I had a similar wake-up call with my cousin—he opened up about his PTSD and I said, “try not to think about it.” I thought it sounded supportive, but it just shut him down. That moment taught me that even “casual” phrases can sting because they dismiss how real the struggle is. The stuff that pushes them to brush it off or move on seems to hurt most. I came across this breakdown that really helped me understand what to avoid: What's the worst thing to say to someone with PTSD . Listening first has made a huge difference.