The Connection Between PTSD and Diabetes

Are posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and diabetes connected in some way? PTSD has been found to be associated withnumerous different physical health problemssuch as heart, respiratory, digestive, and reproductory problems and disease. In addition, PTSD has also been found to be related to autoimmune diseases such as arthritis anddiabetes.

PTSD and Diabetes

Studies have found that individuals with PTSD are more likely to have diabetes. The unhealthy behaviors often associated with PTSD (for example, smoking, substance use, poor eating habits) may place a person at risk for developing diabetes.

创伤后应激障碍和糖尿病患者的特殊健康问题

Researchers at the State University of New York Upstate Medical University and the VA Medical Center in Syracuse, New York, examined the specific health-related problems among people with both PTSD and diabetes. They identified 14,795 military veterans with diabetes and looked at whether or not the veterans had PTSD,抑郁, or other psychiatric diagnoses.

研究对象被分为四组：抑郁和创伤后应激障碍患者、有创伤后应激障碍但无抑郁的患者、有抑郁但无创伤后应激障碍的患者、除有创伤后应激障碍和抑郁外有其他精神病诊断的患者和无任何精神病诊断的患者。在这些不同的人群中，他们研究了一些不同的健康相关因素的差异，如血糖控制、胆固醇水平（总胆固醇、低密度脂蛋白和高密度脂蛋白）、甘油三酯、体重、体重指数（BMI）。

研究人员发现，与其他人群相比，患有PTSD和抑郁症的人：

• 总胆固醇和低密度脂蛋白水平更差
• 有较高的甘油三酯水平
• weighed more
• had a higher BMI

In regard to glycemic control, however, people with only depression had poorer glycemic control than people with PTSD or both PTSD and depression.

Improving Your Physical and Mental Health

PTSD and related conditions such as depression can have a major impact on a person's health, and people with a pre-existing medical condition such as diabetes, who have PTSD and/or depression, may be particularly at risk for health problems. If you have diabetes and PTSD, make sure that you take steps toeffectively manage your diabetesin addition to gettingtreatment for your PTSD.