Want to help vets with PTSD? Treat families too

Want to help vets with PTSD? Treat families too
By LEO SHANE III
Published: May 11, 2012

WASHINGTON — Spouses of veterans suffering mental health war wounds know the stresses those illnesses can bring to the entire family. Now, a new study from Syracuse’s Institute for Veterans and Military Families suggests that treating that “secondary traumatization” can be an important step in helping cure the veterans’ issues.

The study, released Friday, notes that research on those family issues so far have “largely focused on improving relationships and reducing veterans’ symptoms, rather than targeting improvements in the psychological well-being of the spouse and children.”

But researchers said reducing the burden on caregivers and dependents, and helping them address their own stresses and trauma, can lead to more positive treatment outcomes for veterans.
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