Masters of Health Magazine October 2019 | Page 21

My point is, if you are living and breathing, you likely have a degree of PTSD!

Exactly how do the physical, emotional, and spiritual stresses and traumas of life cause PTSD?

In previous columns, I have explained that magnesium is excreted from the body in times of stress.

Magnesium depletion causes HPA-Axis dysfunction.

Reference: “Psychological therapies for post-traumatic stress disorder”

GWEN ADSHEAD BJP 2000, 177:144-148. Access the most recent version at DOI: 10.1192/bjp.177.2.144

HPA-Axis dysfunction causes PTSD.

Reference: “Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: The Neurobiological Impact of Psychological Trauma”

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3182008/

It’s a basic fact.

It’s important to remember that from the point of view of bio-chemistry, emotional, physical, and spiritual stresses and traumas all create bio-imbalances that triggers PTSD. In other words, the mind and body are truly one.

Here’s another point. I’m sure you’ve heard the saying, “What doesn’t get better, gets worse.” In this context, I mean that magnesium depletion worsens as time goes on, which means that undiagnosed, untreated PTSD worsens as time goes on.

The question is how can you tell if you or someone you love has PTSD?

Let’s examine the array of symptoms associated with PTSD.

According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, PTSD is diagnosed if a person suffers symptoms for at least one month following a traumatic event.

Keep in mind, symptoms may not appear for several months or even years following the trauma.

PTSD consists of three main types of symptoms:

1.Re-experiencing the trauma through intrusive distressing recollections of the event, flashbacks, and nightmares.

2.Emotional numbness and avoidance of places, people, and activities that are reminders of the trauma.

3.Increased arousal such as difficulty sleeping and concentrating, feeling jumpy, and being easily irritated and angered.

Diagnostic criteria that apply to adults, adolescents, and children older than six include the following:

Exposure to actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violation:

·Directly experiencing the traumatic events.

·Witnessing, in person, the traumatic events.

·Learning that the traumatic events occurred to a close family member or close friend; cases of actual or threatened death must have been violent or accidental.

·Experiencing repeated or extreme exposure to aversive details of the traumatic events. (e.g., first responders collecting human remains; police officers repeatedly exposed to details of child abuse). Note: This does not apply to exposure through electronic media, television, movies, or pictures, unless exposure is work-related.