What happens in our minds affects our bodies. A vast amount of research is instilling this statement as fact as more associations are made between mental illnesses and physical illnesses. Some of the symptoms are inherent. For example, people who have depression often feel tired, lethargic, exhausted, and fatigued. People who have anxiety often experience muscle tension, shortness of breath, and hyper, excited energy. Our nervous system connects everything that happens in our mind to everything that functions in our body. Trauma, specifically impacts the nervous system and various parts of the brain, all of which communicate with the nervous system. Trauma can be considered a disorder of the nervous system, since the sympathetic nervous system- which communicates with the amygdala and helps regulate the fight or flight response- becomes disordered. People who have survived trauma are in a chronic state of fear and apprehension, which takes a toll on the body.
Volumes of published and peer reviewed studies confirm there is a correlation between the many symptoms of trauma and physical health conditions like heart diseases, diabetes, and more. Dr. Janine Flory points out in an article for Psychiatric Times that “The associations generally persist after adjusting for comorbid depression, which occurs in about half of all PTSD cases and findings are consistent across civilian and veteran samples.”
Flory also cites that PTSD has been linked to autoimmune disorders as well as neurodegenerative diseases, including “thyroiditis, inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and lupus erythematosus.”
Why The Medical View Of PTSD Matters
We are in a time of great change as stigma, shame, and stereotype regarding mental illnesses like PTSD and its many manifestations, are being confronted in the mainstream media. How mental illness is discussed and how mental illness is understood directly affects how mental illness is treated. More importantly, it affects the people who need the treatment. Understanding that their mental illness or mental health struggles are legitimate medical issues can be more inspiring to someone for going to treatment and getting the help they need. Furthermore, the medical view emphasizes that mental illness rarely exists in isolation. Treatment for trauma and all of its related issues must be holistic, including treatment for mind as well as body.
Everyone has a story. The Guest House Ocala welcomes you with open arms to our private estate. Our residential treatment programs for trauma and related addictions or mental illnesses are custom designed at a concierge level to meet the every need of every patient. Call us today for information on how our programs can help you start the journey of healing: 1-855-483-7800