PTSD or depression?

What is the difference between PTSD and depression? Seems like they can overlap, or be very mixed?
How do you know if you are depressed or if it is just your PTSD?

PTSD and depression, according to the therapist, go hand in hand. If you have PTSD, you will almost always suffer from depression as well. For me, the PTSD is different, it's the feeling of insecurity, the jumpiness, the flashbacks, the irritability (worse than with the depression, I think), feeling like I don't belong anywhere anymore, etc. With depression, it's a feeling of worthlessness. I don't cry anymore, haven't for a couple years now, but feeling like I will for no apparent reason, feeling as though I can't get up and do anything, no energy, no desire for anything. Every problem feels like it's magnified (which leads into the anxiety and panic for me), that kind of thing. Everyone is different though. There are a lot of pages on the most common symptoms for both PTSD and anxiety both on this site and on many others around the internet. Check out the symptom list, and you'll see the differences. For me right now, if one worsens, it seems they both do, so I get and agree that it's difficult to differentiate at times between the two...

Yes, depression is one of the symptoms that presents with PTSD. It is important to do one's best to eat right and exercise even though PTSD can often be so tiring.

Could't agree more.

Thank you catlover and OE.
As you point out OE- PTSD can be tiring. I am so tired, so lost and so scared. I wonder how much of it is all because I am fighting myself?
Time to surrender? Never!

It is completely exhausting! And yes, the depression comes and goes for me, I think it's a side effect or just part of it.

here in the USA depression and PTSD are two different problems .....

PTSD (post Truamatic Stress Disorder) is a cover all label for a group of symptoms that happens after a person goes through some sort of trauma, that truama can be just about anything...a natural disaster (hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes...) or it can be witnessing or being the victim of a crime....(burglery, sexual assault, any number of crimes) or being deployed/going through\surviving wars.

symptoms of PTSD include nightmares, flashbacks, anxiety, .... here's a link to the present diagnostics of what amarica goes by for what is now called PTSD ...

DSM-5 Criteria for PTSD - PTSD: National Center for PTSD

depression is a coverall label for having an overwhelming sadness, suicidal thoughts, weight loss, insomnia, loss of interest in things you would normally enjoy, .....

here is a link to the present diagnostics for depression (otherwise known as major depressive disorder)
http://www2.nami.org/Content/Navigat..._D_Episode.pdf

a person can have each of these separately or both at the same time, having both at the same time is called being dual diagnosed (having more than one mental disorder)

how do you know whether you have PTSD or depression or both...only your treatment providers can tell you that. if you feel you may have one or both contact your (or a) mental health treatment provider. they can administer a testing process that will tell you what your mental disorders are including whether you have PTSD or Depression.

Good question. I have PTSD and depression is either mild or moderate according to what current life stresses I have. It could be I am so exhausted too. I'm not sure.