What Is The Relationship Between Depression And Anxiety

What Are Some Signs That I Might Be Suffering From Depression And Anxiety

To best treat your anxiety and/or depression so it doesnt continue to get worse and lead to bigger problems, its important to know some of the signs of depression and anxiety. Some signs of depression and/or anxiety include:

• An inability to relax and be in the moment
• Feeling like you have lost all control internally
• Irrational worries or fears that linger

• Rapid heartbeat

If you experience any of these mental or physical symptoms, its important to reach out to a therapist, doctor, or treatment professional right away.

What Are My Treatment Options

People suffering from depression and/or anxiety might think there is no hope. Yet, still, theres good news. The good news is that there are ways that you can get the help that you need in a healthy manner.

Many people dont fully understand their anxiety or depression. Some people are just too afraid to admit that they have a problem.

Oftentimes such people find themselves turning to unhealthy coping mechanisms as a way to self-medicate and try and feel better. While in the short term this might work, long-term it can actually have adverse effects on the brain.

Thus, its important to consider a healthier alternative to treating depression and anxiety. Lets take a look at some of the more effective treatment methods for depression and anxiety.

The Link Between Depression And Anxiety

While a state of low energy is a trait of depression, a state of high energy is a trait of anxiety. Although these are opposite, theres a relationship between the two. For example, people with depression tend to have anxiety disorder symptoms too. Sometimes, they have panic attacks, which can make their depression worse.

The presence of both disorders, or comorbidity, has serious consequences. It significantly impacts overall physical and mental health, preventing people from functioning as normal. It also compounds the symptoms of each condition.

According to researchers and clinicians, however, depression and anxiety may not be two different disorders. Instead, they could be two sides of the same disorder. They note that genetics are the same, neurobiology overlaps, and the biological and psychological natures are the same. In certain situations, though, some people react with anxiety, while others react with depression.

Furthermore, the same treatments work well for both mental health problems. For instance, antidepressants and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors can ease symptoms of both anxiety and depression. In addition, cognitive behavioral therapy can also address common patterns in both conditions.

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The Relationship Between Depression And Anxiety

Depression and anxiety are two of the most common mental health conditions. In the year 2017, there were 264 million people living with depression and 284 million living with anxiety disorders globally. There are distinct symptoms for each of these conditions, but there is also a link between them. Here we provide an overview of the symptoms of depression and anxiety, and how they influence each other.

Treatment For Anxiety And Depression At High Focus Centers

At High Focus Centers, our clinicians, therapists, and staff work closely with individuals living with a range of mental health disorders including anxiety and depression. Contact us today to learn more about our adult and teen mental health treatment programs. Get in touch and have a friendly, non-judgmental conversation with our team. Start your path to a healthier life today!

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Similarities Between Depression And Anxiety

A key similarity between depression and anxiety is that they can both be perpetuated by thought patterns. Now, the types of thought patterns differ among individuals with depression vs. those with anxiety, but they also form a vicious cycle.

Consider this: individuals with depression generally feel hopeless in their situation, while those with anxiety feel helpless about their situation. Well, a person who feels hopeless can easily begin to feel helpless, while a person who feels helpless can slide into feeling hopeless. Because of this, some people with depression will develop anxiety and vice versa.

It is also important to note that one of the main symptoms of anxiety and depression are also closely related. One of the main symptoms of anxiety is avoidance. Specifically, the object or situation that causes anxiety is likely to be avoided at all costs. Similarly, one of the main symptoms of depression is withdrawal. With depression, if something seems to painful or too difficult, the reaction is to stop trying. While avoidance and withdrawal are not entirely synonymous, they both come back to the same idea of I cant.

Finally, both anxiety and depression have been known to affect the same neurotransmitters. A neurotransmitter is a chemical messenger that communicates messages from one neuron to another. Skipping a long technical conversation on neuroscience, basically, it affects moods and behaviors.

