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General Hi Carers - Husband an OIF Veteran

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sarah

New Here
Hi Carers,
This is new since the last time I was checking out this site. My husband has PTSD and is a OIF veteran. He was recently hospitalized and I'm feeling pretty overwelmed. It was a rough week, cops at my house taking all the firearms out of our house. Being a mom, going to work, being alone in the house no support system in town. I'm Going to talk to my counselor on Monday.
 
Welcome once again Sarah. Police at your home removing weapons? Your husband's weapons I assume? No doubt you are stressed! Must admit, understand all too well as my younger brother, also a military man, had weapons in the home and ultimately used them on his family. Hope your husband gets the help he obviously needs. Do take care and share here as much as needed.

Jim.
 
Welcome back Sarah, very lovely to have you here. It sounds as though you have a busy life and a tremendous amount of stress. I am very pleased you have a counselor, it is so important to care for oneself. Well done! Please feel comfortable to post anytime, there are a few of us here who are regulars and very willing to assist in any way we can.
 
Thanks for the support Jim.
He definitely is recieving help now. Now I am shocked from what happened. All this time I felt grief over my failure as a wife to him. Our lives being out of control became the norm. He never shared what he would go through in his mind everyday. That he didn't feel safe anywhere most of the time and a whole mess of horror that is in his head (that I still do not know about.)
The stress cup analogy is exactly him. I am going to a support group at the end of this month.
How do other wives cope?? How can I help him?? How am I suppose to act when he gets back home from the hospital ?? Social workers say it could take years before he has a handle on how to control the symptoms he has.
Has anyone heard of the current methods that are used for PTSD survivors to face their fears how do the survivors "get the trauma out of them" so they are able to heal?? Reliving the experience??
 
Well first and foremost Sarah, continue to take care of yourself and your children as you have been doing. That is most important. Learn as much as you can about PTSD. There is a wealth of information on this forum, the information sections are very good and so are the general chat areas. Much can be learned simply from reading the experiences and opinions of other PTSD sufferers.

Social workers say it could take years before he has a handle on how to control the symptoms he has.

Sarah I am a social worker, and I take issue with this statement; it seems rather fatalistic. Yes, it will take much hard work for your husband to recover sufficiently to manage his PTSD. However, to say it could take many years is quite pessimistic. Really, it depends entirely on how badly your husband wishes to get well, and on how much work he is willing to do upon himself. There are several sufferers upon this forum who have made great strides in their healing process within a year or less. It depends largely on attitude and commitment to wellness.

There are many different treatment options as well, and everyone is different in what works best for them. Your husband will need to discover what is best for him. Your support and understanding will help tremendously.
 
Hi Sarah
Welcome back!
My situation with my husband going into hospital was different to yours, we asked his doctor to admit him under his doctors supervision as we have a good relationship with this doctor.
If you are able to, speak to the doctor that is treating your husband to see what to do when he returns home.
Hope you are doing well & as silly as it sounds, enjoy the break from your husband.
 
Ah yes great point Jodee. Enjoy your break Sarah, it may be the last one you get for a long time! ;-) Don't you dare feel guilty for enjoying it either!

Jim.
 
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