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How Are Anxiety And Depression Related

What Are The Treatments For Depression

Anxiety and Depression – How Anxiety and Depression Are Related

Many helpful treatments for depression are available. Treatment for depression can help reduce symptoms and shorten how long the depression lasts. Treatment can include getting therapy and/or taking medications. Your doctor or a qualified mental health professional can help you determine what treatment is best for you.

  • Therapy. Many people benefit from psychotherapyalso called therapy or counseling.7,8 Most therapy lasts for a short time and focuses on thoughts feelings and issues that are happening in your life now. In some cases understanding your past can help but finding ways to address what is happening in your life now can help you cope and prepare you for challenges in the future.With therapy, youll work with your therapist to learn skills to help you cope with life, change behaviors that are causing problems and find solutions. Do not feel shy or embarrassed about talking openly and honestly about your feelings and concerns. This is an important part of getting better.Some common goals of therapy include:
  • Getting healthier
  • Making sense of past painful events
  • Identifying things that worsen your depression
  • Having better relationships with family and friends
  • Understanding why something bothers you and creating a plan to deal with it
  • Dont stop taking an antidepressant without first talking to your doctor. Stopping your medicine suddenly can cause symptoms or worsen depression. Work with your doctor to safely adjust how much you take.
  • Stress Is Not Anxiety Or Depression

    Stress is not the same as anxiety or depression but for some people, being stressed for a long time can lead to anxiety or depression, and it can affect a persons physical health, particularly cardiovascular health.

    When we talk about being stressed, it usually means were upset or tense about something thats happening in our lives. Stress is a normal part of daily life. Its a natural physical and mental response that is designed to help people cope effectively with emergencies.

    Some stress can be a good thing. It can help us get motivated to get things done, but health problems from stress happen when it is regular and doesnt let up.

    Supporting Someone With Anxiety Or Depression

    There are ways that you can help someone with anxiety or depression. It may be helpful to:

    • let them know if youve noticed a change in their behaviour
    • spend time talking about their experiences and let them know youre there to listen without being judgmental
    • help them to get information from a website, library or community health centre
    • suggest they go to a doctor or health professional, and help them to make an appointment
    • offer to go with them to their appointment and follow up with them afterwards
    • encourage them to get enough sleep, to exercise and to eat well
    • encourage family and friends to invite them out and keep in touch, but dont pressure them to participate in activities
    • contact a doctor or hospital if they become a threat to themselves or others.

    It is unhelpful to:

    • put pressure on them by telling them to snap out of it or get their act together
    • stay away or avoid them
    • tell them they just need to stay busy or get out more
    • pressure them to party more or wipe out how theyre feeling with drugs and alcohol
    • assume the problem will just go away.

    If you or someone you know needs support, talk to a doctor or other health professional about getting appropriate treatment.

    Read Also: How To Get On Anti Anxiety Medication

    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!

    Finding The Right Resources To Answer Your Questions And Meet Your Complex Needs

    Warning Signs of Declining Mental Health

    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.

    Also Check: How To Overcome Overwhelming Anxiety

    D Anxiety As A Residual Component Of Depression

    Anxiety disturbances may characterize the residual phase of major depression , which favor residual disability and increase the risk of relapse, up to 60% after 5 years , as the following case illustrates.

    Clinical Presentation

    Assessment and Diagnosis

    Macroanalysis. The patient satisfied the DSM-5 criteria for major depressive illness, but careful evaluation disclosed hypochondriacal fears, worry for health, and marital crisis . In the macroanalysis , the clinician could give priority to pharmacotherapy of major depressive disorder, leaving the other components to post-therapy assessment . If the clinical decision of tackling one syndrome may be taken during the initial assessment, the subsequent steps of macroanalysis require a reassessment after the first line of treatment has terminated .

    Fig. 4.

    Macroanalysis of Marks clinical case before and after first-line treatment.

    Staging. Based on the staging model of unipolar depression , the patient was first at stage 3 and went back to stage 2 after the diagnosis of spondylarthrosis.

