PTSD and Night Sweats
June is PTSD Awareness Month and June 27 is National PTSD Awareness Day. PTSD, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, can be caused by the after effects of any life threatening event to oneself or someone else. Defined by the Department of Veteran’s Affairs as, those “who suffer from PTSD often relive the experience through nightmares and flashbacks, have difficulty sleeping, and feel detached or estranged, and these symptoms can be severe enough and last long enough to significantly impair the person’s daily life.” This month, we interviewed Louisville clinical psychologist Dr. Kevin Chapman about PTSD and the often intense night sweats that occur from those diagnosed with PTSD.
What most don’t realize is both the commonness of PTSD and the detrimental effect night terrors and sleeplessness have on the psyche and can have on general health. At least half of the American population experiences a traumatic event in his or her lifetime. Of those, 1 in 10 men and 2 in 10 women will develop PTSD. Certain traumas like combat and sexual assault often make it more common to develop PTSD. Extreme or long-lasting traumas, too, increase the chances of developing PTSD.
Symptoms of PTSD
PTSD has four main symptoms. However, each individual experiences them differently and not all four at once.
- Reliving the trauma.
- Avoiding things that remind you of the trauma.
- Increase in negative thoughts and feelings than prior to the trauma.
- Difficulty relaxing/concentrating – feelings of hyperarousal.
The most important part of understanding PTSD can be cured and managed effectively. For help with managing your symptoms and finding the best course of treatment, click here.
Just last week, we received an email from the wife of a combat veteran. Her husband retired after 14 years in the Army. After being deployed to Iraq three times and serving six years of hand-to-hand combat, he returned home with extreme PTSD and severe night sweats. After putting the sheets on the bed, he awoke in the middle of the night to dry bedding, despite profuse sweating.
“I am beyond thankful for your company and this product. We are huge supporters of this brand,” she wrote. We hope they, too, know how thankful we are for his service abroad and for her unwavering support. We’ll be posting more on their story next month.
Find the full video interview with Dr. Kevin Chapman here and below. In just over 15 minutes, he discusses the categories of symptoms related to PTSD, as well as their causes and ways to treat them and the high number of patients he sees with night sweats.
