Houston County Health News: Urgent call to combat rising PTSD rates in US colleges | Way of life

In this article, Dr. Shelandra Bell, DO, Family Medicine, shares her expert perspective on the findings and provides Georgia residents with evidence-based recommendations to protect their health.

Why this is important to you: There is a growing mental health crisis related to PTSD among American college students.

What this means for your health: “PTSD can be a silent struggle for many students. It can impact their academic performance, social interactions and overall quality of life.” Dr Puja Uppal, family medicine

Doctor’s Key Points for Mental Health of Houston County, Georgia: “The impact of PTSD extends far beyond the classroom. Students struggling with this disorder often face an increased risk of depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and even suicidal thoughts. The importance of early intervention should not be taken into account. Being ignored.

By providing accessible, trauma-informed resources and support systems, we can help students navigate the challenges of PTSD and prevent long-term consequences to their physical and mental well-being. » Dr. Shelandra Bell, Family Medicine.

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Main findings: The prevalence of diagnosed PTSD among U.S. college students increased from 3.4% in 2017-2018 to 7.5% in 2021-2022. This indicates a growing mental health problem among this population, particularly in Houston County, Georgia.

Comorbidities: PTSD is often associated with other mental health issues such as depression, anxiety disorders, and substance abuse, further compounding the challenges faced by affected students.

Physical health: PTSD has been associated with a variety of long-term physical health problems, including cardiovascular disease, chronic pain, and gastrointestinal disorders.

**Achievable Steps: **The first step in managing PTSD is recognizing the symptoms and seeking help. Students in Houston County should reach out to campus mental health services, their primary care physician, or a trusted mentor when experiencing intrusive thoughts, avoidant behaviors, and distress. mental health general sick.

Resource: The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) is a powerful tool for students in Houston County, Georgia to assess their mental health.

This quick self-test can start a conversation with your healthcare team about your mental health. ((Take the test here)(https://med.stanford.edu/fastlab/research/imapp/msrs/_jcr_content/main/accordion/accordion_content3/download_256324296/file.res/PHQ9 identification date 08.03.pdf))

Students should make an appointment with their primary care physician or campus mental health services and discuss their PHQ-9 scores. Dr. Uppal advises, “Sharing PHQ-9 scores with a healthcare professional can help guide the conversation, ensuring that students receive the appropriate level of care and support for their specific needs.” »

By taking this proactive step and engaging in an open and honest dialogue with their healthcare provider, Houston County students can begin to address the mental health challenges associated with PTSD and its comorbidities.

This can serve as a crucial basis for developing a comprehensive, personalized treatment plan that includes therapy, medications (if necessary), and lifestyle modifications to promote healing and resilience.

What they say : “In this serial cross-sectional study including a national sample of U.S. college students, we found a notable increase in the prevalence of PTSD and ASD, increasing by 4.1 percentage points and 0.5 percentage points, respectively, between 2017 and 2022. These trends highlight the increasing mental health concerns among college students, which is consistent with recent research reporting an increase in psychiatric diagnoses. the pandemic (e.g., loss of loved ones) and the effect of traumatic events (e.g., campus shootings, racial trauma Despite study limitations, including retrospective self-reported data and unique questions about diagnosed PTSD and ASD, these findings suggest the need for targeted, trauma-informed prevention and intervention strategies by mental health professionals and policies. decision-makers to support the affected student population. (Study source)

Newswire on health standards: Alarming rise in PTSD among students across the country.

**Key health and medical statistics for **Houston County, Georgia

Did you know that there was 1676 deaths Since suicide in Georgia in 2021?

16.9% from you in Houston County are smokers.

15% from you in Houston County state that your mental health is not good.

19.7% from you in Houston County suffer from depression.

39.2% of you in Houston County sleep less than 7 hours per night.

**Important Health Facts: **The health data mentioned above has a direct impact on your physical well-being and plays a crucial role in determining your overall health.

The health standards newswire.