topic Is it just depression or is it PTSD? in PTSD and trauma

Is it just depression or is it PTSD?

John_P — Mon, 26 Nov 2018 05:03:40 GMT

Hello.

Throughout my 20's, (im 32 now) i suffered with a couple cases of bad times, but now i think it was depression. once is my early 20's. about 22 for 2 years and then 30 to 32. both to do with relationship breakdowns, (not initiated by me),,,,, both situations left me completed destroyed as a person as I Love fully, but then crash after a breakup.....both occassions resulted in flashbacks, serious withdrawls from social situations, inability to function propoerly, constand brain fog. not able to feel good. bad sleeping patterns.....etc......is it depression or something worse? maybe it is PTSD?

my doctor gave me referral for a CT scan due to my constant pain in my head, or brain fog. Im concerned about the radiation side effects. Ans will it find anything?

clarity would be appreciated

Is it just depression or is it PTSD?

Idkme — Mon, 26 Nov 2018 05:31:57 GMT

Hi John,

Interesting question... I guess the answer is not so much in the "you have" as to the symptoms you are experiencing now. The question is do you still think about those things in your life and they release emotions that are 'challenging' to you or that give you an empty feeling. If you answer 'yes' then they are possibly PSTD related. PSTD is related to the way we react to trauma, some can process huge big traumatic events quickly and easily whilst others struggle with what seems small insignificant things. It all comes down to how our brain processes the information.

As far as getting a CT Scan goes then that will depend on how you feel and if you want more answers (not saying you will necessarily get any though). Maybe you could ask your doctor for a mental health plan and see a psychologist and see what they have to say about it all. They are much more professional to discuss you symptoms and past experiences. The fact that you are asking here means that the idea is a possibility to you so why not pursue it.

Just my thoughts on the matter... I'm no expert....

Welcome to the group.

Regards.

Is it just depression or is it PTSD?

John_P — Tue, 27 Nov 2018 02:27:47 GMT

Thank you

I wonder if PTSD is actually physcial symptoms? brain fog and a constant tension in your brain...and constantly in your head. i wonder what that is? can PTSD manifest in physcial symptoms of the brain?

and what are the treatments?

Is it just depression or is it PTSD?

Idkme — Tue, 27 Nov 2018 09:22:04 GMT

Hi John,

i absolutely believe it’s related to the physical. There are so many studies that support it actually.... brain fog is just one of the symptoms... it’s a result of an over active mind trying to fight off threats that don’t necessarily exist ALL the time.

I also get irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and lower back pain, which makes sense considering that’s the bit I feel when I do get flashbacks, triggers, etc.

other symptoms include tension headaches, sore shoulders, sore eyes, cold sores, ulcers, etc. And they’re just the ones I get.....

how to deal with it.....? .... talk therapy.... sounds crazy but it works.... a psychologist who knows what they are doing will direct your conversation towards healing and reigniting the stronger, braver self within. Other alternatives are medication (only prescribed by a qualified professional, or EMDR therapy. That’s just what I’ve heard.... personally I haven’t seen an EMDR person yet but I’m working on it....

i still think you need to see a doctor for a referral.... it’s worth a try isn’t it.

Keep us updated.... lots of people read your posts.... just not so many reply, but they’re there.....

Is it just depression or is it PTSD?

romantic_thi3f — Tue, 27 Nov 2018 23:35:47 GMT

Hi John,

Thanks for your post and questions.

As you know we can't give a diagnosis, but I'm pretty familiar with both Depression and PTSD so I'll try and answer them as best as I can.

The major difference between Depression and PTSD is the link of trauma.

Both Depression and PTSD match up in the sense of brain fog, negative moods, struggling with concentration and memory, sleeping problems, not being interested in things that you used to or struggling to feel more positive.

PTSD however tends to have recurrent distressing memories, dreams, reactions (flashbacks) and avoidance of certain situations related to the trauma. People with PTSD also tend to be in a hyperarousal state - so can be either more irritable or easily startled.

People can also have both PTSD and Depression, so it doesn't really have to be one or the other.

As for the CT scan, the radiation is pretty minimal (I've had several!) however if you're concerned I encourage you to talk to your GP about it.

Hope this answers your questions

Is it just depression or is it PTSD?

