PTSD and Physical Health ProblemsOverviewWhen you have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) , you may have physical symptoms that have no obvious cause. PTSD also may raise your risk of having other medical conditions. footnote 1 Having other conditions like depression or anxiety with PTSD also may result in having more physical symptoms. footnote 1 Physical health problems and mental illness can occur together in a number of ways:
When you have a physical illness and a mental illness, it can be much harder to cope. Being sick can impact every area of your life. It can change how you think and feel about yourself and your relationships. It may affect your ability to work and enjoy life. It's possible that your mental illness and health problems aren't related. If you have PTSD and also get sick, this doesn't always mean PTSD is the cause of your sickness. Getting the right treatments for PTSD and other health conditions is the best thing you can do. Talk with your doctor and your family about how you can cope with your health problems. For more information, see the topic Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Related InformationReferences
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ByHealthwise Staff Current as ofMay 3, 2017
Current as of: May 3, 2017 Author: Healthwise Staff Medical Review: Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine & Jessica Hamblen, PhD - Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Janowski K (2011). PTSD and physical health. A National Center for PTSD fact sheet. Available online: http://www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/pages/ptsd-physical-health.asp.
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