Experiences of People in Close Relationships with Combat Veterans Suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

The purpose of this study was to learn about the life experiences of people who are in close relationships with combat veterans who are suffering, or who have suffered, with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). According to the National Center for PTSD (2011), from 1999 to 2010, the Department of Veterans Affairs saw a 222 percent increase in the number of veterans in the United States military being treated for PTSD. PTSD occurs in approximately 11 to 20 percent of Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans, 10 percent of Gulf war veterans, and about 30 percent of Vietnam veterans (National Center for PTSD, 2007). Clearly, the impact of PTSD is significant among military combat veterans. The question of interest here is what we can learn about the experience of being in a close relationship with a combat veteran who suffers from PTSD.