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Letter: Stressful lives

Published 17 June 2009

From Polly Mortimer

I was fascinated by the link found between brain physiology during conflict and post-traumatic stress disorder in soldiers, reported by Peter Aldhous (9 May, p 40).

Is it possible that potential interventions and treatments mentioned in the article could be applied far more widely? I suggest that most mental distress, unless drug related, is caused by extreme and overwhelming stresses at various points in a person’s life, and is a consequence of this stress overload.

London, UK

Issue no. 2713 published 20 June 2009

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