    Treatment Options

    How Anxiety Treatment Helps

    If you treat your anxiety, you can stop it getting worse and prevent depression developing in the longer term. The gold standard treatment for anxiety is cognitive behavioural therapy , which teaches you to question your underlying beliefs, and think and behave differently so you dont become overwhelmed by anxious thoughts.

    For example, if you have health anxiety and worry about having a rare illness, CBT would train you to think more rationally and understand your symptoms are much more likely to be related to something less serious.

    CBT doesnt involve lots of delving into your past, but gives you an ongoing strategy to manage anxious thoughts. If you have anxiety and depression, you can treat them both at the same time with a talking therapy, as your underlying beliefs are likely to be the same in the two conditions, says Cain.

    You may also be prescribed drugs called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors . They work by building up levels of serotonin, the feel good chemical, in the brain. While CBT is the most appropriate ongoing treatment, if your anxiety is severe, medication is often what you need to tip the balance so you can seek help and commit to therapy.

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    How Are Depression And Anxiety Related

    Medical science has established that depression and anxiety are closely related. Between 35 percent and 85 percent of all patients diagnosed with one condition show symptoms of the other . Conditions that occur in this way are said to be comorbid:They occur simultaneously in the same person, but neither one causes the other.

    A comparison sometimes used is the relationship between first cousins, whose parents are siblings. First cousins have several important similarities. They share a certain amount of DNA and they therefore resemble each other to a certain extent. However, having different parents and growing up in different families create differences in their appearances and personalities. In a sense, each cousin is a different expression of the family.

    Likewise, depression and anxiety are different expressions of the same family of mental distress. Clinical depression refers to mental disorders characterized by abnormally intense and long-lasting negative thoughts and moods . Examples include dysthymia, which is constant feelings of sadness or dullness,and bipolar disorder, in which bouts of intense energy and recklessness alternate with slumps of listlessness and despair.

    A growing number of experts suggest that treating depression and anxiety as one illness would lead to better research and improved patient care. The current standards of treatment are described on the next page.

    Medication For Anxiety And Depression

    Relationship Between Anxiety and Depression

    Sometimes, medication is necessary to effectively manage your depression and anxiety. There are a variety of prescription drugs that are designed to treat each condition.

    • Benzodiazepines
    • Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs
    • Tricyclics
    • Monoamine oxidase inhibitors, or MAOIs
    • 5-HT2 receptor antagonists
    • 5-HT3 receptor antagonist

    Although you can talk to your primary care doctor about medications for anxiety and depression, you may need to see a psychiatrist specializing in the conditions. Psychiatrists are experienced in medications specifically for mental health disorders and may have more specialized knowledge than a general practitioner.

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    Treatment For Anxiety And Depression In Men

    Your doctor is a good source of information and can discuss with you whether what youre experiencing may be anxiety or depression. They can also refer you to a psychologist or psychiatrist. Any of these health professionals can help you with an action plan, whether or not you are diagnosed with anxiety, depression or both.

    Anxiety and depression are like any other conditions there are ways to treat and manage them.

    Lifestyle changes, such as spending time with supportive friends and family, regular exercise, getting enough sleep, maintaining a healthy diet and cutting down on alcohol and other drugs are all worthwhile changes that can help to reduce anxiety and depression symptoms.

    Psychological treatments, including cognitive behaviour therapy, are effective in treating anxiety and depression and are often recommended first, particularly for mild to moderate anxiety and depression. Your doctor may refer you to see a psychologist or other counsellor for this type of treatment.

    For some people, antidepressant medication might also be an option. Antidepressants can be effective for both anxiety and depression. They usually take at least 2 weeks before they start to help, and it may also take some time for your doctor to find the medication and dose that is most effective for you.

    Symptoms Of Major Depression

    • sleep disturbance
    • muscle tension.

    If youve experienced these symptoms most days for more than six months, and they cause distress in your daily life, then you may receive a diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder. Other types of anxiety disorders include separation anxiety, panic disorder, or phobias, among others.

    If you compare the two lists of symptoms, you can see that there is some overlap. Sleep problems, trouble concentrating, and fatigue are all symptoms of both anxiety and depression. Irritability may also manifest in forms of anxiety or depression .

