Kitta said 10 years, 1 month ago:

My boyfriend is a combat veteran with a PTSD diagnosis. He isn’t bothered by it often, but lately he’s been waking up with nightmares and I’m concerned. Most of the time he just says, “You don’t need to hear about it.” When I ask him if he wants to talk. I grew up a little sheltered and the few times I have gotten him to talk it was quite horrifying. It’s hard listening … I can’t imagine what it would have been like to be there.

Does anyone here have combat related PTSD, or a loved one with it? Anyone have any tips on ways I can be supportive and try to help him?

Kitta said 10 years, 1 month ago:

Thank you. I do try to get him to speak, gently of course. I feel so unequipped to be his listener sometimes, though. Like I said, I’m quite sheltered and when he talks about things that are horrifying I can’t help but have nightmares too. :/ It feels kind of like a lose-lose situation sometimes.

Liz G. said 9 years, 11 months ago:

My spouse and I both have PTSD. One of the BEST ways that we have been able to overcome this was by meditation! I can tell you that my spouse (NAVY, SPECIAL OPERATIONS)is a completely different person. I have learned not to pry and ask questions BUT to always been available when he wants to vent or if he decides to open up about anything. Also, my prying has led to countless issues in the past. One day I just told my spouse that I would always been there ANYTIME he wanted to talk if he ever did and recommended that he talk to a therapist about his issues when he was ready.

We’ve never been so happy!