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Recommended: Post traumatic stress and its affects on family

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder is a devastating anxiety disorder that affects many active military personnel and veterans. In many cases Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) goes untreated often due to the individual not realizing that they are being affected by the disorder, or by the individual having previous failed attempts at treatment. Even though PTSD is now being recognized as a disorder that affects many soldiers, the disorder's effect on family is not as widely recognized. The spouses and children of individuals with PTSD often experience similar negative symptoms of the disorder; this is referred to as secondary traumatization or compassion fatigue. Many families of active military personnel and veterans suffering from PTSD appear to have secondary traumatization, as they experience similar symptoms and feelings of loneliness, which leads to them feeling as though they are also suffering from the disorder.
People who suffer from PTSD experience many symptoms including, but not limited to: feelings of tension, anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, loss of control, and nightmares. The families of these soldiers often experience similar symptoms. An article published in the journal Family Relations describes how wives experience similar symptoms as their husbands:
"the wife may experience symptoms of depression, anxiety, guilt, and distressing dreams" (Dekel 25). These symptoms come as a result to the continuous ambiguity the wives feel regarding the loss of their partner as they used to be. Secondary traumatization can also be seen in the children of active military personnel and veterans. In the same article published inFamily Relations, a mother described how her children were being affected by stating that, "Some of ...

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...mily physically and emotionally, Lyman began feeling lonely, as if his brother had never returned from the war. The symptoms and feelings that are depicted in The Red Convertible are issues that many families of PTSD undergo on a daily basis.
Even though it is widely known that PTSD affects many returning soldiers, the effect that PTSD has on families is not always as apparent. Shared symptoms and overwhelming feelings of loneliness are two symptoms that families of people suffering from PTSD often acquire. These symptoms are caused by the family member, who is caring for the person suffering from PTSD, being completely immersed into their mental state, drawing them into the person's tortured emotional world. People suffering from these symptoms can be described as having secondary traumatization, an anxiety disorder that can be just as devastating as PTSD.

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