How Is PTSD Different from Depression?

It’s one thing to be aware that negative mental health symptoms are damaging your quality of life. It’s a whole other to determine what part of your brain chemistry and psychology are causing your symptoms. And you may need an accurate diagnosis to find treatments that work effectively for you.

Many mental health conditions share overlapping symptoms. That’s particularly true of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It can be difficult to determine the cause of your symptoms, like depressed mood, sleep interruptions, and emotional volatility.

At Iconic Infusions, PLLC, veteran and mental health expert Dr. Bryant S. Edwards can help you better understand the difference between PTSD and depression. Dr. Edwards offers intravenous ketamine treatment, often effective for both treatment-resistant depression and PTSD, from his location in Fayetteville, North Carolina.

Let’s review some key differences between PTSD and depression, as well as how your diagnosis affects your treatment plan going forward.

Causes of depression and PTSD

Depression is a mental illness that can be treated with medication management, talk therapy, and, sometimes, lifestyle changes. Depression often affects individuals multiple times throughout a lifetime. Depression can worsen because of triggering events but can also worsen without any clear triggers.

PTSD is an anxiety disorder resulting from past experiences you’ve gone through in your life. The trauma causing your PTSD might relate to past military service, a past violent experience, or having survived abuse. Even a bad car accident can leave you dealing with PTSD.

Both of these conditions involve brain changes, which can result in similar symptoms. They can also co-occur.

Symptoms of depression vs. PTSD

Symptoms of these conditions can, as mentioned previously, overlap. However, the presence of diverging symptoms can also give you information about your mental health condition and correct diagnosis.

Depression and PTSD share symptoms including:

• Mood regulation problems and mood swings
• Depressed mood
• Interrupted sleep
• Unfocused mind
• Loss of interest in daily life activities
• Social withdrawal

Both depression and PTSD can leave you feeling suicidal, as well. For crisis suicide support, people in the United States can call the 988 helpline 24/7.

PTSD symptoms may also differ from depression symptoms in some key ways. Depression is more likely to cause you to oversleep and may also affect your appetite. PTSD symptoms often involve traumatic memories or flashbacks in some way, including nightmares and reactions to places, feelings, and situations that remind you of traumatic past events.

Rebalancing your mental health

Whether you’re suffering from depression, PTSD, or a combination of the two (it happens!), you deserve relief. Get in touch with Dr. Edwards and the Iconic Infusions, PLLC, team to learn more about treatment options and therapies that can restore your sense of mental health and wellness.

Both depression and PTSD can be successfully treated. Ketamine therapy shows promise as a PTSD treatment. And studies show that ketamine therapy may be able to resolve even treatment-resistant cases of depression.

For support with mental health conditions, including depression and PTSD, contact Iconic Infusions, PLLC, online or over the phone today to schedule your consultation appointment.