Can Anxiety And Depression Be Treated Together
Yes. No one has to suffer from anxiety disorder or depression, and certainly not both. People with anxiety disorder should speak with a psychiatrist, therapist, or other healthcare professional about their symptoms and start treatment as soon as possible. If you suspect you have both anxiety and depression, Connolly recommends getting a thorough evaluation from a psychiatrist as a first step. “It’s really crucial for people with both to have a good assessment to rule out bipolar disorder,” she says.
Important: If you or someone you know needs help coping with anxiety or depression, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK . The Crisis Text Line also provides free, 24/7, confidential support via text message to people in crisis when they text to 741741.
Anxiety Vs Depression Diagnosis
If you feel your anxiety or depression symptoms are beginning to interfere with your quality of life, you should seek help from a professional right away.
A doctor or another qualified professional can conduct an exam or mental health evaluation. This can provide a clear diagnosis and help you make a plan for managing your symptoms moving forward.
Explained below are the basic processes a professional will go through when diagnosing anxiety or depression:
Signs Depression May Be The Cause
Depression is categorized as major depressive disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders . One key sign of depression is major depressive episodes. When these occur, symptoms of depression may become severe enough to limit daily functioning. Some other primary signs of depression are:
- Feelings of intense sadness
- Thoughts of death or suicide
Some types of depression are easier to identify as such. For example, depression caused by a certain life event may be easy to identify. Postpartum depression, which occurs after childbirth, or seasonal affective disorder , include symptoms of depression that have distinct triggers.
People who mainly experience anxiety may also be diagnosed with one of these depressive conditions. In these cases, the conditions would be seen as co-occurring, or comorbid. This term is used when two separate conditions are both present.
The experience of swinging to and fro between anxiety and depression can be a frustrating one. It may feel like a negative cycle in which balance is much needed but difficult to attain.
Depression may also be a more likely cause if:
- It runs in your family
- You recently experienced a traumatic loss
The experience of swinging to and fro between anxiety and depression can be a frustrating one. It may feel like a negative cycle in which balance is much needed but difficult to attain.
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Depression The Lowest Of Lows
Contrary to what some may believe or have told you, depression is just feeling a bit unhappy every now and again, its a prolonged and mostly persistent sense of being severely low, often to the point that those going through a bout of depression will lose all sense of pleasure from things they previously enjoyed.
Whereas the world can seem very intense and relentless for someone dealing with anxiety, depression often makes the world seem slow, grey and miserable.
Such is the varying extent to which depression affects people that it would take whole books to adequately describe all the ways that it could manifest itself in someone.
At one end of the scale, for example, you may experience depression as low mood, a loss of motivation and a general feeling of lethargy, whilst at the extreme end of the scale, you may experience severe symptoms such as a complete lack of hope and even suicidal thoughts.
That said, there are some common symptoms that may be familiar to many people suffering from depression. These include:
- Little to no enthusiasm for doing things you used to enjoy
- Feeling tired and sluggish all the time
- Trouble sleeping
- A bleak/pessimistic outlook and not being able to see a way out
Can You Have Anxiety And Depression Concurrently
So, from reading the above youre probably scratching your head about whether there are any differences between them, and indeed whether you can have both at the same time. Features can overlap, and that makes it a lot more difficult. But, in short, yes it is possible to experience both.
In fact, its not just possible, its a very common theme. Around half of people with a Generalised Anxiety Disorder will also be experiencing depression.
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What Strategies Are Often Used In Treating This Dual Diagnosis
Evidence-based research suggests that both anxiety and depression be treated at the same time.
Effective strategies often used in treating these co-occurring conditions include:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy CBT is often used to treat people with both disorders. Fears, anxieties and tendencies toward depression are managed by seeking out their root causes. Once uncovered, patients learn how to take control of their emotions and life.
- Antidepressant medications Often combined with CBT, these may be prescribed in treating both disorders. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are new antidepressant drugs that produce fewer side effects than their predecessors.
- Exercise This can be very helpful for both disorders. Physical activity causes feel-good chemicals to be released in the body. This aids in relaxation and feeling of well-being.
- Relaxation techniques This typically involves meditation or mindfulness. These techniques can often help to remedy both disorders and improve quality of life.2
Why Are People Anxious
In fact, generally speaking, when there is nothing special, or emergencies, or dangerous things, there is very little chance that people will have anxiety. The anxiety is either just graduated, anxious about the future, about the job, or it is coming. At a certain age, anxiety about marriage, or sudden major events in the company, will also have anxiety.
In addition to these, we will also have anxiety about unemployment, employment, and raising children. In fact, if anxiety occurs in a short time, it will be adjusted after a period of time. This is a relatively normal situation. If it is long-term anxiety, Nervous and frightened, then you can suspect that you may have an anxiety disorder, and then go to the hospital for treatment.
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How To Know If You Have Anxiety Or Depression
Despite being different conditions, its so common for anxiety and depression to occur simultaneously. Therefore, knowing which you have can be tricky. The answer may be both.
Its normal to experience symptoms of anxiety during stressful times, like if youre moving or about to give a big presentation. But if youre noticing youre feeling anxious for a more prolonged period of time, it might be helpful to consult with a trained mental health professional for an assessment. From there, you can ask for treatment options and recommendations. Theres lots of support out there for you, and you deserve it, Kate Rosenblatt, MA, LPC, LMHC said.
Diagnosis of either anxiety or depression requires a persistent time period of experienced symptoms and an appointment from a licensed therapist. Anxiety symptoms will likely be present for several months, and depressive symptoms generally must exist for at least several weeks. Additionally, symptoms must cause impairment. That is, they need to be interfering with your daily life and your ability to function.
