Trauma Lives Not Only in Our Minds, but Also in Our Hearts

The study’s most striking finding is that post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) increases the risk of a heart attack 2.73-fold. So why is the heart so profoundly affected? 🧬 This increase in risk is no coincidence; when the brain’s “alarm” system (sympathoadrenal activity) does not switch off, our blood vessels and heart begin to bear the pro-inflammatory burden of chronic stress. The finding that sleep disorders also increase the risk by 60% demonstrates just how vital physiological rest is for heart health. But the most important message is this: PTSD is not an inevitable fate; it is a mental health condition that can be treated with evidence-based methods. Healing the biological and psychological effects of trauma is a proactive step that protects not only the mind but also the heart. Remember: making mental health screening part of cardiovascular care saves lives. #Psychiatry #PTSD #HeartHealth #EMDR #TraumaTreatment #JAMA #ScientificFacts #MentalHealth