Recent Study Reveals Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Tied to Autoimmune Diseases

Northville, MI (Law Firm Newswire) July 10, 2018 – People dealing with PTSD and other stress disorders have a greater risk of developing autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, Crohn’s disease and celiac disease, than those who are not, according to a new study.

Researchers compared 106,000 Swedish patients diagnosed with a stress-related psychiatric issue with 126,000 of their siblings and 1.1 million people who did not have a stress-related disorder. They tracked half the subjects for at least a decade. Over the course of the study, published in JAMA, those with PTSD were 46 percent more likely to develop an autoimmune disease than those who did not have PTSD.

“Learning about another potential devastating consequence of PTSD, a condition many of our veterans contend with every day, renews the call for continued research and greater care for those who suffer from the stress disorder,” said Jim Fausone, a veterans attorney at Legal Help for Veterans in Michigan. “Support for our service members should not stop once they leave the battlefield.”

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs estimates PTSD affects about 30 percent of Vietnam veterans, 12 percent of Gulf War veterans and 11-20 percent of veterans of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. For further information on this issue visit the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

“The main message to patients suffering from severe emotional reactions after trauma or other life stressors is to seek treatment,” lead researcher Dr. Huan Song, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Iceland in Reykjavík, said in an email to Reuters. “There are now several treatments, both medications and cognitive behavioral approaches, with documented effectiveness.”

For those who have suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder or other stress-related psychiatric issues after having served in the military, contact the attorneys at Legal Help for Veterans to get assistance.

Learn more at http://www.legalhelpforveterans.com Legal Help for Veterans, PLLC 41700 West Six Mile Road, Suite 101 Northville, MI 48168 Toll Free Phone: 800.693.4800