Lost123 — Wed, 28 Nov 2018 01:39:43 GMT

Hi John

I go through very similar things as you and I feel that it is quite normal. Am glad you are getting yourself checked out. I can’t comment on the physical side, but I know that there are a few things you can focus on mentally to heal.

I believe a healthy mind is the start of a healthy state. Give yourself plenty of self love and care, realise that the other was not all that and even deserving of the love you have. Do you know who is deserving? Yourself. This is your life journey.

i also give too much of myself and it’s a difficult balance. I do know this - when you are in a relationship, you have to be your own person, have your own hobbies and passions and self fixes. We can not rely on one person to give us everything and give everything too. I know that sounds awful and we wish it wasn’t true.

This will help safeguard the recurring feelings of being “completely destroyed”. You still have to safeguard your own heart and not trust fully because they may hurt you without realising what they’ve done.

Any question I google an answer pops up and usually help me through the mental process. Live has been romantised by Hollywood in epic ways, but in reality it is not so simple.

Re: closing yourself off to people for a while - this is the grieving stage. Megan Devine on YouTube has a great short video on grief. How others will try to “look on the bright side” when you know you have no energy to. When I go through break ups, I sleep a LOT. It stops me from rumination. Nobody is to blame and rejection is tough to deal with, but in time you will realise that had a good run. You learnt some things, you helped someone and you have grown as a person. It can be difficult to find joy again, but keep the hope alive that you can return to a happy and content state before the relationship. Do the things you love doing. Find new hobbies even. It doesn’t feel like it now, but when you’re ready to stop being hard on yourself, you will be okay 🙂 self-awareness is very important, but thinking too much isn’t good.

Is it just depression or is it PTSD?

John_P — Wed, 28 Nov 2018 04:48:20 GMT

hello guys.

thank you for the advice. i have got a mental health plan from my GP for 10 sessions. I started to ring a few psycologists, but realise that there is a huge gap?! Can anyone recommend someone in sydney that has no gap?

I found our recently the woman i was in a relationship with, got engaged-I had an intense crying spell, -more like a closure cry. I felt a little more healed. I wonder if crying is a healing mechanism? I am a masculine sort of guy, who usually keeps emotions hidden and doesnt cry much, but i know females find it easier to cry. maybe its better because that is a healing process?

How else can i force myself to deal with issues/other trauma's that has been hiding??? i feel like im the sort of person where my emotions build up and i dont deal with them? how do you force yourself to deal with your past and heal...and more importantly, going forward, deal with life struggles to ensure you dont accumulate emotional baggage?

Is it just depression or is it PTSD?

romantic_thi3f — Wed, 28 Nov 2018 11:49:01 GMT

Hi John,

Thanks for your post.

Just to let you know, we aren't able to recommend anyone specific here as part of the community rules. Each psychologist gets to choose how big the gap is and if they bulk bill. You may find a Google search helpful "psychologist" "bulk billing" "Sydney" or alternatively you can try here -

https://www.psychology.org.au/Find-a-Psychologist

As for the crying, it's absolutely helpful. It sounds like you're after a scientific answer so it supposedly contains stress hormones, releases endorphins (aka our happy chemicals) and regulates our parasynthetic nervous system (PNS) - (aka our rest and digest response).

Anyway, hope this answers your question. Seeing a psychologist is absolutely a great place to start. Forcing yourself to open up and heal is no easy feat, but it doesn't happen overnight. One psychologist likened working with trauma to dealing with the stuff in the garage - you just start with one box at a time.

Is it just depression or is it PTSD?

John_P — Tue, 11 Dec 2018 05:06:45 GMT

a concept that i would like to discuss: is struggle and overcoming the key to a successful mindset?

i have noticed the people in the world that have little are the ones with the biggest smiles....to appreciate life do you have to live through a struggle??? are we designed to overcome and strive to reach out goals??? if we never have to overcome something how can we appreciate anything? if we have lived a life with nothing, then we will appreciate a life with something....if we ate rice all day every day...then we went to a 5 star restaurant we would appreciate it....if we lose our jobs or get fired constantly, we will appreciate that promotion .

is struggle the key to a healthy mind?

Is it just depression or is it PTSD?

romantic_thi3f — Tue, 11 Dec 2018 22:28:29 GMT

Hi John,

Great to hear back from you.

This is an interesting concept, although I'm not sure that there's a right answer. For me personally, I think probably an understanding of struggle is important, as well as the concept of gratitude.

