Posttraumatic stress refers to a group of reactions that can occur after someone has experienced a traumatic event. It's common in the Australian community, not just veterans. Effective therapies are available to minimise its impact on you and your family.

What is posttraumatic stress?

There are four main symptoms of posttraumatic stress (also known as PTSD):

1. Re-experiencing the traumatic event through unwanted and recurring memories or vivid nightmares. You might get upset when you’re reminded of what happened, or have intense physical reactions like sweating, pounding or racing heart, or rapid or irregular breathing.
2. Avoiding reminders of the event such as activities, places, people, thoughts or feelings associated with the traumatic event.
3. Negative thoughts or feelings that leave you feeling constantly flat, numb, afraid or angry. You may develop unrealistic expectations of yourself or other people, lose interest in day-to-day activities like work or playing with your kids, or feel cut off from your family and friends.
4. Being overly alert or wound-up can make it hard to sleep or concentrate. You may feel irritable or short-tempered, become easily startled, or feel like you’re always on the lookout for signs of danger.

You are not alone

Traumatic experiences are common. About two-thirds of Australians will experience at least one potentially traumatic event in their lives.

In addition to traumas commonly faced by the general community such as car accidents and assaults, veterans are more likely to be exposed to traumatic events during the course of their service.

Around 5 to 10 per cent of the general community is likely to develop posttraumatic stress, compared with 5 to 20 per cent of veterans (depending on the nature of their work and deployment history).

Among current serving members, about 8 per cent will suffer from posttraumatic stress in a given year, compared with 5 per cent of the general community

The impact on family relationships

Living with or loving someone who has posttraumatic stress can be difficult.

People with posttraumatic stress often avoid social situations, feel detached and may have trouble expressing their emotions. They might be less affectionate or withdrawn, show less interest in intimacy or parenting children.

People with posttraumatic stress can also be more irritable and jumpy. Family members often talk about ‘walking on eggshells’ and being afraid of an outburst.

Family violence can also be a problem for families of veterans with posttraumatic stress.

Research has shown that posttraumatic stress can also affect the mental health of members of a veteran’s family.

Partners can experience anxiety, depression, social isolation and feelings of hopelessness. Younger children can develop behaviour problems such as acting out at school.

Children who have parents with PTSD are more likely to suffer from mental health problems in later life. It is important to seek support and treatment for posttraumatic stress as early as possible to minimise its impact on you and your family.

Find out more about resources and referral options for families.

Posttraumatic stress and getting older

Some veterans develop posttraumatic stress years after their traumatic experience, while others might find their existing posttraumatic stress gets worse as they age.

This is perfectly normal.

For one thing, work and raising children can help distract from thoughts and feelings associated with the trauma. With more free time after retirement and an 'empty nest', it can be harder to avoid memories and easier to get into bad habits, like drinking too much.

You might also find that strategies that used to help you cope with stress and push memories away aren’t working any more or are taking their toll. For example, you might find that alcohol no longer blocks out feelings and actually makes matters worse by disrupting your sleep.

The interaction between physical and mental health can also lead to posttraumatic stress getting worse with age.

Over time, posttraumatic stress can have a negative effect on your physical health. Having to deal with more physical health issues as you age can make it harder to cope. Dementia may also result in unwanted memories of traumatic events becoming more frequent.

It is important to remember that posttraumatic stress can be treated, even if you’ve had it for a very long time. Start with your GP or call Open Arms on 1800 011 046

What treatments can help me?

Effective psychological therapy and medication treatments for posttraumatic stress are available.

It is generally best to start with psychological therapy rather than medication, although your doctor may prescribe an antidepressant and other medications to help you manage some feelings associated with posttraumatic stress.

The most effective treatment for posttraumatic stress is trauma-focused cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). This approach recognises that the way we think and act affects the way we feel. With the help of a therapist or counsellor, you will learn:

• Ways to help digest and confront painful memories, thoughts and images so they don’t continue to distress you.
• Strategies to help you get back into activities or visit places that you have avoided since the trauma.
• Tools to help you relax when you start getting too anxious or wound up.

Recovery after Trauma - A Guide for People with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PDF) provides more information about posttraumatic stress and its treatment.

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