Depression may also be common among family members when the traumatized person acts in ways that cause feelings of pain or loss. People with PTSD may feel too anxious to go out on family outings as they did in the past. PTSD may impact the ability for your loved one to work. As a result, the family income may decrease. All of these can lead to worry, concern, and depression.

Family members may feel unloved or abandoned because their spouse withdraws due to PTSD. Children whose parent cannot be in crowds because of combat trauma may feel hurt that their parent will not come to see them play sports.

When PTSD lasts for a long time, family members may begin to lose hope that their loved one or family will ever get “back to normal.”