People with post-traumatic stress disorder may also experience physical symptoms, such as increased blood pressure and heart rate, fatigue, muscle tension, nausea, joint pain, headaches, back pain, or other types of pain. The person in pain may not be aware of the connection between their pain and a traumatic event. Prolonged exposure to high levels of cortisol, as a result of PTSD, can have a significant impact on our bodies. It can deplete our adrenal glands, which are responsible for producing hormones that help us deal with stress.
When the adrenal glands are depleted, it can cause an increase in the level of prolactin, which is a hormone that can make us more sensitive to pain. This means that people with PTSD or C-PTSD can experience real physical pain as a result of their condition. This method, a controversial technique for treating PTSD, focuses on challenging the patient to “face their fears”. For example, a study from The Ohio State University found that people with post-traumatic stress disorder were more likely to suffer from allergies.
Over the years, as the scientific community has come to accept the existence of PTSD and has been more open to exploring treatments, a group of well-researched and increasingly used therapies and approaches have been developed that are being implemented in treatment programs. However, it's important to note that PTSD and C-PTSD can also present physical symptoms that can greatly affect a person's overall health and quality of life. These effects are usually short-lived, but in people with PTSD or C-PTSD, the stress response system can remain activated and that can cause an alteration in cortisol levels. In addition, the rapid breathing that often accompanies PTSD and C-PTSD can cause the brain to think that it isn't getting enough air, causing people to inhale deeply like a yawn.
PTSD can also present with comorbidities, that is, the presence of two chronic diseases that occur at the same time. The founder of PTSD UK, Jacqui, experienced it personally. He developed a dairy allergy during the height of his PTSD: “Obviously it was something he had always had, but it wasn't enough of a problem to show up. For example, an estimated 50% of all patients who receive outpatient mental health services also have post-traumatic stress disorder.
Open letter to Channel 4: “joke” about PTSD from Junior Bake Off This open letter, although in this case it was addressed to Channel 4 (and was also sent directly to them), is a reminder of the care and attention that is needed. By talking to a mental health professional, you're already making progress in coping with your post-traumatic stress disorder. A person with post-traumatic stress disorder works with a therapist to identify thoughts that worsen their feelings and then process the negative emotions associated with their traumatic experience. It's worth noting that some people may also lose weight due to the fluctuations in hormones and cortisol levels that occur with PTSD and PTSD C-PTSD.
