How To Calm Someone Down With Ptsd

Helping Someone With Ptsd Tip : Provide Social Support

Its common for people with PTSD to withdraw from family and friends. They may feel ashamed, not want to burden others, or believe that other people wont understand what theyre going through. While its important to respect your loved ones boundaries, your comfort and support can help them overcome feelings of helplessness, grief, and despair. In fact, trauma experts believe that face-to-face support from others is the most important factor in PTSD recovery.

Knowing how to best demonstrate your love and support for someone with PTSD isn’t always easy. You can’t force your loved one to get better, but you can play a major role in the healing process by simply spending time together.

Don’t pressure your loved one into talking. It can be very difficult for people with PTSD to talk about their traumatic experiences. For some, it can even make them feel worse. Instead, let them know you’re willing to listen when they want to talk, or just hang out when they don’t. Comfort for someone with PTSD comes from feeling engaged and accepted by you, not necessarily from talking.

Do normal things with your loved one, things that have nothing to do with PTSD or the traumatic experience. Encourage your loved one to seek out friends, pursue hobbies that bring them pleasure, and participate in rhythmic exercise such as walking, running, swimming, or rock climbing. Take a fitness class together, go dancing, or set a regular lunch date with friends and family.

What Not To Say To Someone With Ptsd

1. Youll Get Over It

When it comes to depression, anxiety, or even burnout, telling someone to get over it is not the right thing to do. It can make them feel like they are not strong enough to cope with their disorder.

The same applies to someone with PTSD. Any trauma survivor deals with a pain that can seem unresolvable and when someone tells them to get over it, they can feel like they are the problem and they dont have what it takes to cope with their trauma. Avoid this statement at all costs.

2. Its Just a Shock, Thats All

Trauma can be shocking, yes but it can continue to shock the person-years after the initial experience. PTSD can be like the ripple effect and can keep affecting a person.

If someone is caught in a trigger, their mind will automatically react to the trauma which can be shocking and can make them avoid specific situations at all costs. PTSD is not just about being too shocked, keep this in mind and avoid saying this to someone with PTSD.

3. You Werent In Combat

Another thing you need to understand is that not only veterans and people whove been in combat experience trauma and PTSD. PTSD is a disorder that can affect anyone, regardless of their trauma and experience.

There is no greater trauma than PTSD and saying this statement is only disregarding your loved ones trauma which is not the right thing to do.

4. You Need To Let It Go

5. Others Experiences Are Worse

6. Your Experiences Are Irrational

8. It Couldve Been Worse

How To Diagnose Ptsd

The first step in diagnosing trauma is making an appointment with a doctor, preferably someone trained in mental health disorders. The doctor will talk with the patient to determine their state of mind. The practitioner will have to determine whether the prerequisite symptoms for PTSD are present before deciding how to proceed. For a diagnosis of PTSD, the patient must have experienced the following for at least one month:

• At least one event in which they re-experience symptoms
• At least three avoidance symptoms
• At least two hyperarousal symptoms
• Symptoms that interfere with daily life activities

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Does Ptsd Get Worse Over Time

Post-traumatic stress disorder is a debilitating mental health condition that is triggered by a distressing event. It can get better or worse over time and often takes an unpredictable course. The good news is that there are treatments available that work to ensure a healthy and sustainable recovery.

Alternate Actions To Help Your Loved One:

Writers Thoughts

If your loved one is struggling with PTSD, avoid the above-listed statements and phrases. Instead, use alternate phrases and actions to support your loved one. What theyve experienced can never truly be understood but helping them heal from, even through your words and actions, can mean a lot!

I hope these above-listed statements will help you communicate with your loved one with PTSD better. If you need additional help, you can connect with a professional counselor.

You can write to us at or DM us on social media to share your thoughts on this article. You can also comment down below what you think of this article and if there are other phrases or actions we missed that one should not do to someone with PTSD.

Take care and be safe!

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How To Recognize Ptsd

How to recognize PTSD without raising tensions is to look for avoidance symptoms, such as unreasonable guilt, fretfulness and depression. Observe if your loved one avoids the place, objects or events that pertain to the traumatic experience. Determine if a lack of enthusiasm for activities that were previously enjoyable is present. Also, be aware of hyperarousal symptoms. These can be outbursts of anger, sleep disturbances, tension or being easily startled.

