PTSD and Its Impact On Family members

“No man is an island.”  How true this statement is when you examine how PTSD affects not only the trauma victim but also those who live with him or her. The symptoms that surround the trauma survivor can spill over to touch the spouse and children as well. For example, a Vietnam veteran who alternates between states of numbing and hyper arousal can play havoc with his marriage and children. His wife tries to cope with his flashbacks, anxiety attacks, and intrusive thoughts during the day as well as nightmares and thrashing about at night. Several wives have expressed their own fear of being hit or choked when their spouses have attacked them during a nightmare or night terror. According to Matsahis (1996), the symptoms of PTSD are retraumatizing in themselves…survivors have difficulty in being present to others. On the other hand, in response, others can feel rejected and more away from the trauma victim deciding he or she is impossible, argumentative, or just crazy.

Children watch their parents deal with everyday challenges.  This is how they learn. If they are observing a parent coping with trauma, they often see dysfunctional behavior. Since parents are natural teachers and are usually looked up to by their children, you can easily figure out that the children of survivors may take on abnormal views and behaviors as a result of modeling their parents’ behavior. For example, trauma survivors often try to cope with PTSD symptoms through addiction. Drug and alcohol dependence are the most common. However, excessive behavior, such as food intake, sexual promiscuity, or gambling can also develop.  The impact upon the spouse as well as the children in a family where a trauma survivor utilizes substance abuse as a form of self-medication can be devastating. Not only is it difficult to deal with a family trauma survivor with an addiction problem, but the modeling impact is even greater.  If mom or dad can use marijuana or cocaine to deal with life, why can’t I?

The intergenerational effects of PTSD can invade many future generations. How many of my own Vietnam veteran clients admit that not only did they suffer firsthand trauma from combat but had secondary PTSD from living with their fathers who fought in World War II. They relate that their fathers were distant, militaristic in their parenting style, and showed little or no emotion toward them or their siblings.

There are many issues related to intergenerational effects of PTSD, too numerous to discuss in this article. However, this writer wishes to make readers aware of this concept.  With increased awareness, hopefully individuals will seek therapy for their wounded families and themselves.

If there are any questions, please contact me.