PTSD: A Battle for Veterans and Their Families

When Staff Sergeant and Medal of Honor winner Ty Carter appeared on the MSNBC show Morning Joe he not only represented the excellence of those who honorably service their country, but also those who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Carter earned the nation’s highest award for courage, the Medal of Honor. By braving a storm of bullets to rescue a wounded soldier in 2009; a soldier who later died.

During his interview with Morning Joe, Carter talked about the effects of PTSD on him, but also his family in three ways:

• The Flashbacks. The trauma service members experience is constantly relived and remembered, in uncomfortable places and positions.
• The Isolation. "You love your wife, you love your family, but you don’t want to talk to them, so you don’t want to put them through what you’ve been through." said, Carter.
• The Stress. The cause of traumatic experience.

The National Center for Veterans Supports Carter's statements. The tragic effects of PTSD are not just felt by the sufferers themselves, but also their families. PTSD tends create conflicts in relationships. PTSD is a mental health condition that is likely to lead to relationship problems:  PSTD sufferers not wanting to attend family or social events for fear they'll be "cornered" by an unforeseen person or circumstance; Nightmares commonly lead to spouses not sleeping in the same beds Inciting relationship conflict in common interactions.

It's easy for family members to become tired, frustrated, and neglect their own needs.  It is important for family members to take care of themselves. This means that often they must also seek treatment. Staff Sergeant Carter knows and demonstrates the first steps in treating and dealing with PTSD for both the sufferers and their family. Openly talking about it and supporting those who have it. 

For more information please visit:

The National Center for Veteran Affairs

Partners of Veterans with PTSD

Medal of Honor winner Ty Carter on Friday’s Morning Joe

Cantrece Hayslett, Mental Health Services Coordinator 
Cantrece's Facebook and Twitter

**Originally posted for blog to support Homeless Veterans**