News Obesity May Be A Side Effect Of Ptsd In Women La Article

[Britt.f7]

[DLMURL]http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-ptsd-obesity-link-women-20131120,0,7750483.story[/DLMURL]

 

[DMerish]

It doesn't surprise me. I ready something similar a few weeks ago, that said hormonal and metabolic changes tend to occur with people with PTSD, pointing it to causing obesity. I don't know about you Britt, but being overweight and having PTSD is true for me.

 

[GingerAli]

Yep. It's the exact cause for me. I had a doctor run all kinds of tests to determine why I was constantly tired, and despite eating very healthy was overweight and couldn't lose. We discovered I had higher than normal cortisol. I went to a specialist and it was determined I did NOT have cushings disease. After starting counseling and doing research I began to discover that the high cortisol is from that. Unfortunately it ruins your body. I now have insulin resistance from having high cortisol and even if I can get the stress, depression, and PTSD under control I will always have insulin resistance.

 

[Emma13]

That explains a lot.

 

[ClairBear226]

I can't say for certain that it is cause and effect, but I gained a massive amount of weight after my trauma in 1988. I yo-yoed for a really long time, until I pretty much stabilized 2 years ago. Coincidentally (or not - you decide) that was also when I finally got into therapy and worked on the issues at hand. I actually sent the story to my therapist. Interesting.

 

[Deleted member 1860]

Raises hand.

I was obese at one point. (I've lost around 60 pounds and am about 5 pounds away from a healthy BMI) I also have hormonal issues. I'm sure they're linked in some way. (I'm also sure that food allergies are in the hormonal/weight issue mix as well).

It is a struggle to say the least. But, I am determined to no longer be a part of the 2/3 of Americans who are overweight or obese.

 

[Cabernet88]

When I was diagnosed, my therapist talked to me about the increased cortisol. It was never explained as exact cause and effect to me either, but I know how bad excess cortisol is. My own experience confirms the link as well. I have gained a lot of weight since my trauma occurred. I have tried everything to lose it. The only thing that worked was diet pills (because i barely ate) but I had to be taken off of those because my blood pressure shot up. Then I gained back what I lost. Hopefully, therapy will help in the long run.

 

[Seasounds]

Thank you for this information; it is very validating.

 

[GingerAli]

Diet pills worked for me as well, but because it increased my metabolism.

 

[anthony]

Seems extremely speculative to me... as PTSD is not responsible for people putting on weight. Medication can have such side effects, depression will often do it... but PTSD??? Think not!

There are plenty of people with PTSD who exercise, are slim, just don't eat and those who are naturally thin, as well as those who suffer depressive effects by eating, along with those who eat because they're bored.

Extremely speculative and unscientific.

 

[GingerAli]

Actually, I find it scientific. Cortisol is released during the fight or flight response. It's how our body reacts to perceived danger. Those with PTSD have amygdala's that perceive threats when they are not actually threats. (triggers) then our bodies go into the fight of flight response. Many of us (not all) with PTSD can get triggered often, therefore causing metabolic issues that are directly related to the consequences of prolonged stress, such as me. My weight issues are directly related to the PTSD. I would like to add that I eat extremely healthy and that I am an avid backpacker, and my doctor himself has admitted that my weight issues are directly related to the high cortisol.

 

[macca]

Well, for me I know that I am currently going between not wanting to eat, to comfort eating, and back and forth. I've gained weight since my latest "outbreak". But I wonder - if there is a relationship between PTSD and obesity, whether it might actually be via sleep, as I believe it's been shown that sleep problems are related to obesity. And I think most sufferers of PTSD are all too familiar with sleep problems!