In an ideal world, we’d all skate through life without ever experiencing a serious car accident, an assault or some other traumatic event. Unfortunately, however, roughly 90 percent of Americans will experience some type of trauma during their lifetimes and close to 8 percent of us – or more than 7.7 million people - will go on to develop Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

Even if you haven’t experienced a serious trauma, it’s possible that a spouse, a sibling or another loved one is contending with the aftermath of trauma. If so, you may find the effects on their moods and behavior truly frightening. How do you react when the relatively placid person you knew flies into a sudden rage or becomes paralyzed with fear and anxiety whenever they encounter a sight, sound or situation that reminds them of the traumatic event? What do you say when they descend into depression or begin abusing drugs or alcohol to quiet their shattered nerves? What comfort can you offer when they experience nightmares and flashbacks that render them unable to work or engage in their daily activities?