How The Two Are Different

Anxiety and depression are different disorders. Anxiety is characterized by fear and apprehension. These are often worried and nervous thoughts where significant attention is paid to situations that have happened in the past alongside worries about what is going on in the present and the future. Anxiety creates a feeling of discomfort and releases substantial energy throughout the body. Those with anxiety tend to think negatively and many worry about everyday occurrences unnecessarily. Often anxiety presents itself with feelings of unease and uncertainty.

Depression,on the other hand, centers around the idea that life is already bad, with little hope for the future. There is less worry about the future because it involves less hope. Those with depression may suffer from suicidal ideations, severe fatigue, less energy and fewer emotions and like anxiety these emotions are often very negative.

Physically, anxiety tends to cause an activation of feelings and sensations while depression may cause an absence of feelings and sensations

There are also similarities between the two conditions, and in some cases one can cause the other. For example, after a severe panic attack some people find themselves drained of energy and emotionally upset which may develop temporary depression. The experience may leave the person feeling traumatised and alone.

They sometimes even have similar physical symptoms, including:

• Nausea and stomach issues.
• Aches and pains for no apparent reason.

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Therapy For Anxiety And Depression

There are many different types of therapy that can be used to treat anxiety or depression alone. When both disorders are present, you may need to use a variety of these methods. Here are some types of therapy that work well for anxiety and depression:

• Cognitive behavioral therapy
• Acceptance and commitment therapy
• Psychoanalytic therapy
• Interpersonal therapy

There are also therapies designed for anxiety, such as exposure therapy, and techniques that are effective for depression, like behavioral activation. You may find it helpful to incorporate some extra therapeutic techniques into your treatment plan.

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Symptoms Of Anxiety & Depression

The symptoms of anxiety and depression often overlap. Anxiety can be a symptom of depression, while depression might be caused by certain anxiety disorders.

Some of the most common symptoms of both anxiety and depression include:

• Irrational and uncontrollable fear or worry
• Feelings of sadness or worthlessness
• Loss of interest in activities

• Difficulty focusing and making decisions

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The Link Between Anxiety And Depression Disorder

Anxiety and depression disorders are not the same although there are similar elements. Depression generates emotions such as hopelessness, despair, and anger. Energy levels are usually very low, and depressed people often feel overwhelmed by the day-to-day tasks and personal relationships so essential to life.

A person with anxiety disorder, however, experiences fear, panic or anxiety in situations where most people would not feel anxious or threatened. The sufferer may experience sudden panic or anxiety attacks without any recognized trigger and often lives with constant nagging worry or anxiousness. Without treatment, anxiety and depression disorders can restrict a person’s ability to work, maintain relationships, or even leave the house.

Both anxiety and depression treatment are similar, which may explain why the two disorders are so often confused. Antidepressant medication is often used for anxiety and depression and behavioral therapy frequently helps people overcome both conditions.

How Are They Different

The main difference between depression and anxiety is the symptoms. Depression is a persistent feeling of sadness. You also have no energy and you lose interest in activities you once loved. Some people with depression think about hurting themselves.

Anxiety involves fear or worry that you can’t control. Depending on the type of anxiety you have, the worry can surface during everyday activities like meeting new people.

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The Relationship Between Depression And Anxiety Is Complicated

While it would be great if there were a fool-proof way of telling you whether you have anxiety or depression, it’s not quite that simple. One person can easily have both anxiety and depression, and some people may have developed depression symptoms as a result of their anxiety disorder.

It’s a bit more difficult than saying “you have anxiety” or “you have depression” because it’s possible to have combinations of both. This may be called a “comorbid” condition when you suffer from both conditions simultaneously. Symptoms of one or the other may bleed into whichever disorder you have, because both share similar causes, issues, etc.

Studies Retrieved For The Meta

As it regards the number of records that were originally identified, concerning burnout, and depression a total of 3,884 records were found. After refining the search results, 3,026 records were screened, 21 of them were excluded as they were not full-texts, 17 were excluded due to language restrictions , and 2,921 because they didn’t fit the inclusion criteria or were excluded because the appropriate statistics were not provided. In total 67 papers were included in the meta-analysis .