Take two people who constantly eat at 5 star restaurants for example and who've never known serious financial struggle. One of those people might grumble about their wait, how their meal is cold or the waitress was unkind - where as the other might delight in the weather or the warm atmosphere. I think it's the mindset - are they grateful? Do they understand (even if they've never experienced) the real life struggles that are out there and how things could be worse for them or is worse for others?

and then if we're in struggle, can we be grateful for the little things, and see the bigger purpose? If I'm eating rice everyday I'm not going to dream of 5 star restaurants, but I'm going to try and be grateful for the family/friends I get to eat rice with, or the delight my family might get in cooking all that rice for everyone.

Does this make sense? Probably a few too many metaphors!

Is it just depression or is it PTSD?

John_P — Wed, 12 Dec 2018 05:45:47 GMT

hmmm...maybe you are correct...maybe not GOING through the struggle, but understanding no matter where we are at....that there is always going to be a better situation and a worse situation than what we are experiencing at the moment...e.g..if we are 10kgs over weight..being 20kgs is a worse situation, but being 10kg less is a better situation...

..so maybe the key is being greatful of not being more obese and make a plan with actions to be more slim with actions also not to become more obese...

but feeling grateful and allowing that feeling of contentment to occur within us..

i have noticed for me practicing mindfullness has given more more contentment.

next question: what does 15 mins a day of mindfullness do to our brains?

Is it just depression or is it PTSD?

romantic_thi3f — Wed, 12 Dec 2018 22:58:26 GMT

Hi John,

That makes sense! The mindset is a very powerful thing - like the growth vs fixed mindset if you've ever heard of that? I think that would apply a lot to the people you mentioned earlier who have been through lots of struggles and have the biggest smiles.

Oh mindfulness - great!

One of the biggest thing that I've heard about practicing mindfulness is that the amygdala (which is the part of our brain responsible for the flight/fight response or anxiety) actually shrinks, and the pre-frontal cortex (which is the part of our brain responsible for things like awareness, concentration and decision making) becomes thicker.

Mindfulness can be helpful for basically everyone but especially in people with PTSD (which I know you talked about earlier) because in PTSD the amygdala or the flight/fight response is overstimulated, which makes us more vigilant and anxious then we need to be.

I hope this makes sense! Here's a couple of extra resources that might be helpful -

https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/what-does-mindfulness-meditation-do-to-your-brain/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNCB1MZDgQA (about 4 min)

Is it just depression or is it PTSD?

John_P — Mon, 17 Dec 2018 22:44:20 GMT

Thankyou for the resources.

So, i had a bad life experience 2 years ago. and im still haveing effects now...last night i had a bad dream about my ex partner. and i have flashbacks of moments and memories together. how to do reduce these? do they go away?

Is it just depression or is it PTSD?

Idkme — Mon, 17 Dec 2018 22:59:46 GMT

Hi john,

I have dreams too, they come and go... it’s a natural process of trying to make sense of a traumatic event.... it’s the filing system in your brain trying to sort it into categories... quite often there are multiple categories it fits in, and in the case of a personal traumatic event, it often gets filed with things it probably shouldn’t... so when certain memories are triggered it ‘reawakens those thoughts’.

Of course that’s just one interpretation....

the answer is to not dwell on it.... identify the trauma, acknowledge the emotion linked to it and then remind yourself that you are safe now, and give yourself a little reassuring (hug/hi five/pat on the back). For surviving.

I guess the important thing to do is try to reduce the catastrophising that sends our body into fight/flight/freeze. Because that reaction creates all different types of other reactions in our mind and body.

Sit with it and be okay with it..... I know.... easier said than done....

Is it just depression or is it PTSD?

John_P — Tue, 18 Dec 2018 03:12:12 GMT

thankyou.

a question i have: everyday people are damaged by situations and decision by others...e.g....divorces....affairs..where 1 party is the victim...this leaves the victim emotionally scarred....and there are no consequences for the person who did that to the victim....this should change in our society where if someone is done wrong by there should be serious consequences because peoples actions leave huge emotional scars on others.....its just not fair but how can society make it fair?

Is it just depression or is it PTSD?

Idkme — Tue, 18 Dec 2018 05:18:00 GMT

Hi John,

that is the million dollar question.... there are no answers, it’s been the study of many great movies... a utopian society.... can it ever exist?

