The Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Support Center

Every person is unique, but when you face a challenge like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), you are never alone.  Countless men, women, and children have faced exactly the same diagnosis and have survived and thrived. The following guide is designed to help you navigate your journey with the best information and resources that helped other survivors when they faced the same challenge.  

TSC has scoured the Web to gather together links to the very best post-traumatic stress disorder resources: articles, blogs, forums, and tools that can help you make better decisions and take action to overcome the range of challenges you're facing now.

As you’ll see, we always welcome your ideas and suggestions to make this post-traumatic stress disorder guide even more helpful to survivors like you.  

JUST FOUND OUT 

Survivors Say: Best Resources for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

• National Institute of Mental Health: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• United States Department of Veterans Affairs: National Center for PTSD

The Big Picture

    
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder that can occur after you have been through a traumatic event. A traumatic event is something so unpleasant or frightening that your brain is overwhelmed. During this type of event, you may think that your life or others' lives are in danger. You may feel afraid or feel that you have no control over what is happening.

Want to know more about the most common signs of post-traumatic stress disorder? Here's a good source to learn more:

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs: What is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)?

Your Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

To better understand your specific case of post-traumatic stress disorder, read this helpful FAQ:

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs: Frequently Asked Questions

It can be difficult to tell the difference between normal stress as a reaction to a traumatic incident, and PTSD, which is more serious:

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs: How is PTSD Measured?

As you're assesed to see whether you have PTSD or not, here's what you should know:

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs: FAQs About PTSD Assessment

Your World

After being diagnosed with any disorder, it's understandable if you experience a flood of emotions -- from worry about what you PTSD diagnosis will mean for the rest of your life to relief that you finally have a name for what you've been struggling with. It's important to talk with your loved ones and reach out to support centers - online or in person -- during the initial stages of your journey:

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs: Web Resources

If you're having problems figuring out what exactly to say to your family or friends after being diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, here's some help:

About.com: PTSD - How to Tell Someone About Your PTSD

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Myths

• "Post-traumatic stress disorder only affects veterans."
• "People who have PTSD are weak; they should just get over it." 
• "Someone who is not depressed does not have PTSD."

Information and Recommended Links for Survivors

• U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs: Finding a Therapist
• U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs: How Can I Find A Support Group?
• National Institute for Mental Health: How to Get Help for Anxiety Disorders

Types of Treatment

Today, there are good treatments available for PTSD, including different types of psychotherapy and medications. When you have PTSD dealing with the past can be hard. Instead of telling others how you feel, you may keep your feelings bottled up. But talking with a therapist can help you get better.

Cognitive behavioral therapy & other types of psychotherapy

In cognitive therapy, your therapist helps you understand and change how you think about your trauma and its aftermath. Your goal is to understand how certain thoughts about your trauma cause you stress and make your symptoms worse.

National Center for PTSD: Treatment of PTSD

Medication

The first link is to a doctor's guide to PTSD drugs, while the second link has information written for laypeople:

National Center for PTSD: A Clinician's Guide to Medications for PTSD

About.com: PTSD - Medications for PTSD

Possible Treatment Side Effects

Every drug has the possibilty of side effects: 

National Institute of Mental Health: PTSD Medications

New Therapies

Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is a fairly new therapy for PTSD. Like other kinds of counseling, it can help change how you react to memories of your trauma:

EMDR Institute: Is EMDR An Efficacious Treatment for PTSD?

Holistic Treatments

Relaxation Training

Techniques that help quiet the mind and body can help ease the experience of post-traumatic stress disorder:

RealMentalHealth.com: Relaxation Techniques for Anxiety and Stress

Creating a Support Circle

• Set up your TSC survivor profile.
• Join support groups of other survivors or set up your own.
• Interact and provide updates on your TSC profile or in the TSC forums.
  

Insurance Matters

Mental Health America: How to Pay for Treatment

Mental Health America: How Can I Get Help Paying for My Prescriptions?

Health-care Providers Who Can Help

Mental health professionals (psychiatrists, psychologists, counselors, therapists) are the health-care providers who generally treat post-traumatic stress disorder. Pediatricians that specialize in these areas are also available for treating children with PTSD. Your team of health professionals may include other physicians, nurses, social workers, case managers and nutritionists.

