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Depression And PTSD

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Mental illnesses are often ignored and overlooked. Determining what kind of mental illnesses there are and what differentiates them can be difficult and hard to understand. Depression and PTSD are a couple of the most common types of mental illness that remain hidden. They can be detrimental to one 's everyday life and they may not even know why or what is happening. How does one know if they have depression or PTSD? Depression and PTSD occur for very different reasons. Depression is mainly caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain; however, it can sometimes appear during or after a difficult time in one’s life. There is a wide variety of other causes that are significant in which they need to be talked about. Some medications can cause depression …show more content…

The most common treatment for depressed patients is a combination of cognitive behavioral therapy and medication to improve serotonin levels. Cognitive behavioral therapy is based on changing the patterns of the mind to improve the outlook on life. As for PTSD patients, they will normally go through a therapy process that is called Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EDMR). This type of therapy teaches the patient to take away the negative feelings from the traumatic event. EDMR is very successful in most …show more content…

Depression is one of those illnesses that can’t exactly be cured, simply manageable. In fact, in most cases it never “leaves”. Depressed episodes may occur less and one’s day may be more exhilarating, but depression can be very complicated in others. Those who suffer from PTSD should expect the psychological effects such as hallucinations and flashbacks to lessen or disappear in time with continuous treatment. Depression and PTSD sufferers may contract serious physical pain after being left untreated. Depressed people may experience capricious sleeping patterns or a dwindling appetite. These symptoms, along with many others, can cause serious damage to the body. There is some research that PTSD can change the neurochemicals in the brain and may cause changes in the thyroid. These changes make the immune system weaker, thus making the body more susceptible to infections and diseases. The research continues studying the correlation between PTSD and physical ailments; furthermore, it’s important to see a therapist for treatment no matter the severity of the

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