Depression can be brought on as the result of a traumatic event in life. However, the shock of what has happened may prevent you from realizing its impact immediately.
There are a variety of different types of depression. Among these is depression brought on by a sudden or unexpected trauma in life. Whether it is the loss of a loved one, a change in your financial situation, health issues or other; if your mind has trouble dealing with the loss, you may find yourself suffering from depression.
There is evidence that depression brought on by traumatic events, may not always occur immediately. In cases such as these, the sufferer may be so engaged in dealing with the immediate consequences of the event itself that the mind does not fully register the severity of the loss.
Consider a wife in her mid-forties whose husband unexpectedly dies. She is immediately overwhelmed by dealing with this tragedy from as practical a standpoint as possible. She must deal with the emotional trauma her children are suffering, plan the funeral, deal with the financial issues brought on by his death, host out of town relatives, and in most cases, continue running her home, her family, and her job.
Conceivably, it could take weeks or months before her mind has time to process the extent of her loss. In a case such as this, she may consistently tell concerned friends and family members that she is dealing with her husbands death well. In fact, she may actually believe this herself. Unfortunately, the depression may reveal itself in the very instant she feels that life is getting back to normal.
Victims of violent crime can also suffer from this type of depression. Especially in cases where the victim suffers serious physical harm. These victims may be so distracted by the efforts of regaining their health that the violation they have suffered can not be processed immediately. Similarly, the distraction of their participation in any criminal proceedings against their attacker can further delay this realization. These individuals may spend a long period of time believing that the attack has caused them no longterm emotional harm. Unfortunately, this is rarely the case and severe depression can strike suddenly and without warning long after the actual event occurred.
One of the more unfortunate aspects of this type of depression is that often, sufferers are absolutely thorough in convincing their loved ones that they are fine. Then, when the depression invades their lives, they have a difficult time retracting these proclamations and asking for help. It is important that friends and family members understand that the passage of time is not at issue. Depression can strike weeks, months, and in rare cases, years after a traumatic loss has occurred.
The symptoms for this type of depression are no different than those for depression in general. Any notable or extreme change in mood or the onset of behaviors that interfere with the ability to work, concentrate, sleep, eat or experience joy should be viewed as potential signs of depression. These signs should be taken seriously and treatment should be sought immediately.
