How Does PTSD Affect Others?

Stigma can sometime cause people to have negative views about things they don't know much about, such as mental illness. If you have PTSD, you may find that people treat you differently. Some people may shy away from you because of your symptoms, and finding work or a place to live may be hard. 

However, helping others in your community learn more about PTSD can improve your own life. You can a create a better professional or personal environment by talking with others and showing them how you want to be treated. Learn to manage the stigma in your life.

VA’s National Center for PTSD and the Coaching Into Care program have partnered to study telephone coaching methods to help spouses and intimate partners of Veterans with untreated PTSD get their Veteran into mental health care. The study will provide free telephone coaching and, if assigned, access to an online educational materials. Participants will be compensated up to $170 for participating.

Visit https://www.familycoachingstudy.org to learn more about the study and complete a brief screening quiz to see if you are eligible to participate. For participant’s rights questions, contact 1-866-680-2906

A Connection to Horses Helps Her Heal

For Seyward McKinney, the journey from riding in military vehicles to riding horses was one fraught with adventure. After returning from Iraq in 2009, the US Army Veteran started getting persistent headaches. A CAT scan revealed a arteriovenous malformation, a twisted mass of blood vessels connecting McKinney’s arteries and veins that were disrupting normal blood flow. After five surgeries, three related procedures and two radiation treatments, McKinney hoped she was out of the woods. Nine days later she suffered a stroke.

Follow Seyward's journey to healing, and learn about the equestrian therapy organization that is helping her and others find new hope and purpose.

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