4 Ways to Cope With Family Members Who Have PTSD

1. Understand the Condition

If a family member suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), education can foster coping skills. The condition has a marked and specific psychological effect on the afflicted person, which stems from her struggle to integrate traumatic memories. This struggle manifests itself through psychological and behavioral symptoms, which include anxiety, depression, social isolation, flashbacks of the traumatic event and in extreme cases, suicidal or homicidal ideations. A doctor and therapy team can help you learn more about your family member's disorder and cope with it more effectively.

2. Accommodate the Patient's Specific Needs

You may be required to make lifestyle adjustments to soothe your family member's PTSD symptoms. Since flashbacks of the trauma can be triggered by sights, smells and sounds that remind the patient of the traumatic event, you should understand what your loved one's triggers are and work to avoid them. Anniversaries of the traumatic event are particularly difficult for PTSD sufferers. You should anticipate anniversaries and plan activities to keep the patient productively occupied leading up to and following the anniversary.

3. Be Patient and Supportive

People with post-traumatic stress disorder often seek solitude as a means of avoiding the anxieties and fears associated with the condition. They often show markedly diminished interest in social and leisure activities and may even lash out at you as a means of carving out their space. Such behavior belies their true feelings, and continued patience, communication and support can help both you and the patient cope more effectively and expedite the healing process.

4. Participate in Family Therapy

Individual therapy and group sessions with other PTSD sufferers are vital tools in any complete recovery program. As a family member, you can and should participate. While the structures of treatment center programs vary according to the individual needs of their patients, families are almost always invited to take part in special education sessions and therapy meetings. If family therapy isn't encouraged by a particular recovery program, you can also seek it independently once the patient completes his program.