Concerning burnout and anxiety, 2,309 records were identified. After refining the results, 2,019 available records were screened 10 of them were excluded due to non-use of the English language, 5 were not full-texts and 1,970 were excluded because they didn’t fit the inclusion criteria or because the appropriate statistics were not provided. In total 34 papers were eligible for the meta-analysis .

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Mental Markers Of Depression

People with depression may:

• Be hopeless, assuming that nothing positive will happen in the future for themselves, for others, or for the world
• Believe it is not worth trying to think or feel differently, because of this hopelessness
• Feel worthless, as if who they are or what they do is not valuable
• Think about death due to a persistent belief that life is not worth living or that the individual is a burden on others. In cases of moderate to severe depression, more specific suicidal thoughts can be present.

• Feel hopeless about themselves, others, the world

• Believe it is not worth trying

• Think about death due to a persistent belief that life is not worth living

In major depressive disorder , these types of thoughts are persistent most of the day and more days than not for weeks on end. If a person vacillates between a very low and very high mood state, then a diagnosis of bipolar disorder may apply. For any variant of a mood disorder, the low mood state is likely to be characterized by the type of thinking described above.

If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.

For more mental health resources, see our National Helpline Database.

How Are They Related

Both depression and anxiety are very common and often happen together. About 60% of people with anxiety also have symptoms of depression, and vice versa. Each condition can make symptoms of the other get worse or last longer.

The same genes may be behind both conditions. Anxiety and depression could also stem from the same structures or processes in the brain. Stress and trauma early in life can trigger both depression and anxiety.

If you have anxiety, you may be at greater risk for depression. Experts say avoiding the things you fear might lead to depression.

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The Relationship Between Anxiety And Depression

Helpful Links

While anxiety is generally considered a high-energy state and depression a low-energy state, anxiety and depression are more closely related than you might think. A person with depression often experiences a lot of anxiety, possibly even to the extent of having panic attacks.1

Anxiety disorders involve more than common nervousness and worry. They can cause terrifying fear about things other people wouldnt think twice about. Many people with anxiety disorders fully comprehend that their thoughts are irrational. But they still cant stop them. Feelings of losing inner control haunt them. This angst is one of the entry ways for depression.2

How Can Anxiety And Depression Affect Your Relationship

Anxiety and depression will bring challenges to every area of your life, including your romantic relationship. As adults, our romantic relationship is often our main source of comfort and reassurance. When we feel distressed, we look to our partner to help us feel better. When one or both partners suffer from anxiety or depression, this can have a negative impact on your relationship.

While anxiety and depression are separate disorders, they often occur together. However, each condition can have a different impact on your relationship. While each individual is unique and every relationship handles challenges differently, it may be useful to understand how anxiety and depression can impact your relationship.

If both disorders are present, a combination of effects can occur.

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B Depression In Patients With Anxiety Disorders Under Treatment

If the patient with an anxiety disorder is under treatment , the potential iatrogenic role of therapy needs to be evaluated . Demoralization and mood disturbances may occur during treatment of agoraphobia and panic with CBT . Depression may also ensue during antidepressant treatment . The overall situation may be complicated, as this case illustrates.

Clinical Presentation

Thomas is a 35-year-old, single, white-collar worker. He has been taking citalopram for social anxiety for 2 years and reported a mild improvement in anxiety. Citalopram had been prescribed by the family doctor. Recently, however, he started feeling sad, had late insomnia, loss of interest in life, and reported a decrease in appetite and energy. His anxiety considerably increased, especially when he tried to approach women, and a panic attack occurred. The family doctor increased citalopram to 40 mg per day with no results.

Assessment and Diagnosis

Macroanalysis. The patient met DSM-5 criteria for a major depressive episode and social anxiety disorder. He also reported one isolated panic attack. The loss of clinical effect after 2 years of treatment with citalopram, as well as the refractoriness to dose increase, are well documented in the literature . The patient de facto did not respond to the first course of treatment. Thomass macroanalysis is illustrated in Figure 2.

Fig. 2.

Macroanalysis of Thomas clinical case.

Treatment Options