How To Help Someone With Ptsd Sleep

Sleep problems and anxiety disorders often go hand in hand. When your mind is restless with worry, it can be hard to get to sleep at night. However, PTSD comes with the added complication of nightmares and sleep disturbances. That means when you do get to sleep, you may not get good rest. Nightmares may wake you up, or cause restless sleep, leaving you feeling tired the next day. Sleep disorders are common health problems in the United States, but its a serious issue.

Sleep problems can contribute to several mental and physical health problems, including poor concentration, depression, obesity, and heart disease. Getting your sleep under control can be an important step in addressing broader mental health issues.

If PTSD is the reason a loved one is struggling to sleep, a few things may help in addition to treating PTSD directly. Good habits that promote sleep are called good sleep hygiene. Several ways to improve sleep hygiene include the following:

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Plan Ahead For Difficult Times

When your friend or relative is feeling well, it can be helpful to discuss with them how you can help if they become unwell or if a crisis happens. You could:

• encourage them to write a
• discuss which symptoms you can look out for
• get to know their triggers and plan how to cope with them.

This can help them to avoid crises or manage them differently in future where possible. When having these conversations, make sure you also think about how much you can cope with and try to only offer support that you feel able to give. It is important to look after yourself too.

For more information see our pages on planning for a crisis, helping someone else seek help and advocacy.

Tips on helping someone who is experiencing a flashback

Flashbacks are vivid experiences in which someone relives aspects of a traumatic event. It can be hard to know how to help during a flashback, but you don’t need special training to support someone who is having one. It could help if you:

• try to stay calm
• gently tell them that they are having a flashback
• avoid making any sudden movements
• encourage them to breathe slowly and deeply
• encourage them to describe their surroundings.

See our sections on and for more information.

Dont Be Too Hard On Yourself

One more thing you should definitely do if you have PTSD: Be kind to yourself. That advice probably makes you roll your eyes but sometimes, cheesy advice rings true. PTSD can cause feelings of guilt, shame and anger. When youre feeling down, it can help to remember that its not you. Its the disorder.

PTSD changes the structure of your brain, Dr. Wimbiscus points out. Think about that: Your brain is physically different than it used to be. PTSD is not caused by weakness, and you cant just make yourself get over it.

So what should you do when youre feeling hopeless? Remember that hopelessness, too, can be a symptom of the disorder.

And try to follow Dr. Wimbiscus advice: Focus on getting through your daily tasks, and know that it gets better. Allow time to do its work. It may be a struggle right now, but time is one of our greatest healers. There is hope.

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Avoid Technology For At Least An Hour Before You Go To Bed

Technology can have negative effects on us for a number of reasons, particularly when were trying to go to bed.

Thats largely down to the fact that most electronic devices emit blue light which stimulates the brain, making it much more difficult to switch off for sleep.23

Avoid looking at your phone or tablet for at least an hour before bedtime if you can.

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How To Help Someone With Complex Ptsd

Its awful to see someone you love suffer. You see how anxious and triggered they can get. Their mood swings. You see how troubled they become in intimate relationships. And you say to yourself I wish I knew how to help someone with Complex PTSD.

Complex PTSD is the result of surviving repeated abuse. Sadly, it often occurs at the hands of those who are supposed to love and care for us the most. Often the signs of complex trauma are overlooked. The survivor my struggle with how to explain complex PTSD to their loved ones.

Its this fact that is makes recovery from C-PTSD so challenging.

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What Can I Do If I Am Not Happy With My Treatment

If you are not happy with your treatment you can:

• talk to your doctor about your treatment options,
• ask for a second opinion,
• ask a relative, friend or advocate to help you speak your doctor,
• contact Patient Advice and Liaison Service , or
• make a complaint.

There is more information about these options below.

Treatment options

You should first speak to your doctor about your treatment. Explain why you are not happy with it. You could ask what other treatments you could try.

Tell your doctor if there is a type of treatment that you would like to try. Doctors should listen to your preference. If you are not given this treatment, ask your doctor to explain why it is not suitable for you.

Second opinion

A second opinion means that you would like a different doctor to give their opinion about what treatment you should have. You can also ask for a second opinion if you disagree with your diagnosis.

You dont have a legal right to a second opinion. But your doctor should listen to your reason for wanting a second opinion.

Advocacy

An advocate is independent from the mental health service. They are free to use. They can be useful if you find it difficult to get your views heard.

