People go through different life experiences and some experiences can be very traumatic and leave emotional and psychological scars.
PTSD and Depression often go hand in hand as psychological sequelae from a shared traumatic experience and understanding the connection can be beneficial.
What PTSD Feels Like Day to Day
PTSD is triggered after a person experiences or witnesses extreme fear and traumatic events such as accidents, violence, and disasters.
The fear that is created from these events is not easily forgotten and can manifest in a variety of different ways.
Examples are:
- Flashbacks
- Dreams
- Avoidance of certain places, conversations, or events
- Isolation
- Guilt
- Hypervigilance
- Sleep disturbances
In a way, the mental alarm system is engaged and is on the lookout for danger that may not actually exist.
The Weight of Depression
The impact of depression is different for everyone but it can be equally debilitating.
This can be described as the ever-present cloud of sadness and emptiness of depression that goes beyond just a rough patch.
Signs often include:
- The ever-present and heavy hopelessness that lingers.
- The world pulls back and becomes gray.
- Retreat from the activities that once brought joy to your life. Socializing with friends, going for walks, and all the little pleasures.
- Changes to your sleep and eating routines. This can include sleeping too much or too little or eating too much or too little
- The bone-weary feeling that settles in
- Added difficulty focusing or making decisions
Where Trauma and Depression Meet
Can trauma cause depression? It sure can.
When a major shock alters your world, it disrupts the emotional processing center of your brain, making it more accessible for subclinical depressive symptoms to arise.
Post event depression does not always occur immediately. Sometimes, it takes a while to develop after the event.
There are places that PTSD and Depression overlap. Things such as fragmented sleep and a lack of contact with the outside world are some examples.
When depression and PTSD are experienced concurrently, the fatigue from one disorder feeds into the other. This makes all challenges feel insurmountable.
Early Roots and Lasting Echoes
What happens early on can shape a lot. Does childhood abuse cause depression? Studies point to yes. Those tough starts raise the odds of mood struggles down the line.
Those individuals may experience the effects of severe depression, and PTSD hit worse, especially when new adverse events occur.
Sorting Out Depression vs PTSD
They’re close cousins, but not twins.
What they share:
- Irritability that sneaks up, or stepping away from social stuff
- Trouble with focus and how you view yourself
- Changes in brain areas that manage stress and feelings
How they differ:
- PTSD links tightly to a past event, with reminders sparking fear all over again
- Depression might not have that clear trigger, though stresses in life usually play in
When both are in the mix, it’s tougher, but knowing that helps in finding ways forward.
Thoughts on Depression and Recovery
Will depression last forever? Luckily for many, the answer is no. It may feel as if you are in a rut. Over time and with positive experiences, the darkness will lift.
Recovery is a process of small achievements and running the risk of losing control. It’s a process of reconnection and moving in ways you deem safe.
People understand you, as you understand how many lives are impacted by this. Eterne Wellness has been helping people navigate these experiences.
If other treatments have failed then you may achieve quicker relief with ketamine therapy and even TMS.
Contact us and we will assist you in determining what is best for you.
FAQs
What is the difference between PTSD and depression?
PTSD is about the continual reliving of a specific trauma. Depression is more about a persistent feeling of being low that is not always connected to a specific event.
Can PTSD cause depression?
Often it may. The constant tension from PTSD can lead straight into depressive territory.
