Stress management

Free

E-Newsletters

Subscribe to receive the latest updates on health topics. About our newsletters

• Housecall
• Alzheimer's caregiving
• Living with cancer

• February 1, 2012 11:32 p.m.

  Thank God! Someone with birnas speaks!

  - Joeie

• January 6, 2012 6:45 p.m.

  I am in a relationship with a guy that has PTSD but doesn't have insurance, so he has gone untreated for a little over four years now. He has days where he has memories of killing people in Iraq and he will cry for hours. I wish i knew what I could do to help. I don't know what to say to help him through it. He gets scared when he gets mad because he doesn't know if he is capable of hurting those he cares about (When he gets angry or stressed he begins to have more frequent flashbacks). I wonder if there is anything I really can do. So I sit with him through his rough patches and I let him talk about what he wants to and I give him a shoulder to cry on. But when he tells me about it I don't know what to say. I love him, I wish there was more that I could do to help him.

  - Sara

• January 3, 2012 10:31 p.m.

  I am tryin to enter into a relationship with a vet with ptsd. sometimes things are kinda rocky and confusing, i like him alot and can see myself loving him at some point but seems when were together he is so sweet but when apart i wonder if he even thinks about me. I dont wanna push him but seems he wont even invite me over if i wanna see him i have to ask. is this normal of someone with ptsd and how can i get him to show the emotion when apart that he shows when we are together and how can i get to spend more time with him.

  - Susan

• December 1, 2011 10:17 p.m.

  I find that it is great to visit your nearest Legion, talking with many patriots. Patriotism is a love and loyal or zealous support of one's country. Talking to many, could help many, and yourself.

  - Thomas

• December 1, 2011 6:41 p.m.

  For veterans, www.StressProject.com offers free sessions of EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) which has proven very successful in clearing the symptoms of posttraumatic stress, and gives the vet (or any user) a tool to use anytime it is needed. Of course, EFT is a wonderful tool for anyone experiencing symptoms of stress, past or present. Safe and effective, the Stress Project's study has been published in a major journal, and additional studies are underway.

  - Steve

• December 1, 2011 5:02 p.m.

  I was told by my counselor that I have PTSD after loosing my parents at a young age, my mother when she died it was 1972 and they didn't have the medical equipment that they have now on the ambulances. She died at home and when they brought her out her face was blue and they didn't cover her up all the way. They had her covered from her neck down only. Even though I am on medications I sometimes still see her that way when I'm sleeping or dreaming. How can I not keep seeing her like that?

  - Debra

• December 1, 2011 8:11 a.m.

  Phone Please use this URL http://veteranscrisisline.net/go/ Chat Please use this URL http://veteranscrisisline.net/go/

  - Yvette

• December 1, 2011 6:52 a.m.

  Caregiving with relative with Alzheimer's,is quite a stress also. Doing my best for both of us.

  - Thomas

• November 30, 2011 7:41 p.m.

  my heart goes out to all of you who are trying so hard to cope with partners who have PTSD. There are ways to help with out drugs. We can help people in distance to deal with the stress. There is hope. www.distancehealing.net

  - marcia

• November 30, 2011 7:34 p.m.

  To Lisa: I also was abused at a young age and then assaulted, blackmailed, threatened, forced to do unspeakable things in the Military. When discharged in 76; I was too afraid to tell anyone because of the threats against me. I became an alcoholic, used drugs and almost died as a result. My therapist at the VA specializes in PTSD due to Military Sexual Assault. I have been seeing her for 4 years. It took a long time and many years of heartaches and suffering before I found out that it was PSTD. I am working hard to get better and it isn't easy opening those closed doors and relive those horrible dark moments, but it's better than it was all the years I hid and ran from it...There is hope.

  - Gail

• November 30, 2011 1:56 p.m.

  I have lived with a survivor of child sexual abuse for the past 34 years. I've also been a part of a self help group for partners of survivors and have counselled partners one to one. The literature for partners of people with PTSD is not very helpful. It stresses patience and compassion, totally unnecessary advice, since we partners wouldn't stay in the relationship for longer than six months if we didn't already have huge amounts of both! I strongly believe that the people who love those suffering from PTSD need almost as much help and support as the victims.

  - Sandra

• November 25, 2011 5:01 p.m.

  Can being a police officer, seeing young men killed by a close gunshot to head, fatal auto accidents with driver apparently dying as the officer tries to stop severe bleeding while waiting for medics, being shot at,or firing shots at a person in self defense working holidays, shift work + suffering childhood emotional abuse/neglect get PTSD?

  - Cary

• November 24, 2011 11:38 a.m.

  Everyone suffering from PTSD. I request that you look into various bodywork treatments in addition to any other treatment your getting. A great portion of the trauma is in the body. One must treat both mind and body. Just Google 'PTSD Bodywork' to start looking for a modality that may be of interest to you. There are quite a few choices out there. Also, of course, ask for testimonials from past clients once you find a modality and practioner that could work for you. Try several modalities to see which is the best fit for you.

  - Claire

• November 21, 2011 6:34 p.m.

  I am writing an essay on the memory-dampening drug, propranolol, and I keep coming back to this page. In response to powerful coping tactics.... as a marine mom of a son with PTSD: Pray. Keep busy. Pray. Find someone to listen. Keep busy...works for me.

  - Elizabeth

• November 21, 2011 5:42 p.m.