Wondering if you have anxiety? Take our free anxiety test. If youre wondering if its depression, you can also take our depression test.
Causes Of Stress Vs Anxiety
Stress is not always caused by stressors, but can also come from peoples thoughts and feelings. Individuals who are affected by stress may feel stress in their muscles, headaches, difficulty sleeping, difficulty breathing, thoughts of hopelessness, or death. Stress can be brought on by stressors that are large events or stressors that are less significant. It is much easier to manage stress than anxiety.
Anxiety is a mental health condition that is characterized by excessive worry over prolonged periods of time. Anxiety can be triggered by stressors, but it does not need to be. Individuals who are dealing with anxiety can experience increased heart rate, shortness of breath, trembling, sweating, or nausea to name a few symptoms.
Both stress and anxiety can be caused by stressors, but stress is a reaction to stressors while anxiety is becoming overwhelmed with stressors. Whether the stressor comes from self-imposed pressure or from an outside source, it is important for individuals dealing with stress not to get caught up in the stressor itself. Focusing on past or future stressors takes individuals out of the present moment which can make stress worse.
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Anxiety And Depression: What Are The Possible Links
Although clearly not identical emotional states, mental health research suggests that depression and anxiety often coexist because they can be caused by the same or similar factors. According to an article published May 2020 in the American Journal of Psychiatry, those overlapping causes can include:
- Genetic Factors Genetic factors contribute to 40 percent of the predisposition to depressive and anxious symptoms, with 60 percent being attributed to environmental, noninherited factors. “Especially with anxiety, more so than depression, there often is some family history, and so therefore we think that there may be some genetic predisposition to this,” Connolly explains.
- Environmental Factors Also referred to as social factors, these include experiences like trauma or neglect in early childhood, and current stressors such as relationship difficulties, unemployment, social isolation, and physical illness. People who have post-traumatic stress disorder , an anxiety disorder, are particularly likely to also develop depression, according to the National Institute of Mental Health .
- Pain Chronic pain, and particularly disabling pain syndromes such as fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome , low back pain, headaches, and nerve pain, are closely linked to psychological distress, including both anxiety and depression, notes Harvard Health. In fact, they say, research suggests that pain shares some biological mechanisms with anxiety and depression.
What Is Stress Vs Anxiety
Stress has many different synonyms like stressors, strains, stressfulness, stress-inducing situations, stressors. It is created when our bodies react to stressors in our environment. Stress is also known as the bodys fight or flight response. When an organism is confronted with stressors, they go into a stress mode where they are ready to either fight the stressor off or run away from it.
Anxiety stress is different from stress in that stress can be caused by stressors that are controllable. There are also stressors that are uncontrollable, which can include an illness or death. Anxiety stress happens when someone worries about something uncontrollable. Stress happens when our bodies react to stressors in their environment. Stress is known as the bodys fight or flight response. Anxiety stress is different from stress in women where stress can be caused by stressors that are controllable.
An example of stress is that stress can be caused by stressors that are controllable, like taking a test or meeting new people. There are also stressors that are uncontrollable, which can include an illness or death.
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Finding The Right Resources To Answer Your Questions And Meet Your Complex Needs
Just as anxiety and depression tend to be worse when occurring together, treatment of these disorders is most effective when both conditions are addressed at the same time.1
Hartgrove Behavioral Health System provides integrated care that treats these and other mental health issues simultaneously. As part of our comprehensive care, medical specialists and therapists work together to help bring healing and balance in our patients lives a feeling of being in charge of their inner self again.
Do I Have Both Anxiety And Depression
It can be difficult to tell if you have both anxiety and depression or if symptoms of one just look like the other. In one study, 72% of people with generalized anxiety had a history of depression. Meanwhile, only 48% of people with depression had a history of anxiety. But research indicates comorbid anxiety and depression may be more common than originally thought.
The study also points out that comorbidity can be cumulative. This means a person may experience anxiety and depression at different life stages. Some experts suggest that anxiety at a young age may increase the likelihood of experiencing depression in the future. But depression may also precede anxiety.
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If Youre Up For It Go For A Walk Around The Block
Research suggests exercise can be an effective treatment for depression because its a natural mood booster and releases feel-good hormones. However, for some people, exercise or a gym can trigger anxiety and fear. If thats the case for you, look for more natural ways to move, such as walking around your neighborhood or looking for an online exercise video you can do at home.
Anxiety Vs Depression: Treatment
Fortunately anxiety and depression are both treatable. Studies have shown that those willing to commit to a treatment will find their conditions will become less or better still cured.
- Both anxiety and depression change your way of thinking, so at times there may be thoughts that the condition is untreatable, despite evidence showing otherwise.
- There is no one size fits all approach to treating anxiety and depression. You may have to try different treatment before finding one that is right for you. You need to be aware of this and try not to feel disappointed or quit treatment if one isn’t suitable for you
- Anxiety and depression require long term treatments. They won’t have immediate results, because it will involve changing how you see the world and processing this information.
- Both will have their setbacks. As recovery is a process, it may take time to feel ânormalâ again. Sometimes people will begin to feel alot better but they may still experience sporadic depressive or anxious episodes. Because the two conditions cause negative thinking, these setbacks can lead to feelings of hopelessness that cause people to quit treatments. Remember setbacks are part of recovery.
- Always seek professional help either from your doctor or a therapist.
Anxiety and depression are treatable, but those treatments can take time so it is important that you are committed to the therapy, treatment or both that is suitable for you.
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