Dr. John A. King explains how spouses, family members, and colleagues can support someone with PTSD. Start by admitting you don't have it, ask what they need, and be present. Often that's enough to let them cope without escalating tension.
Hey, Mel and I often get contacted from people who are married, spouses of people who suffer from post-traumatic stress. They don't have it. They want to understand it. Well, we've had tremendous response from those folks buying the book, reading the book, sharing it with their partner, and whole families have been changed dramatically. But say you're in the workplace. Say you're at a family gathering and something happens and you know someone's got PTS. You don't. What do you do? Yep. Simple tip from experience. Go up to them and say, listen, I don't understand what you're going through. I don't have PTSD. What can I do to help? And that's it. More often than not, that'll be like a pin to a balloon. Pop! Take all the tension out of it. And they'll either have a little cry, go have a beer, take you for a walk. Just say, you know what? It's just a tough day. And thanks so much for chatting. It's just the fact that someone can see you Not see what you're battling, but see you that makes all the difference.