For a list of mental health care providers, check out this database:

SAMHSA: Mental Health Database

Resources to Find Therapists

How to Choose a Therapist

Sidran Institute: Post-Traumatic Stress and Dissociative Conditions - What to Look for and How to Choose a Therapist

Search PTSD Centers

National Center for PTSD: Web Resources

The Emotional Rollercoaster

Dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is often difficult, especially early on. It's important to do your best to continue living your life normally, participating in the same daily activities you've always done. Sticking with treatment and any medication is essential, and you may find it helpful to join a support group - either online or in person -- to help you stay on an even keel emotionally.

Iraq War Veterans Organization, Inc. - PTSD

Meetup.org: Find a PTSD Meetup Near You

PTSD Support Services: Life Partners with Post-traumatic Stress Disorder

Books Survivors Recommend

• The Wisdom of the 5 Messengers: Learning to follow the guidance of feelings by Kerry Paul Altman
• Back from the Front: Combat Trauma, Love, and the Family by Aphrodite Matsakis
• Healing from Post-Traumatic Stress by Monique Lang
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Sourcebook by Glenn R. Schiraldi 
  

Communicating with Your Health-care providers

• Bring a friend or family member with you to your appointments to provide support and to lend an extra ear. They may also think of questions you hadn't thought of and can take notes.
• Don't be afraid to ask any questions you feel you need the answer to, even if you may be scared of the answer.
• Write down any questions ahead of time and jot down the answers as your health-care provider walks you through them. Don't be afraid to ask for clarification on anything.

Dealing with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: Information and Recommended Links for Co-Survivors       

How You Can Help

• Assist your friend or family member with their day-to-day duties or chores, but be sure not to intrude on their daily routine, as much as possible.
• Preserve your friend or family member's daily activities. It's normal to feel protective but excluding the survivor from activities or decisions can contribute to feelings of helplessness.
• Involve your loved one with others and don't focus on the PTSD when you're with others.

What to Say    

• Listen when they want to talk about the experiences/trauma that led to their PTSD.
• "I am here for you."
• "You got through that horrible experience; you are a survivor."

What Not to Say

• "Can't you just snap out of it?"
• Don't judge the person.
• Don't push them into sharing their experience of the trauma before they're ready.

Things You Can Do for a Survivor Every Day

• Offering day-to-day support is a great gift to give a family member with post-traumatic stress syndrome or a friend/neighbor with PTSD. You can help out by picking up the mail or newspaper, making meals, going grocery shopping, etc.  Or ask if the survivor or his/her family needs help out with chores or other duties they may have fallen behind on.
  

How to Build a Support Network

• Set up your TSC co-survivor profile.
• Create a support group for your friend or family member.
• Interact and provide updates.

How to Help a Survivor Deal with Day-to-Day Challenges

• Preparing the School for Your Child with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: National Child Traumatic Stress Network: Child Trauma
• Tips on Returning to Work After Treatment: National Center for PTSD: Coping with PTSD and Recommended Lifestyle Changes for PTSD Patients

Once you have reached recovery and are feeling more stable, take time to share with those closest to you how you feel emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. By telling your story, you can not only put into perspective your thoughts and feelings but you can provide hope to others who are going through a similar journey themselves, whether it be with post-traumatic stress syndrome, a completely different condition, or a different sort of crisis or hardship.

Remission / Recovery / Recurrence

Though your PTSD symptoms may be diminished or even gone completely, it's important to do all you can to stay on the road to recovery. That means sticking with your treatment plan and a healthy lifestyle that will support your recovery:

National Center for PTSD: Self-care and Self-Help Following Disasters     

WebMD.com: Post-traumatic Stress Disorder - Recovery

Give Back

What helped you while you were dealing with the diagnosis of PTSD, undergoing treatment, and now that you've reached recovery? Take a look back at your journey and share with others what helped you and what you wished you would have known or done during your post-traumatic stress disorder experience. You can create a TSC profile, reach out to other survivors, join support circles, or share your story by following the links at The Survivors Club. If you're looking to donate to those working to improve education and treatment of PTSD, look here:

Charity Navigator: Anxiety Disorders Association of America

In the worst-case scenario, you may feel so overwhelmed by the memories of the trauma you experienced that you may considering taking your own life. If you are ever considering suicide and feel unsafe, immediately call the following hotline (available 24 hours a day) to speak with someone who can help: 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255) (en Español 1-888-628-9454):

• National Center for PTSD: The Relationship Between PTSD and Suicide
• Medicinenet.com: Loss, Grief and Bereavement