The Link Between PTSD and Depression

Oct 21
10:59

2015

Andrew Peter

Andrew Peter

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Dual diagnosis involves several complexities that require immediate professional help. Rehab facilities in Florida attempt to provide you with the best treatment options. Florida dual diagnosis helpline will connect you with the best drug and alcohol rehab Florida to ensure your chances of a sustained and successful recovery.

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More than 90 percent of people are exposed to at least one traumatic event in their lifetime. Over three quarters of individuals diagnosed with lifetime PTSD develop another co-morbid condition,The Link Between PTSD and Depression Articles according to a survey published in Archives of General Psychiatry in 1995.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health disorder triggered by witnessing or experiencing a traumatic event such as a natural disaster, sexual or physical abuse, child abuse, combat exposure, assault, a serious accident or a terrorist attack. Such an individual is left shaken and experiences difficulty coping for some time. However, a persisting fear, anxiety and stress despite not being in danger anymore may indicate the development of PTSD.

The symptoms of PTSD are essentially characterized into four: re-experiencing the event through flashbacks, nightmares and disheveling thoughts; avoidance symptoms that refer to avoiding any particular thing or situation that reminds the person of the traumatic experience; negative alterations in beliefs and feelings related to the self and hyperarousal, relative to easily startled reactions and constant edginess. Unfortunately, for most individuals with PTSD, the struggle does not end here.

PTSD brings with it a host of associated issues, both mental and physical in nature. Since this disorder is highly sensitive to environmental reminders of the traumatic event, it follows an unpredictable and fluctuating course. Chronic PTSD often co-occurs with depression, stress disorders and anxiety disorders. Such co-occurring morbidities highly influence the course of the disorder and its treatment, making it all the more challenging.

Various researches have depicted a rise in the rates of depression after a trauma. This holds particular repercussion for children and adults who are already struggling with PTSD. According to a study published in the American Journal of Psychiatry in 2004, the likeliness of depression is almost three to five times higher in those with PTSD compared to those who do not have PTSD. Whether PTSD and depression are separate disorders in the aftermath of trauma or belong to a single general traumatic stress construct, stands as an important question.

A group of 363 survivors, three to 12 month post-injury, were observed prior to their release from the hospital. To understand the relationship between PTSD and depression, canonical correlations and multinomial logistics regressions were employed. The study concluded depression and PTSD to be similar traumatic stress factors with a shared vulnerability and similar predictors. However, depression was noted to occur independently from PTSD among a small group of survivors, at three-month post injury. Therefore, it appeared evident that existence of depression was independent in acute PTSD, but not in the case of chronic PTSD.

The Florida Dual Diagnosis Helpline(www.floridadualdiagnosishelpline.com) aims to provide you your best shot at recovery. Dual diagnosis treatment Florida focuses on treatment of mental illness and addiction in the scope of dual diagnosis. Our representatives are committed to connecting you or a loved one with the best rehabilitation centers in Florida that understand the complexities of a dual diagnosis.