The American Psychological Association's (APA) Stress in America survey paints an alarming picture about the level of stress experienced by children and adults. The survey shows a substantial proportion of both children and adults report that their stress levels have increased in the past year.  In addition, the survey found that many people report experiencing negative physical effects of stress, such as headaches, change in appetite, loss of sleep, and depression. It also appears that parents don't always recognize the level of stress that their children may be experiencing. Stress is unavoidable; however, by learning healthy ways of managing stress, a person can reduce its potential to have a negative impact on physical and mental health. You can read more on the results of the APA Stress in American survey on APA's website.

If you have PTSD, you may find that you often experience very strong emotions, and as a result, managing your emotions may be hard to do. You are not alone. Many people with PTSD experience difficulties regulating their emotions. For example, it has been found that PTSD is linked with difficulties accepting emotions, low emotional awareness, and being unable to control impulsive behaviors when distressed. Fortunately, there are things you can do to better manage your emotions. Try out some of the coping strategies listed in this article.

PTSD has been found to be associated with a number of physical health problems, including obesity, diabetes, and poor cardiovascular health. In addition, the symptoms of PTSD often lead to behaviors that may have a negative impact on a person's health, such as smoking or alcohol use. It is not surprising then that a recent study by Dr. Marek Brzezinski and colleagues at the University of California, San Franciso, found that veterans with PTSD may be at greater risk to die within a year following surgery as compared to those without PTSD. Specifically, they found that approximately 9% of veterans with PTSD died following surgery whereas only 7% of patients without PTSD died within a year after surgery. These findings are concerning and demonstrate the far-reaching impact of a PTSD diagnosis. They also demonstrate the importance of seeking out treatment for PTSD symptoms. You can read more about the study at CNN.com.

It may be hard to find good and accurate information on PTSD. The American Psychological Association has an entire section devoted to information on PTSD, including current research, treatment options, and books. You can check out this website here. For additional resources on PTSD, look at the Resources section on this website, or look through this article which describes some popular websites on PTSD that provide accurate, useful, and up-to-date information.