Some studies have examined specific health problems, but these problems have been primarily self-reported. However, there is some evidence to indicate PTSD is related to cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, and musculoskeletal disorders.
Epidemiologic research and studies regarding Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) indicate that PTSD and C-PTSD are linked to significant negative health outcomes. Some of which include: cardiovascular disease. arthritis.
According to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, lasting or latent trauma from events can trigger endocrine and immune problems (that a person may or may not have already been genetically predisposed to). These include chronic autoimmune illnesses, heart attack, diabetes, stroke, and even cancer.
People who suffer and survive a critical illness are at increased risk of developing post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). People with mental health issues, scary memories of their medical emergency, or who are sedated with drugs which can cause frightening delusions or hallucinations are even more at risk.
Post-traumatic stress disorder can disrupt your whole life — your job, your relationships, your health and your enjoyment of everyday activities. Having PTSD may also increase your risk of other mental health problems, such as: Depression and anxiety. Issues with drugs or alcohol use.
Without treatment, the psychological symptoms of PTSD are likely to worsen over time. Along with severe depression and anxiety, other serious outcomes may include: Increased suicidal ideation. Problems managing anger and aggression.
It is well-known that emotional and psychological trauma can have a lasting impact on those affected. Much attention has been given to the psychological health effects of trauma, such as the onset and development of depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Initial reactions to trauma can include exhaustion, confusion, sadness, anxiety, agitation, numbness, dissociation, confusion, physical arousal, and blunted affect.
feelings of worthlessness, shame and guilt. problems controlling your emotions. finding it hard to feel connected with other people. relationship problems, like having trouble keeping friends and partners.
Alterations in arousal and reactivity: Arousal and reactive symptoms may include being irritable and having angry outbursts; behaving recklessly or in a self-destructive way; being overly watchful of one's surroundings in a suspecting way; being easily startled; or having problems concentrating or sleeping.
When there's an overload on the adrenal system, someone with PTSD might experience a variety of symptoms such as fatigue, exhaustion and an overload of stress. The bottom line is that fatigue (and often inexplicable fatigue) very often accompanies symptoms of PSTD.
Trauma can be held in the body, leading to physical symptoms years later — such as headaches, jumpiness, chronic pain, and dissociation. When you have an overwhelming experience, your logical mind might feel “over it” before your body does.
Ever since people's responses to overwhelming experiences have been systematically explored, researchers have noted that a trauma is stored in somatic memory and expressed as changes in the biological stress response.
Increasing evidence suggests a link between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and physical health. Stress disorders may lead to impairment of the immune system and subsequent autoimmune disease.
PTSD patients have been found to exhibit increased concentrations of circulating inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein and interleukin-6, suggesting dysfunction of the innate immune inflammatory system.
There are absolutely health impacts from unresolved trauma. Unresolved trauma puts people at increased risk for mental health diagnoses, which run the gamut of anxiety, depression and PTSD. There are physical manifestations as well, such as cardiovascular problems like high blood pressure, stroke or heart attacks.
So, does PTSD ever go away? No, but with effective evidence-based treatment, symptoms can be managed well and can remain dormant for years, even decades. But because the trauma that evokes the symptoms will never go away, there is a possibility for those symptoms to be “triggered” again in the future.