As you watch your friend silently suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), you may feel helpless as to what you can do for them. Getting them to admit that they are battling something as serious as PTSD can be rather difficult. Your friend could be in the military or a first responder who has to be strong for their employment, or someone who has endured abuse and trauma, which they do not care to recall.
You may feel like you are enabling their behavior if you do not help them, or you may feel like you are meddling if you try to push them towards getting help that they may never accept. Since you feel defeated as a friend because you are unsure what you should do, here are some pointers to help your friend through their PTSD.
Educate Yourself
By learning the ins and outs of PTSD, you are giving your support to their recovery. The circumstances that caused their trauma can be harrowing. Educating yourself on what the symptoms are, what could potentially trigger them, and how you should support them is a loving gesture that can bring them some hope.
Plan Accordingly
Those who suffer from PTSD may become reclusive to keep their symptoms at bay. Choose an environment to hang out with them that is conducive to preventing triggers for them. Loud, crowded, or unruly places can make your friend feel unsafe. Instead of being able to enjoy themselves, they may find their anxiety heightened and having flashbacks of the past. Be sensitive to who you bring around them and where you take them, so that they can have a pleasurable time instead of regretting going out with you.
Support Them
PTSD can take a toll on a relationship because of symptoms that could make them more aggressive and less affectionate. Understanding that these symptoms can have an adverse effect on their behavior can assist you in not taking things so personal. Being there and listening to them is the key to building their trust. Understand that anything could set them off and vividly trigger their trauma like they were still there. Empathy will go a long way with helping them get through any heightened circumstances without making them feel embarrassed.
Keep in mind that someone trying to recover from PTSD can feel like everything is going well and then in one split second feel like they are in immense danger. Walk with them and encourage them because you may be one of the few reliable sources they have to feel safe.
At The Guest House, our comfort-focused services mean that our guests can feel safe and worry-free during their recovery with us. We provide top-tier amenities along with a haven of solidarity and solitude where they can recover from the stress and pain of living while carrying the burden of trauma. We welcome anyone from all walks of life to come and focus on their recovery with us. We offer step-by-step care and support that gives our clients the solution they need to live a happy, sober, and fulfilling life.
Call us today for information on our trauma treatment programs and our concierge-style customization for every guest at (855) 483-7800.