Gary Kaplan > Quotes

“The number one cause of PTSD in the United States is motor vehicle accidents.14 As many as 25 to 33 percent of people show signs of PTSD—such as sleep disturbances, heightened anxiety, hypervigilance, nightmares, and avoidant behavior—30 days after an accident. It’s so common that 2.5 million to 7 million people in the United States suffer from it. Their risk of substance abuse is five times greater than normal. And well over half of people in car accidents (60 to 66 percent) have chronic pain, just like Emily did.15”
― Gary Kaplan, Total Recovery: Breaking the Cycle of Chronic Pain and Depression

“The brain perceives emotional pain more quickly than it does physical pain. If a loved one dies unexpectedly, your nervous system immediately responds. Adrenaline, noradrenaline, and cortisol surge into your bloodstream, binding to your heart receptors, increasing your blood sugar, and priming your muscles for action.21 The ache you feel in your heart is not a metaphor. It’s pain.”
― Gary Kaplan, Total Recovery: Breaking the Cycle of Chronic Pain and Depression

“Physiologically, psychological issues are not separate from pain issues. They are the same thing manifesting differently.”
― Gary Kaplan