Jean is traumatized.
Soon after my husband Jean returned from Afghanistan, he started to have nightmares, had a lot of trouble sleeping, was drinking heavily and seemed to be in his own world; disconnected from me and the kids. He was never relaxed and could be quite irritable. The kids, of course, sensed that Daddy was unhappy and often steered clear of him. I didn’t know what to do - he was no longer the loving, caring man I married.
Jean needs an OT.
POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD) is a complex condition caused by traumatic and extremely distressing events such as crimes, natural disasters, accidents, war or other threats to life. Nightmares, flashbacks, or overwhelming and recurring thoughts of the event can interfere with normal life for months.
The occupational therapist helped Jean and his family to:
Reshape his behaviour in ways that are healthy. Understand and acknowledge what Jean was feeling, to gain a better understanding and appreciation of himself. Introduce regular physical activity like a daily walk and weekly hike. Identify stressors in his physical environment that trigger overwhelming thoughts or irritability, like clutter around his tool bench, and take measures to remove the stress, like hiring a local teen to help clean out the garage.
Ease the transition to civilian life. Talk through which activities are important to each family member including Jean. Make a plan to add some new shared family activities as well as return to favourite past activities, like adding a movie night and returning to camping on a fall weekend.
Set a daily living routine. Establish time for Jean and his wife to participate in a low stress activity to help them bond and find their identity together, like listening to an audio book in their living room after the children were in bed. Improve everyone’s sleep by introducing a ‘no screen’ rule for an hour before each person’s bedtime, choosing a relaxing activity instead, like taking a bath. Let the kids read under the covers with a flashlight. For Jean and his wife, no caffeine or alcohol after 7pm.
Because of occupational therapy, my husband is part of our family again.
The Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists (CAOT) provides a searchable national directory of occupational therapists for all Canadians to find the occupational therapy services they need.
Occupational therapy. Making the everyday possible.