How do you know if your soldier’s anxiety, anger, unexpected emotional torrents and interpersonal difficulties are PTS or PTSD? When should we encourage our spouses to talk to someone?
Each of us knows our spouses individually. We know them, hopefully, well enough to spot differences in behavior, in attributes, in daily struggles.
To decide when to intervene on their behalf. Right?
It’s tricky. It can be a fine line in the sand, one that often gets reexamined and redrawn.
Examine your relationship with your spouse: Is there a response to your desire to help? To unconditional love, to acceptance, to ultimatums? Does it feel like your marriage or relationship is breaking down? Is there too much pleading, ignoring and anger? Is there a refusal to seek help?
When do you start to worry – When “I’ll definitely go talk to someone” turns into “I wasn’t really going to call them”?
Are you burdened by care, weighed down by an inexplicable heaviness?
“The best thing Veterans can do when they experience symptoms of PTS is to get as much information as possible. As with any challenge, knowledge and preparation will make a big difference,” Friedman said. “Knowing what to expect will help Veterans and their loved ones identify when issues are going deeper. When you find you can’t function, have trouble with work or school, you can’t sleep, are constantly jumpy and on-guard, feel uncomfortable without a firearm, can’t accept the love and support from family and friends, those are signs you may have more than typical readjustment stress.”
