as your life’s manual to cranking up the volume on joy, meaning, and connection. Learn more here.
2. Life Review Therapy - What if you could get a clear picture of where you are versus where you want to be, and find out exactly why you’re not there yet? That’s what Life Review Therapy is all about.. If you’re serious about transforming your life, let’s talk. Book a FREE consult call here.
Think about subscribing for free weekly tools here.
No SPAM, ever! Read the Privacy Policy for more information.
