Tim L. Gardner - PTSD and Relationships: Loving Someone With PTSD

PTSD and Relationships

Loving Someone With PTSD

Tim L. Gardner

Copyright Tru Nobilis Publishing, 2020 - All rights reserved.

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Introduction

"Relationships don't last because of the good times; they last because the hard times were handled with love and care."

Anmol Andore

P ost-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, is a severe and devastating condition. Many individuals end up facing this issue after experiencing or witnessing traumas like war, accidents, sexual assault, kidnapping, and many more.

Many people end up suffering trauma at some pointstudies show that 70 percent of adults experience at least one traumatic event in their lives. What's more, 20 percent of the people who experience trauma will end up with PTSD.

This condition is one that should not be overlooked, because it affects every aspect of an individual's lifefrom their health down to their relationships. If you are in a relationship with someone who has PTSD, you likely already know that it can be extremely complicated and frustrating. In fact, many relationships end due to this condition.

To gain a better understanding of this impact, take a look at the following stats:

In the initial weeks and months after a trauma, survivors may feel detached, angry, and uncomfortable in their relationships. Many of them can get over this phase and go back to the previous state of closeness and intimacy in their relationships. However, the five to 10% of survivors who end up with PTSD may have issues maintaining relationships.

People with PTSD often struggle with work and other daily activities. This may also have an influence on the higher rates of unemployment and divorce. Combat veterans who have been diagnosed with this condition have reported difficulties in their marital lives. Studies show that almost 50 percent of their marriages end up in divorcein some cases, they may have more than one marriage end the same way.

Today, tons of relationships and families suffer because of a loved ones PTSD. This is primarily because many people don't know the steps to take to help their loved ones recover from the experience. If someone you love has PTSD, this is not the end of the world. This condition can be treated with the right knowledge, but you need to start taking steps today.

Many people have taken the wrong step by trying to sort this problem out by themselves only to watch things get worse and, in some cases, end up losing the relationship they are trying to save. In purchasing this book, you have already made a bold and strategic move in the right direction.

This book is your one-stop-shop for all the information you need regarding PTSD, how it affects your relationship, and more. In this book, you will also learn some of the following:

The causes and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.

How to ensure you don't develop caregiver burden.

The various forms of treatment available.

How to properly communicate with your loved one who has PTSD.

How to offer your loved one the right support.

All of this and more will be covered in detail within this book. PTSD can ruin lives and relationships if left untreated. If your loved one develops this condition and you don't take the right steps, you can slowly watch them change from the happy person they used to be into a shadow of their former selves. This is something you could be stuck with for the remainder of your lives, and I am confident this is not what you want.

To make sure this is not your story, its important to help your loved one get treatment nowand for you to educate yourself about the condition, too. This is not something to be postponed until you are ready. The longer you leave your loved one with this condition, the harder it will be to save your relationship. In fact, it could lead to the relationships end.

I have witnessed what PTSD can do to a person and their relationships. My sister had this problem for an extremely long time after surviving a toxic and abusive relationship. She was still able to manage it, but when I was through with my business degree and opened up my coffee shop, her condition worsened.

She soon started to withdraw from everyone, including me. She was always on edge and stopped doing the things she loved. Some days, all it took was something extremely minor to trigger her to blow up in anger. We all looked for ways to help her, but there was no solution coming forth. Then, one day, she had her usual outburst in front of my kids and hers, and I could see they were really scared of her. I knew that if this continued, she was going to lose everybody around her.

At that point, I decided to take action and intensify my search for a solution. I explained my decision to my wife, who was understanding and happy to provide me with the help I needed. With her support, I took up a part-time psychology degree online. By combining the knowledge I learned with my degree, interaction with other PTSD sufferers, and numerous support networks I created over the years, I was able to help save my sister from the claws of this dangerous condition.

It took a whole two years for her to get a hold of her life again. However, it was a fulfilling experience for every one of us involved. Getting my degree took me two years, and saving my sister took another two years. This, in addition to the extra five years I spent doing in-depth research on this condition and interacting with others who have experienced it, has made me a specialist in this field.