The experience of the female partners of Canadian Military Veterans diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder
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Date
2012-04-19
Authors
Pickrell-Baker, Sandra
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Abstract
Military members and first responders to catastrophic events directly experience
the impact of trauma. This may lead to the development of posttraumatic stress disorder
(PTSD), or other types of secondary stress response. PTSD often brings complications
such as personality and behavioural changes. Previous research has demonstrated there is
a need to be concerned with treating the primary sufferers of PTSD. However, there is
also a chain reaction in the relationship dynamics of the family. The family unit
themselves develop symptoms of PTSD, and manifest their own secondary traumatic
stress response. The primary question for this study was: What are the lived experiences
of the female partners of Canadian military veterans diagnosed with PTSD? Secondary
questions addressed the relationship between the experience of the diagnosis of PTSD
and daily life. Specifically, what coping strategies and supportive resources did these
women utilize? This study was situated within an interpretive/constructivist framework.
In this study we read about women, who while dealing with ambiguous loss, must
adjust and adapt their lives around the needs of their partner, who is struggling with the
symptoms of PTSD. The complications of this change in relationship led women to deself
and face the difficulties of secondary traumatic stress, such as depression and hyper
vigilance.
There is a need for future and more in depth research into family functioning when
faced with this phenomenon. Specifically, does the adjusting and adapting actually enable
the veteran to stay ill and remain defined by his diagnosis? What are the long-term
implications for the children who are being reared in these circumstances. How can these
women be enabled to gain meaningful support in order to cope with daily life?
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Keywords
Military Spouses , Mental Health , Veterans , Post-traumatic Stress Disorder