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Sammie
New Contributor

Supporting my partner with PTSD and looking after myself too!

My partner has PTSD linked to a previous relationship which was abusive and traumatic due to their previous spouses untreated mental health conditions. The relationship ended with my partner’s trust being abused by the spouse who was unfaithful. This led to a breakdown of their family unit with 2 children. 
In the early stages of our relationship my partner was suspicious and wary and interpreted some minor things in our relationship as having similarities to the ex spouses original cheating. This led to a period of explosive anger, confusion, lack of sleep, constantly being on high alert, etc.

fast forward and we now have a diagnosis and manage things ok. But my partner has not made significant headway in improving day to day. Im learning more and seeking ways of getting us both more support. My partner sees a psychologist regularly. Part of me wonders how much cause can attributed to the previous relationship versus ours now. Not so much from a blame perspective but just to understand the root cause of the PTSD. 
Great to be here and to find this community. 

1 REPLY 1

Re: Supporting my partner with PTSD and looking after myself too!

Hi @Sammie,

 

Thank you for reaching out and a warm welcome to SANE. 

 

It sounds like you are going through a confusing and challenging time in your relationship.  It is really nice that you are supporting your partner through this difficult period which I am sure cannot be easy for either of you.  I think that it is also good that your partner has sought out professional help and now has a diagnosis.  When I was diagnosed with severe depression and acute anxiety it helped me better understand why I was thinking and behaving the way I was.  Having a diagnosis meant I had a starting point in terms of seeking support and learning ways to better cope. 

 

I have a family member who has been diagnosed with a serious mental health condition. I have been his main support person for many years so I totally understand the pressure it can be to support someone that can be challenging.  Whilst it’s great to support someone you love it is also important to know that being a support person can be very difficult and exhausting at times.

 

As a support person it is also important that you take care of yourself too.  Being a support person can be a tough job and you also need to be supported.  Do you have friends and/or family that you can reach out too? 

 

I am really glad you have found us - the community is here to support you whenever you want to reach out.

 

Take care of yourself and please touch base with us anytime – we are here for you.

 

Hugs and understanding,

FloatingFeather 

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