The Relationship Between PTSD and Stress

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an emotional illness usually caused by some sort of traumatic or life threatening event. Some of the causes of PTSD include:

being a victim of kidnapping or torture
being a victim of a rape, robbery or mugging
being a victim of sexual, physical or emotional abuse
experiencing a severe physical injury or accident
experiencing combat
experiencing a natural disaster or terrorist event
involvement in civil conflict
receiving a medical diagnosis that could be fatal
witnessing a severe physical injury or accident.

Just as the causes of PTSD can vary, so too can the onset of this disorder. For example, while some people may experience PTSD immediately after undergoing a traumatic experience, in other cases, months or sometimes years can go by before a person exhibits symptoms of PTSD. Once PTSD does arise, the patient, as well as his family and friends, can suffer tremendously if this condition is left untreated.

PTSD Symptoms

The symptoms of PTSD include:

feelings of detachment
flashbacks to the traumatic event
impaired functioning
issues with family and other personal relationships
memory issues
nightmares and other sleep disturbances
occupational instability
trouble parenting or sustaining a marriage.

Stress and Anxiety

While the causes of PTSD appear to vary dramatically, the one factor that links them is the extreme stress they all cause a person to suffer after the traumatic incident has occurred. In fact, stress has been shown to cause PTSD.

Even though nearly everyone suffers from stress, not everyone is susceptible to developing PTSD. People who are more likely to develop PTSD are those who also tend to react poorly to everyday stress and stress that has built up slowly over time.

Along with stress, anxiety can also be both a cause and a result of PTSD. For some people, experiencing a stressful major life event, such as one of the above listed events that tend to cause PTSD, can result in anxiety, panic attacks and other possibly debilitating issues.

Ways to Reduce Stress

Regardless of how you deal with stress, ignoring it does not make it go away. Instead, over time, stress builds up and festers, tending to make people hit a breaking point if they don’t know how to properly channel their frustrations. Because everyone experiences stress, learning how to reduce stress, and manage the stress in your life can help you not only avoid developing health problems, but it can also help you lead a happier life.

People who have been diagnosed with PTSD are encouraged to relieve their stress. They are taught stress relieving techniques that will help them manage stress and reduce anxiety in their everyday lives. By practicing some of the following techniques, people can effectively relieve their own stress:

aromatherapy
autogenics
biofeedback
guided imagery
journaling
laughing
listening to music
meditation
progressive muscle relaxation
sex
walking
yoga.

In addition to practicing stress management techniques, people who have a lot of stress in their lives, as well as those who react negatively to it, can benefit from making some more significant lifestyle changes, including:

eating a healthy diet
exercising
getting adequate rest
learning how to communicate assertively
practicing time management skills
reducing caffeine intake.

All of these lifestyle changes can have a large impact on how well you respond to stress. When your body and mind are healthy, you will likely respond to stress more appropriately.