It is unfortunately one of the flaws of mankind. Some care, some don’t. some take responsibilities for their actions, others don’t.... it’s all the scale of justification. Why can some people speed above the legal driving speed and see no harm? Because they push the boundaries.... (I knows it’s only a mild thing compared to serious offences but at some point the line blurs).

those who hurt others have very loose boundaries. Only laws and rules can keep them in the bounds of restraint.... if it wasn’t for those laws and rules they’d probably just do whatever ‘felt’ okay by them.... (a very scary concept).

Best advice I can give from just a purely personal point is to find peace and safety in your own life. Rebounding and resilience is something we can control, sometimes it takes a long time but if we keep working we can first help ourselves and then help save others.

What do you think?

Is it just depression or is it PTSD?

John_P — Sun, 23 Dec 2018 11:24:46 GMT

thankyou. getting back on the horse is the only answer....what i have learnt is....always know that life can throw a curveball at you at all times.....always have a plan b and emotionally prepare for plan b...still invest emotionally in plan a, but know plan b may be needed...this is a hedge emotionally.....and also play it smart...dont risk it all...

I am a very open and sensitive person and what i have learnt is some people smell that and also as a primitive instinct try and conquer that just because they can...got to be weary!

next question: how to see past life expectations ( get married before 30...have a good job. pay bills. be in bed by 10pm...go to church...) how to get free of that and set your own life rules!

Is it just depression or is it PTSD?

Idkme — Sun, 23 Dec 2018 12:03:34 GMT

Hi john,

yep, sensitive person here too, used to hate it but starting to realise it makes me a better person for having it because I can sit back and appreciate things that steel hard people can’t.

So to the question.... expectations are actually the things we place on ourselves. It’s how we want to be accepted into certain societal groups. So I guess you have to break free from those but be willing to stand on your own 2 feet. If you need support and love from those people then you may need to conform to the groups expectations. If you don’t like the groups expectations then change groups or make your own.

Be prepared to make a stand and deal with any of the resulting outcomes... some will be great, some might not be.

Its like that saying ‘nothing ventured nothing gained’. Give it a go....

but on the other hand be aware..... the decisions we make don’t just affect us personally so contemplate your decisions first before doing them.

Mans anotger wise saying... ‘grass always looks greener on the other side of the fence’. Don’t always think others have a better life, most often they have personal struggles you have no clue about.

Learn to love you and be kind to you....

and here’s the disclaimer.... I really don’t have the answers, just my life experience and I’ve had no training on what to say to people, so take my advice with a grain of salt... if it helps, use it.... if it doesn’t, then listen to someone else. (Listen to yourself.... I think the true answer lies in there).

so now I have a question.... I’ve had therapy with my psychologist but am feeling a bit flat lined and want to just ‘move on and forget’.... should I have a break or should I keep going to my psychologist?

Is it just depression or is it PTSD?

Doog — Fri, 28 Dec 2018 11:14:02 GMT

Hi all, I joined tonight because the Xmas season has taken its toll on my emotions. I don't want to live like this anymore. Being alone is different to feeling loneliness surrounded by humans.

PTSD is directly related to the trauma YOU experienced. However if you cant function like the smiley happy people you are labelled as depressed. Maybe being sensitive and worn down from trauma and abuse or alienation is a gradual process too. It's all relative. It's all connected. Connected to our feelings. I'm tough, but collapse like a sack of spuds on the floor at any random trigger. Who makes the call on trauma/depression? They both feel so desperately severe to the person living the nightmare. Love to all. Fight no matter what.

Is it just depression or is it PTSD?

Idkme — Fri, 28 Dec 2018 23:14:39 GMT

Hi Doog and welcome,

thank you for your post.

i totally agree. Xmas is a very hard time for many people, especially those who see through those smiles and feel the emptiness you mentioned. The only thing we can do is to look after ourselves and be there for others.

The more we share, the more people will be aware and the more we realise that we are not alone.

To truly feel happiness and peace we have to also experience lows and darkness, that’s what makes us appreciate the times of happiness more.

So look for some way of adding light to your day... go for a walk, watch a movie with popcorn and soft drink, visit a friend, go for a drive, do something artistic, sleep in, wear pjs all day, whatever it takes to do something kind to yourself.

Just a thought.... not sure if it helps...