Destination Hope Drug Rehab For Women Addresses Link Between PTSD and Obesity in Women
Fort Lauderdale, Fla (PRWEB) November 26, 2013 -- Alcohol and drug rehab for women provides treatment for more than addiction alone; behavioral health comes with many complications, including repercussions from trauma. Research published in the November 20th online issues of JAMA Psychiatry (http://archpsyc.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1780021) indicates that one in nine women will suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in her lifetime. This comes with a variety of consequences, including a recently discovered link to obesity. Destination Hope: The Women’s Program, a nationally recognized mental health and addiction treatment center in south Florida, warns that this link may be even stronger during the holiday season.
"At our alcohol and drug rehab for women we know firsthand how a mental health condition can throw your physical health out of whack," said Ben Brafman, the founder and CEO of Destination Hope: The Women’s Program. "Total well being is a fine balance of physical, emotional, and spiritual health. When a woman struggles after a trauma, it’s not just her mind that is affected."
Women with PTSD are more prone to weight gain than their peers without the condition. Scientists aren’t completely sure why this is the case, though it may be related to hormonal imbalances due to stress. Furthermore, altered behavior – such as stress-related eating – can also contribute to PTSD’s risk of obesity. The new research, conducted by Harvard, Columbia and Boston University shows that women of normal weight who develop PTSD increase their risk of significant weight gain by 36 percent.
"The holidays are a notorious time of stress, particularly for women, who find themselves in the role of care-taker," said Brafman, a veteran of the behavioral health industry. "This time of year can stir up feelings of stress and anxiety, which can then lead to over-eating. That on its own can spark weight gain, but compounded with the effects of PTSD, it can be serious."
Not only do women with PTSD tend to gain more weight, they tend to put it on at a higher rate. A small weight gain related to holiday stress eating may become more severe in a woman who is suffering from the effects of PTSD. Treatment could serve to help both conditions.
"Treatment for PTSD has been proven to be successful," said Brafman. "Our Drug rehab for women has a program in place to work with women who have undergone intense traumas and subsequently developed PTSD. Treatment doesn’t just address the condition itself; it can affect all aspects of a woman’s life, including her physical health. This time of year, seeking treatment for PTSD could be even more beneficial."
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Destination Hope: The Women’s Program is a full service addiction, drug, alcohol and dual diagnosis drug rehab for women treatment facility in Florida for women suffering from substance abuse and mental health issues. Treatment programs include: drug rehab, alcohol rehab, outpatient rehab, dual diagnosis therapy, family therapy programs, prescription drug rehab aftercare and women’s health programs to treat depression, anxiety and eating disorders. Destination Hope: The Women’s Program and its partner program, Destination Hope, provide gender specific therapy in an intimate treatment environment. For more information on the center or substance abuse and addiction treatment, please go to http://www.womensdrugrehab.com.
Alton Smith, Destination Hope: The Women's Program, http://www.womensdrugrehab.com, +1 866-808-7111, [email protected]
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