Because it’s not just the two of you anymore, you will need this PTSD relationship guide. PTSD moved in and is vying for your partner, friend, or family member’s attention. And PTSD wants a love triangle. Life after trauma can consume your relationship if you don’t know how to survive it.
But don’t give up too soon. You and your partner can make it. Yes, you’ll need survival skills to prevent your relationship from succumbing. But you needn’t let PTSD take over. To survive this difficult time, it’s important to understand the nature of your situation, prepare for ensuing difficulties, and meet your basic needs.
Consider this 5-step PTSD Relationship survival guide
Survival Tip #1: Take Refuge in Support
Your relationship will need to be supported, reinforced, and nurtured. Surviving PTSD and relationship strain means first finding emotional shelter.Seek somewhere or someone safe and supportive to begin rebuilding emotional ties damaged by the disorder. Seeking treatment is vital for personal and relationship recovery. If you’re hesitant, try to embrace treatment in the following ways:
Consider the advantages. Treatments like solution based therapy can help restore a sense of safety and control.
Focus on individual issues. Start therapy by working through your anger or intimacy issues.
Embrace group or family therapy. Relationship building with other trauma survivors and family members can be beneficial for creating more compassion and connection.
Survival Tip #2: Strengthen your Emotional Awareness
Your relationships will benefit from openness, honesty, understanding, and respect.It's okay that you feel vulnerable, detached, angry, or anxious. Trauma survivors may feel too stuck to trust anyone else right now. Family and friends often feel helpless and rejected.
Everyday may be a struggle for individual peace of mind and emotional endurance. A big part of any relationship is honesty and sharing emotions. Look closely (and bravely) at where you are. Witness how your mind and body are responding to the trauma memory. There may be obstacles, but together you can face the journey if you have a true sense of where you’re beginning.
Survival Tip #3: Establish Communication and Reestablish Connection
Your relationship will be strengthened through problem-solving and conflict-resolution skills. Surviving PTSD requires cooperation and productive interaction. This is the way back to trust and intimacy. Use the listening skills learned through therapy. Avoid blame. You’re both hurting. Studies reveal that health and healing are closely tied to meaningful interaction and productive communication. Tell your partner or loved one the truth. Try to be empathetic and solution-focused. Commit to working on your relationship in the here and now.
Survival Tip: #4: Learn to Recognize and Manage the Symptoms
Your relationship journey demands realistic preparation.
Become aware of and address triggers together. Discuss scenarios and strategies for coping with them.
If safety is a concern, don't delay seeking professional help immediately.
Practice being in the moment and have a plan for good self-care. Techniques like mindfulness meditation may help lessen anxiety.
Survival Tip: #5: Protect your Relationship with Fun
Your relationship deserves some joy. Survive the PTSD and relationship stress by protecting your connection with laughter and relaxation. PTSD doesn’t like to stick around for playfulness.Both organized and spontaneous attempts to relish your relationship helps ward off PTSD symptoms.
Recovery is possible with the right support and by following these PTSD relationship tips. Though you may have to wait it out at times and tough it out during others, you can actually do much more than survive.Commit to the person or people you love. Reach out for competent, compassionate guidance.Love and be loved through the pain of PTSD.
If you're seeking for a psychotherapist and would like some further help accepting this PTSD relationship advice, please get in touch with me for a free consultation to see how I can help.
Click here to learn more about my offerings: PTSD Treatment. Serving Boulder, Longmont, Denver.
For your other needs, you can count on April Lyons Psychotherapy Group, to help you heal and grow through EMDR therapy, somatic therapy, and trauma therapy – because we believe in your strength and potential for recovery.
