Why Trauma Can Lead to Depression — and How to Cope

Prolonged trauma responses that last well beyond the time of the trauma can be seen as a hypervigilant nervous system that is always on edge, says Kelsey Latimer, PhD, a psychologist who treats depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in private practice in Stuart, Florida. “That is exhausting to one's system over time and can lead to physical and mental burnout,” she says.

Why Trauma Can Lead to Depression

So why does trauma sometimes lead to depression?

“When you are subjected to adverse life events or trauma in general, your body attempts to adapt to it in the form of a combined physical and emotional response,” says Eric Chaghouri, MD, a psychiatrist in Los Angeles.

• Age “Younger patients, especially those who experienced trauma, are prone to depression because some have yet to learn coping mechanisms and their young minds aren’t yet able to adapt to brain-chemistry-altering trauma,” says Dr. Chaghouri.
• Gender Women who have experienced trauma and those who have experienced multiple traumatic events have higher rates of depression, says Chaghouri. Women are twice as likely to be diagnosed with depression than men and twice as likely to be diagnosed with PTSD than men, because (among other reasons) women are more likely to experience sexual abuse or assault, traumas which frequently lead to PTSD.

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• Self-Medicating With Alcohol Misuse of alcohol is a risk factor for depression. It’s also a potential complication of PTSD.

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• Experiencing More Than One Type of Trauma
• Trauma Symptoms That Interfere With the Ability to Function

How PTSD and Depression Overlap

• Intrusive Memories These are recurrent and unwanted thoughts, memories — including especially vivid memories called flashbacks that feel like reliving the event — or distressing dreams associated with the traumatic event.
• Avoidance Symptoms Those with PTSD may avoid people, places, and things that remind them of the trauma, as well as avoid thinking or talking about it.
• Negative Thoughts and Feelings People may start to feel bad about themselves or others, may blame themselves for what happened, may not find pleasure in things they once enjoyed, may stop trusting people, or may feel detached from family and friends.
• Arousal Symptoms These changes in physical and emotional reactions may include being on high alert all the time, startling easily, having difficulty sleeping, irritability, and having a short temper.

• Irritability
• Trouble sleeping
• Problems concentrating
• Loss of interest in activities you used to enjoy
• Social withdrawal

“Sometimes it can be difficult to differentiate between the two,” says Chaghouri. “However, what’s unique in patients with PTSD is that there are hallmark symptoms of reliving the traumatic experience by having flashbacks, avoiding the environment or circumstances by which the event happened, and being always on edge.”

Whether someone with trauma goes on to develop PTSD, depression, or both depends on each person’s risk factors, Chaghouri says. Some people may be more or less likely to develop depression based on their coping mechanisms, resilience, and personal support systems, he says.

“Those who have preexisting mental health disorders can experience more intensified symptoms of depression or PTSD,” Chaghouri says.

How to Cope With Trauma and Depression

If your symptoms impact your day-to-day life, or you find that you can’t function like you did before the trauma, you should reach out to your doctor or a mental health professional for help, says Chaghouri.

Along with therapy and medication, some complementary approaches could help improve your symptoms:

• Mindfulness This form of meditation is a simple but powerful tool that can help bring you back to the present moment when you’re experiencing a flashback or need to calm your body when you’re feeling anxious. It involves focusing your attention on the present in an open, curious, accepting, and nonjudgmental way.

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• Resilience When it comes to managing both trauma and depression, resilience — the ability to adapt to challenging life experiences — can be very helpful. One way to build resilience is by developing effective coping strategies, such as journaling, building a social support system of friends and family, and reframing negative thoughts.

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• Exercise Regular physical activity can do a lot of good for anyone’s mental health, including people with depression, trauma, and PTSD. Research shows that it’s effective. According to a review of more than 200 randomized, controlled trials with more than 14,000 participants, people experienced moderate reductions in depression when they walked, jogged, or did strength training, mixed aerobic exercise, yoga, tai chi, or qigong. Most adults should aim to do 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise each week, as well as muscle-strengthening activities at least two days a week.

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If you or a loved one is experiencing significant distress or having thoughts about suicide and needs support, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24/7.