  Lucy, I wholeheartedly agree...the VA should have help for the one's who love the PTSD sufferer. And perhaps there should be help that will come to you when you can't convince someone that they have a problem. I know this would help my son. I am a mom watching my 30 year old son struggle everyday of his life since he returned from Iraq. I have taken him for help but then am excluded from the process; docs should hear from the family members for a complete picture of what's happening. Also, I believe it should be the responsibility of the Marines to debrief and treat our sons and daughters for the same amount of time it took to create the "warriors" they created...13 long, arduous weeks!

  - Elizabeth

• November 16, 2011 9:08 p.m.

  I am so very tired and sick of the whole ptsd it has come about the last 3 years and is ugly. it will ruin a 34 year marriage if he does not get help

  - Lynn

• September 16, 2011 8:02 p.m.

  I have spent the evening reading the comments about PTSD. I see the similarities in the wives comments. I do not know why the wives cannot be involved with the treatment process. I am an RN, but still struggle with the disruption of our marriage, the anger issues, the lack of caring, hospital stays with bouts of hallucinations, and the resulting depression. With 48 years in a relationship with a man at times, I barely know. He was a hospitalized Viet Niem Vet..in a hospital for a year. Our golden retirement years are a struggle, but I still am in love with him. The VA needs to have a support group for family members, not just the disabled veteran. Each day brings new challenges and it is so hard, since life and behavior is so unpredictable.

  - Lucy

• September 14, 2011 5:51 p.m.

  I have a fairly new relationship with a woman that served in Iraq and finally admitted to me that she has PTSD. I see the symptoms, and I care for her dearly. She admitted that she does not take her medicine because of how it makes her feel. I don't know if I should run or stay. My heart tells me to stay but I'm afraid that she will eventually hurt me emotionally. What do I do?

  - Steve

• August 19, 2011 12:09 a.m.

  I had to ask my husband to leave last week because he really freakin' scared me. He got within an inch of my face, ripped the towel from me and called me a horrible name. I dated him after high school and he was in the military then. We broke it off a year later and he left for the east coast. I never saw him again but I have loved him like no other. We reunited 3 years ago and now I am faced with this. He has told me some stories of his 13 year military career. He was trying to make it through the 82nd Airborne division and got caught up in another soldier's parachute. He thought he was sure to die because in most circumstances like that death is inevitable. He was lucky that they got separated and landed, able to walk away. He was so shaken up that someone suggested he smoke some pot to chill out! I don't know what tomorrow brings but it kills me to not have the man I know around but I can't have him here because he's unstable.

  - Catherine

• August 14, 2011 9:43 p.m.

  I recently made a huge mistake and tried to deal with things here in the US like we did in IRAQ.I got into a severe amount of trouble with the law and am awaiting the outcome of my fate.I recently tried suicide but thankfully was unsucessful.I am so lost and I don't know what to do day to day.PTSD is running my life.It is a terrible thing and even more difficult to deal with on a daily basis.All I want is to have a normal day and a normal life.Please try to understand that when we come home we are so different and sometimes we can never be the same person that we once was.

  - Dean

• July 8, 2011 1:57 p.m.

  I am a Marriage and Family Therapist who works with soldiers and their families. It is perceived by some that there is a stigma within the military about seeking help, or so I've been told. One way active duty soldiers can seek help (where they can see a therapist off base) is to go to their doctor and get a referral for an outside clinician. This has helped some soldiers feel more comfortable about seeking treatment.

  - Anonymous

• June 1, 2011 5:40 p.m.

  I have been with my husband for 10 years. He was in desert storm and the most I can get out of him about that time was he had to kill someone and a buddy of his was killed standing right next to him. He has always had nightmares and headaches but I got my first glimpse of PTSD when he started a new job with a lot of responsibility about 2 years ago. It was like flipping a light switch...one moment he was my loving husband and the next moment he was an angry non caring person. I had no idea what happened or what PTSD was. We never argued before but once the switch was flipped we argued constantly and after a couple of months of him acting this way...I convinced myself he must be having an affair. He didn't care about anything concerning me, our kids or our life together. He finally realized something wasn't right with the way he was thinking...I still remember the day he looked at me and said I think I need some help. Thankfully with therapy my loving husband came back. There was no affair and all of the arguing, anger and non emotional state was PTSD. Two weeks ago, he found out his father killed himself and once again the light switch was flipped. We are back to square one but this time we know what needs to be done and what he must deal with in therapy to get him back to where he needs to be. If you know of anyone that has PTSD, please seek counseling for them and you. There is hope and it will make a world of difference. We will get through this once again.

  - JoAnn

• May 26, 2011 7:46 p.m.

  My husband will not take his meds for his PTSD. Life is a living hell. I go to work to escape. My home is not a refuge. He is unreasonable, paranoid, mean spirited, and there is absolutely no reasoning with him. I want to escape but I love him. I have made it over 30 years with him but I feel like the secondary PTSD is killing me.

  - Nancy

• May 16, 2011 9:51 a.m.

  WOW:D

  - Messi

• May 10, 2011 6:21 p.m.

  There Is Hope...and many simple things that work: One is called Emotional Freedom Technique, EFT or simply the tapping technique. It is an acupressure technique (like acupuncture without needles) while repeating simple acknowledgments of the problems and then saying something like It's OK. If you have severe PTSD, find someone who is trained and experienced in military PTSD. They are using EMDR, EFT and related tapping techniques at DAMC (Ft. Hood) and the Restoration and Resilience Program at Fort Bliss to enhance the benefits of traditional Cognitive Behavior Therapy and medications. Check out results of the the Fort Bliss Restoration and Resilience Program--61% of soldiers with PTSD returned to full combat status. We conducted several Veterans Team Recovery Integrative Immersion Programs (Vet TRIIP) one day sessions in Austin with great benefits.

  - Bob