There are different types of advocates available. Community advocates can support you to get a health professional to listen to your concerns. And help you to get the treatment that you would like.

You can find out more about:

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How Can I Support Someone Who Has Experienced A Traumatic Event

The following things can help to support someone who has been through something traumatic:

• Be there – Offer to spend time with them. If they dont want to see you, it can help to let them know that you will still be there if they change their mind. While you should avoid nagging them, it may be helpful to nudge them to accept your support.
• Listen Try not to pressure them into sharing if they dont want to. If they do want to talk, try to listen and not interrupt or share your own experiences.
• Ask general questions If you do ask questions, try to make them general and non-judgemental. For example, you might want to ask have you spoken to anyone else about this? or can I help you to find some extra support?
• Offer practical help – They may find it more of a struggle to look after themselves and keep to a daily routine. Offer some help, such as cleaning or preparing a meal.

You should try to avoid:

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Where To Find Ptsd Treatment For A Friend Or Family Member

You can contact hospitals in your area or your doctor for advice. Check with local mental health facilities or support groups that can also supply you with information. University medical centers are good resources.

Were here 24/7 to help you. Please, dont hesitate to contact us at . Right now, its not too late to stop your loved ones illness from progressing call now.

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Support For People Taking Care Of Veterans

If the person you’re caring for is a military veteran, read PTSD in Military Veterans. To find financial and caregiving support:

• In the U.S., visit VA Caregiver Support to explore your options, or call Coaching into Care at 823-7458.
• For families of military veterans in other countries, see the Get more help section below for online resources.

A Guide to VA Mental Health Services for Veterans & Families Including programs and resources for PTSD.

Help for family members of veterans in other countries

Helpline In the UK, family members or carers worried about the mental health of a veteran can call .

Help for Families In Canada, veterans family members can contact a local Family Peer Support Coordinator.

Veterans’ Families In Australia, family members can find resources or call 1800 011 046.

What to do in a crisis situation

If you believe your loved one is at an immediate risk for suicide, do NOT leave the person alone. In the U.S., dial 911 or call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.

In other countries, call your countrys emergency services number or visit IASP to find a suicide prevention helpline.

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Learn To Recognize Your Anger

There are different types of anger that you could be experiencing. If you experience PTSD, it’s important to learn how to identify your anger. Constructive anger is different than deconstructive anger. Constructive anger is something that you can control and helps you to control the situation with a healthy response. It’s a healthy form of anger where you can see another persons point of view, but perhaps you dont agree with it.

When you can recognize your anger, you can begin to address it. This will help you to identify if you are having healthy anger that you can control and respond to in a healthy way or unhealthy anger that you need to learn how to address.

Service dogs aren’t just for people who have physical disabilities. There are psychiatric service dogs that are trained to help people who are struggling with mental health challenges. For example, a dog that’s trained for someone with PTSD can be trained to create a barrier between their owner and others, go around corners first to check for people, and sense when their owner is having a nightmare and wake them up. Dogs can be trained to sense anxiety levels and to remind people to take their medication.

Psychiatric service dogs are different than therapy dogs.

What Are The Signs & Symptoms Of Ptsd

Most kids and teens with PTSD will:

• have upsetting thoughts of the trauma
• have bad dream or sleep problems
• have bad memories, called flashbacks, that make it seem like the trauma is still happening
• avoid things that remind them of the trauma
• be more easily startled, scared, or anxious
• feel more moody, sad, angry, or not enjoy things as before
• not remember some parts of what happened

Younger children may show more fearful and regressive behaviors They may re-enact the trauma through play.

When symptoms like these happen in the first days and weeks after the trauma, it may be called an acute stress reaction. Doctors diagnose PTSD when symptoms last longer than a month.

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Examples Of What Can Cause Cptsd

• Childhood trauma

• Childhood neglect

• Attachment disruption

• Foster care youth who moved often and were housing unstable/lacking consistency growing up

• Witnessing violence

• Growing up in poverty

• Community violence , not feeling safe to leave your home, living in an area with a lot of gang violence)

• Homelessness and/or housing instability

• Sexual assault and violence

• Survivors of genocide

• Survivors of enslavement

• Im exhausted no matter how much I sleep

• I dont like looking people in the eyes

• I dont like to be touched

• I dont like be to close to others physically and emotionally