Do you know someone who is in the military or is a veteran who struggles with PTSD and don’t know how to help them?
Are you at your wits end on how to help a family member or colleague get relief and stop their suffering from PTSD and other fear related issues?
If so, here are 8 helpful tips to help the person cope in these kinds of situations.
1. Learn as much as you can in dealing PTSD, Anxiety, And Depression. There are many books and information that will educate you on how to deal with PTSD and mental health issues. Share this information with the person who is struggling. The main point is that the person who is struggling gets as much information as possible on how to overcome their PTSD. In addition, other family members should be aware on how to deal with someone who is struggling without making things worse. Education is the first step in overcoming a person’s mental health issues.
2. Be understanding and patient with the person struggling with their fears: Dealing with PTSD, depression, and anxiety can be difficult for the person so do not add more problems than what is already there.
Do not make things worse by getting into arguments with someone who is suffering. Yelling at your loved one with PTSD will only make things worse.
3. Talk to the person instead of talking at them: It is important not to lecture the person who is struggling with PTSD. Talk to the person about their issues without being rude. Most people will listen if you approach them in a proper manner. It is also important to listen to what they have to say so you get an idea of where that person is coming from.
4. Get the person to see a PTSD Counselor: It is very important to get the person who is struggling with PTSD to talk to a professional counselor. A counselor can give advice and ideas on how to overcome PTSD. Getting advice from a professional is the number one priority in helping your loved one deal with their mental health issues.
5. Find Out The Reasons Why The Person Won’t Get Assistance: Some PTSD sufferers may not want to get help for various reasons. If this happens, find out the reasons why that person won’t talk to a counselor. Many people who are struggling are fearful and frustrated. Try to find out the reasons why he or she won’t get the advice they need and then try to find ways that will overcome their resistance of seeking treatment. Addressing a person’s issues and fears of getting assistance will go a long way in helping your loved ones.
6. Your Learning How To Overcome Your PTSD. Some people in the military may think that getting help is a sign of weakness. In this case, remind your loved ones that they are not asking for help.
Instead, they are learning how to overcome their PTSD. Remind your military friends and fellow veterans that when they were in the military, they had to constantly learn new ways of doing things. Every member of the military had to learn new things on a regular basis during their time in the service. Dealing with PTSD is no different. There is nothing wrong with learning new things; whether your learning how to start a new job, learning a new hobby, learning how to drive a car, or learning how to deal with your fears and PTSD. Learning is learning and there is nothing wrong with that.
7. Find a local veteran’s support group for your loved one. It is also important that the person who is struggling join a local veteran’s support group so they can get advice from other veterans. Many people who have been in the military and are struggling with PTSD will be better able to relate to other veterans who may have similar experiences and insights.
8. How To Deal With The Nightmares: Many veterans and military members who have been in combat may get nightmares regarding their past war time experiences.
It is not easy to stop the nightmares, but you can start to reduce the frequency of these dreams by getting advice from a PTSD counselor or local veteran’s group. The more time you spend in getting assistance to address your PTSD issues, the better the chances that you will be able to reduce those nightmares. Some veterans turn to drugs and alcohol to fix their problems, but that will only make things worse. In addition, suicide is not the answer.
A person can overcome their PTSD by learning how to overcome their mental health issues. Making excuses or ignoring your problems will not make your problems go away. Do yourself a favor and make the choice to get the assistance you need to overcome your PTSD once and for all!
By Stan Popovich
About Stan Popovich
Stan is the author of a popular managing fear book, “A Layman’s Guide To Managing Fear.” Stan’s book has received over 400 book reviews and offers a lot of free mental health advice on his website. For more information and some more helpful advice, visit Stan’s website at www.managingfear.com