    There are however, some distinguishing features. People with depression move slowly, and their reactions can seem flattened or dulled. People with anxiety tend to be more keyed up, as they struggle to manage their racing thoughts. Another distinguishing feature is the presence of fear about the future in people with anxiety. Depressed people who do not have anxiety are less likely to be fraught with worry about future events, as they are often resigned to believing that things will continue to be bad. In other words, they may predict the future based on how they feel in the moment.

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    Symptoms Of Depression And Anxiety

    Medically Reviewed By: Lauren Guilbeault

    Anxiety and depression are some of the most common mental health issues, with tens of millions of people suffering from them in the United States alone. While it’s common to have emotional ups and downs throughout life, prolonged mental and emotional distress can be a sign of a more serious illness. Anxiety and depression can have a profound impact on work, relationships, and personal life, so it’s important to receive a proper diagnosis in order to take the right steps to manage your mental health.

    Anxiety and depression can often take different forms depending on age, gender, socialization, and cultural background, as well as personal differences unique to each individual. In men, anxiety and depression often manifest themselves in anger, irritability, and reckless behavior. Women are more likely to exhibit symptoms of depression including feelings of worthlessness, guilt, and persistent fatigue. In children and young adults, symptoms can vary from separation anxiety and clinginess to defiant behavior and trouble in school. For older adults and seniors, depression and anxiety symptoms can include memory loss, substance abuse, and loss of interest in hobbies and activities.

    What Are The Signs And Symptoms

    Depression, Anxiety, Stress &  Mental Health â Dr. Adam Stewart

    Worrying and the symptoms of anxiety can creep up on you gradually. This can make it hard to know how much worrying is too much.

    Some common anxiety symptoms include:

    • hot and cold flushes
    • snowballing worries that get bigger and bigger
    • a racing mind full of thoughts
    • a constant need to check things are right or clean
    • persistent worrying ideas that seem ‘silly or crazy’ .

    If you think you have any of these symptoms, you might want to look at the different types of anxiety disorders below.

    Recommended Reading: Does Anxiety Cause Irregular Heartbeat

    Reach Out To Someone Youre Comfortable Talking To And Talk About Whatever You Feel Like Whether Thats How Youre Feeling Or Something You Saw On Twitter

    Strong relationships are one of the best ways to help you feel better. Connecting with a friend or family member can provide a natural boost and let you find a reliable source of support and encouragement.

    Symptoms that last two weeks or more may be an indication you have depression, anxiety, or both. Severe symptoms may include:

    • problems with sleep
    • sudden loss of interest
    • feelings of worthlessness or helplessness

    If youre not feeling like yourself and want help understanding, make an appointment to see your doctor. Its important to be open and honest so they can fully understand whats happening and get a clear picture of what youve been feeling.

    The Connection Between Depression And Anxiety

    Although they are distinct mental health disorders, anxiety and depression often occur together. The rate of people with both depression and anxiety is about 40 to 50 percent. When two conditions occur together, they are said to be comorbid or have a high comorbidity. This simply means having one of the disorders or conditions makes a person more likely to suffer from the other condition.

    Also Check: Can You Be Hospitalized For Severe Anxiety

    Which One Causes The Other

    What comes first anxiety or depression? The answer isnt so clear cut. Its thought that struggling to cope with anxiety can lead to depression, but this isnt always the case. On the other hand, many people with an anxiety disorder report having depression first.

    Overall, based on their similarities, its thought that anxiety and depression are variations of the same disorder. Experts believe they could be linked by a common risk factor, which is influenced by our DNA and the emotional centre in our brain called the amygdala.

    If youre struggling with worry and anxiety take a look at our blog: Worry how to work through it. You might find our worry tree useful to help you process and work through your worries.

    And for tips on helping a friend or family member with anxiety, take a look at our 10 helpful tips to help someone with anxiety.

    If youre worried about your mental health, our direct access service aims to provide you with the advice, support and treatment you need as quickly as possible. If youre covered by your health insurance, youll be able to get mental health advice and support usually without the need for a GP referral. Learn more today.

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