Depression and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are mental conditions that often go hand-in-hand. Many people develop post-traumatic stress disorder after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event. This can cause them to relive the traumatic event and have nightmares and flashbacks of the event.

 

In many cases, PTSD becomes so severe that sufferers retreat remarkably from their everyday activities. They withdraw, isolate themselves and can begin to be depressed.

PTSD is often triggered by memories of a traumatic event. Some of the common events that cause a person to develop PTSD include:

Although PTSD can develop merely hours after the traumatic event, in some cases, months and even years can go by before a person starts to develop the symptoms of PTSD. However, in most cases, PTSD usually develops within three months of the traumatic event.

Those most likely to become PTSD sufferers include men and women who have spent time in war zones or in military combat. Approximately 30 percent of these people will develop a chronic form of PTSD sometime during their lives. However, anyone can develop PTSD symptoms. People of all ages, genders, ethnicities and backgrounds are susceptible to developing this mental condition.

Because post-traumatic stress disorder can be difficult to diagnose, mental health professionals and doctors are the only people qualified to make this diagnosis, which can involve questionnaires, structured interviews and assorted psychological assessments.

In most cases, PTSD symptoms will fall into one of these three categories:

• avoidance: PTSD sufferers with avoidance symptoms will cut or avoid creating close emotional ties with family, friends and colleagues. They may feel a reduction in their emotions, which is often described as a feeling of "numbness."
  
  These sufferers try to avoid anything and everything that could trigger memories of the traumatic event, as they are afraid the symptoms will worsen. Because these sufferers avoid forming relationships and try to separate themselves from their emotions and from the rest of the world, depression is commonly developed in PTSD sufferers with avoidance symptoms.

• hyperarousal: PTSD sufferers with hyperarousal symptoms act as though they are constantly threatened by the trauma or the possibility of reliving the trauma. They are always "on guard" and may seem paranoid because they fear that the minute they stop this behavior, PTSD symptoms will kick in and they will be forced to experience the traumatic event again. Many of these PTSD sufferers are irritable and can "explode" or become very angry without provocation.
  
  
• intrusion: PTSD sufferers who have intrusive symptoms experience unexpected "flashbacks" of the traumatic event that triggered PTSD. During these flashbacks, the person has vivid memories of the scenes involved in their traumatic event. Painful emotions, such as grief, fear, loneliness and despair, often go hand-in-hand with these flashbacks. In the worst cases of intrusion, the PTSD patient may even believe he is experiencing the traumatic event over again.

Some symptoms occur in almost all PTSD sufferers, regardless of the type of PTSD symptoms they experience. These include:

• alcohol and substance abuse
• depression
• insomnia
• recurring vivid nightmares of the event over months or years.

PTSD Treatments

• the particular cause of PTSD
• the person's mental health state and age
• the presence (or absence) of other mental or physical disorders
• the severity of the disorder.

The most common treatment involves a combination of therapy and medication.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy, which is the type most often used in cases of PTSD, focuses on correcting the patterns of behavior associated with PTSD. Sufferers are taught relaxation techniques, as well as skills for:

• communicating effectively
• coping with anxiety
• eliminating substance dependence
• managing anger.

Family and friends can sometimes be involved in therapy. If conditions like depression are present, these conditions must also be addressed during therapy.

Those suffering from milder cases of PTSD may be advised to attend group therapy sessions. During this type of therapy, each person is encouraged to share their experiences, reactions and methods of dealing with PTSD. This allows sufferers to see that they are not alone, effectively helping them deal with their emotions and fears.

Medication is also effective in treating many cases of post-traumatic stress disorder. While there is no specific medication for PTSD sufferers, a number of medications have been proven effective. The type of medication best for a particular PTSD patient depends on the type of symptoms a person experiences and any extra conditions that have developed because of PTSD, such as insomnia or depression.

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are most often used to treat depression associated with PTSD, but they can also be given to control the anxiety that is commonly associated with PTSD. Other medications such as clonazepam (Klonopin®) can help by decreasing feelings of anxiety and treating other PTSD symptoms.