all families got problems dude. me and my brother have beaten each other to a pulp and then we both got our asses kicked even more by our dad for fighting. we all got older and got closer the more we drifted apart. all i can say is stick by your family dude, maybe it will get better or maybe it wont. they are yours though, like it or not.

Venting is a therapeutic. I held in my feelings many times in my younger years and it led to nothing good, so never think that you are venting for no reason. Sure, we are strangers, but strangers with a common interest and possibly a common background. I too traveled down a dark path in my life, like your brother but not quite to that extent. There is always coming back from it. He just needs the support system of his friends and family. You seem to care very much for him and I'm sure he knows it. Just be there for him in his time of need.

Of course I know that is very vague and will probably provide no help to you or your situation, but it's the best thing you can do. You really can't change people, man. They have to change themselves. My brother has gone down a very bad road in recent years. Went from having the world in the palm of his hands to having nothing. Without my parents, he would be broke, homeless, or maybe worse. He still hasn't come back from the dark path that he chose, but I can't make him change. All I can do is be a support system for him and hope that he wants to change. I know it's completely different of a situation than PTSD, but I guess my point being is that you just need to be there for him. It's not exactly something that he directly chose, but he was effected all the same.

In this day and age, the quick fix that a doctor would tell him is just to take medication, and perhaps he truly needs it, but maybe he needs to vent himself. Sometimes it helps just to talk, whether it be with a complete stranger or with your best friend. I can't tell you how much heartache I would have saved myself if I just spoke my mind instead of holding everything in when I was young.

Perhaps even meditation would be good for him. It's hard to do at first, but it really helps you find your center and calm yourself once you figure it out. There are plenty of self-help books and articles out there to help you find a way to do it.

I hope you and your brother and your whole family can find peace.

Wish the OP hadn't deleted their post. This could be moved to the general discussion forum.