Shock Waves: A Practical Guide to Living with a Loved One’s PTSD
When we think of soldiers reuniting with families after a tour of duty, we imagine them about to embark on a joyous, hopeful future, finally free of the horrors of combat. But, in reality, an estimated 23 percent of veterans and soldiers of today's wars suffer from post traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, a psychiatric condition with symptoms that include extreme anxiety, depression, isolation, and fear (Rand, 2008). The millions of family members of those with PTSD also suffer, not knowing how to reconnect with or help their loved one recover from the pain.
Shock Waves is a practical, user-friendly guide for those who love someone suffering from this often debilitating anxiety disorder, whether that person is a veteran of war or a survivor of another harrowing situation or event. Through extensive research, advice from mental health professionals, and interviews with those working through PTSD and their families, Cynthia Orange shows readers how to:
- Determine whether their loved one has PTSD
- Assess for substance abuse and other co-occurring disorders
- Manage their reactions to a loved one's violence and rage
- Cope with feelings of grief and loss
- Find effective professional help
- Prevent their children from experiencing secondary trauma
- Practice ongoing care for themselves and other family members
Each section of Shock Waves includes questions and exercises to help readers incorporate Orange's lessons and advice into their daily lives and interactions with their loved ones.
