How do you as help someone that has PTSD, or has trust issues - learn to let their guard down?

My thoughts on this are by proving with time and consistent effort that you are worthy of their trust and that it is safe for them to be emotionally vulnerable with you.

Anyone that has experienced PTSD or has trust issues (until they have healed) will continue recycling and repeating the same negative emotional response(s) because they do it on autopilot in their subconscious mind.

When they see that the people around them consistently time and again prove to them over and over that they show up; that they turn up on time; that they do what they say they will do and that their actions match their words then after a certain point ideally that guard starts to come down.

The person with PTSD or trust issues will eventually realise that you are different to the person that hurt them and that it is ok to trust you, so slowly but surely that guard starts to come down and trust will or has become solid between you.

If you want to support someone with trust issues or PTSD, please try to make sure that everything you do shows trustworthiness; take responsibilities for your actions; have open and honest communication with them, be patient and understanding but always maintain healthy boundaries.