Seeing someone you care about experiencing PTSD can be hard and cause you a lot of worry, but offering your support and care can be important to the person’s recovery.
If the person wants your support some things you can do to are listed below:
- Listening – giving the person the opportunity to talk to you honestly and openly in their own time and at their own pace. Try to listen without passing judgement and try to avoid dismissing their feelings, even if you find it hard to understand.
- Learn about what can make PTSD worse, such as situations, conversations, people, noises, etc. Knowing this information can help you be more prepared for these situations in the future.
- Plan ahead and put things in place for if or when things are particularly challenging, such as how they would like support, knowing what signs to look out for that they may not be feeling as great.
- Be aware that someone with PTSD may find it claustrophobic to have someone around them all the time, and they may also struggle with personal space, as they can often be on edge following the trauma they’ve experienced.
- Help your friend or family member to find further support, such as a GP, therapy, groups for people living with PTSD.