PTSD and Depression - Part Two


As stated last week, approximately 43% of women with PTSD are also diagnosed with major depression.

For many, the reasons are a sense of helplessness, and hopelessness, in dealing with the many symptoms of PTSD.  Add to this the everyday causes of depression in women with out PTSD, it is clear to understand how difficult it can be. 

Signs of depression

  • Thoughts of suicide or self injury over medicating
  • Weight gain or loss
  • Sleep difficulties (too much, too little, nightmares, night terrors)
  • Lack of enjoyment from activities that once were enjoyable
  • Discontinuing personal hygiene habits
  • Increase in alcohol and/or drug use

For women with PTSD who experience depression there are a number of therapies, and self help methods, to help reduce the depression.

First and foremost, however, if you are experiencing suicidal thoughts, stop reading right here.  It is imperative you contact your mental health professional, or crisis hotline!.  The number one priority is to ensure your safety.

Medications

There are a number of antidepressants on the market today which cause a minimum of uncomfortable side effects compared to even five years ago.  Your physician will be able to prescribe these medications in conjunction with any you are taking for other diagnoses.   Be aware that what might work for one woman may not work for another, so it may take a bit of time to find the right combination for you.

Therapy

There are a number of therapies available, and your mental health professional will decide on one that is best suited for you.

Cognitive Therapy
This form of therapy is used to help you learn how to turn around negative thoughts.   When we have experienced trauma in our lives we tend to look at things in a negative light.  It also may include positive problem solving, self-esteem improvement,  and  relationship skills.

Talk Therapy
This form of therapy allows you to talk about the past and present, to try to put issues in their proper prospective, and deal with them in a way you were not able to at the time of the trauma.

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)
This form of therapy is quite new, but very successful according to recent studies.   The basis of this therapy is that when the trauma happens your brain releases chemicals which cause you to go into "flight or fight" mode.  When in this mode, you are just trying to get out of the situation alive, for example, and are unable to process what is happening and deal with it.  The purpose of EMDR is to take specific memories associated with the trauma and talk about them while focusing on an

The copyright of the article PTSD and Depression - Part Two in Post-Traumatic Stress is owned by Cheryl Foote. Permission to republish PTSD and Depression - Part Two in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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