What Are The Symptoms Of Depression And Anxiety

How Are Stress Anxiety And Depression Connected

Anxiety and depression can be caused by several things, including:

• Sleep disturbances, like difficulty falling or staying asleep
• Distress or impairment in social, occupational or other important areas of functioning

Advanced signs of a major depressive disorder include:

• Feeling down or depressed most of the day, nearly every day
• Diminished interest in activities you once enjoyed
• Significant changes in your weight
• Difficulty with sleep, like difficulty falling, staying asleep or sleeping too much
• Fatigue or frequently feeling tired
• Difficulty concentrating
• Distress or impairment in social, occupational or other important areas of functioning

Diagnosing And Treating Depression

There’s no physical test for depression.

If you experience depression symptoms most of the day, every day, for more than two weeks, you should visit your GP. This is especially important if:

• you have symptoms of depression that aren’t getting any better
• you have thoughts of self-harm or suicide
• your work, relationships with friends and family, or interests are affected by your mood

It can be hard for people with depression to imagine that anything can help them but the sooner you seek help, the sooner the symptoms start to get better.

Your GP may examine you and perform blood or urine tests to make sure there isn’t another condition causing your depression symptoms, like an underactive thyroid.

When you see your GP, they’ll try to find out if you have depression by asking you questions. These are likely to be about your health, how you’re feeling, and how that is affecting you mentally and physically.

Telling your doctor your symptoms and the affect they are having on you will help your GP to tell if you have depression, and how severe the condition is. It’s important to be as open as possible.

Your conversation with your GP will be confidential. This rule can only be broken if your GP thinks there is a significant risk of harm to you or others, and that telling a family member or carer would make that risk lower.

What Are The Symptoms Of Depression And Anxiety

Reviewed by Rashonda Douthit, LCSW

Depression and anxiety are mental health conditions that affect many people and often occur together. There are several theories as to why this is the case. We will talk about both.

Typically, there are different causes for each of these conditions. However, there are some of their symptoms and treatment that are similar. You may deal with both conditions with psychotherapy, medication, or lifestyle changes.

What is Depression?

There are quite a number of studies that see depression as a mental condition characterized by despair and hopelessness which take hold of your life or that make you feel down persistently in your day-to-day life. According to the American Psychiatric Association, depression is seen as a serious medical condition that negatively can affect your feelings, thoughts, and actions. When you’re depressed, you experience intense feelings of sadness and loss of pleasure or interest in once enjoyed activities.

Moreover, depression can interfere with the different aspects of your life such as work, sleep, eat, study, and pleasure. In fact, it can make getting through the day feel overwhelming. Depression may be experienced differently. Some people feel empty, worthless, and indifferent. For instance, depression in men can be indicated by feelings of anger and restlessness.

What are the Symptoms of Depression?

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Other Causes Of Depression

There are a number of things that can lead to developing depression.

• Stressful events big changes in your life, like bereavement, the end of a relationship or the loss of a job, can be difficult to deal with. When these things happen, it’s important to keep seeing friends and family instead of trying to deal with problems alone this increases your risk of developing depression.
• Giving birth pregnancy and birth can make some people vulnerable to depression. Postnatal depression can happen as the result of physical changes, hormonal changes, and the responsibility of taking care of a new baby.
• Loneliness your risk of depression gets higher if you aren’t in contact or spending time with family and friends.
• Personality some personality traits can put you at a higher risk of developing depression. These include low-self esteem or a habit of criticising yourself too much. These personality traits can come from your genes, which you get from your parents, or they can be as a result of experiences in your early life.
• Family history it’s more likely for someone to develop depression if a family member, like a sibling or parent, has experienced it before.

The Most Common Depressive Disorders Include:

• Major depressive disorder This is a depressed mood that lasts for a two-week period. This could occur as a single or recurrent episode.
• Persistent depressive disorder This is a depressed mood that occurs almost every day for at least two years

It’s common for those struggling with anxiety disorders to also struggle with depression or vice versa. Close to 10% of the world’s population suffers from anxiety and depression. However, while anxiety and depressive disorders are highly treatable, only a small percentage of affected people receive treatment.

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Try To Eat Balanced Meals

Nourishing your body with whole foods, including fruits, vegetables, lean protein, and whole grains, can help you get the nutrition you need and it could also help improve your symptoms.

Caffeine, refined sugars, and processed foods, on the other hand, could potentially worsen symptoms of both anxiety and depression.

You dont need to cut these out of your diet entirely, but try to balance them with nutrient-dense foods when possible.

How Do You Treat Depression And Anxiety

It can be harder for doctors to diagnose and treat depression and anxiety when they happen together. That’s why it’s important to tell your doctor about all of your symptoms.

The treatment for both anxiety and depression involves talk therapy, medication, or a combination of the two. Cognitive behavioral therapy is one of the main talk therapies. It teaches you how to think and behave differently to stop triggering your anxiety or depression.

Antidepressants are medicines that treat depression. They change the balance of chemicals in your brain to improve your mood. Anti-anxiety drugs, antidepressants, and beta-blockers are treatments for anxiety.

The sooner you start treatment, the more likely it will help you. Let your doctor know if the treatment you’re on doesn’t relieve your symptoms or if it causes side effects. It may take a few tries to find the treatment that works best for you.

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Risk Factors For Depression

Depression can affect anyoneeven a person who appears to live in relatively ideal circumstances.

Several factors can play a role in depression:

• Biochemistry: Differences in certain chemicals in the brain may contribute to symptoms of depression.
• Genetics: Depression can run in families. For example, if one identical twin has depression, the other has a 70 percent chance of having the illness sometime in life.
• Personality: People with low self-esteem, who are easily overwhelmed by stress, or who are generally pessimistic appear to be more likely to experience depression.
• Environmental factors: Continuous exposure to violence, neglect, abuse or poverty may make some people more vulnerable to depression.

Do Something You Have Control Over

Regaining some control in the moment could help overwhelming feelings feel a little easier to cope with.

You dont have to take any major action, but accomplishing a short task, such as making your bed, taking a shower, or unloading the dishwasher, can help boost a sense of accomplishment. It could also offer a temporary distraction.

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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.

2 How to Cope With Anxiety and Depression. Everyday Health, August 27, 2015.

3 Anxiety Disorders. National Institute on Mental Health, March 2016.

4 Depression. National Institute on Mental Health, October 2016.

How Is Depression Syndrome Diagnosed

Everyone may feel sad or down from time to time. However, clinical depression has more intense symptoms that last two weeks or longer.

To determine whether you have clinical depression, your healthcare provider will ask questions. You may complete a questionnaire and provide a family history. Your healthcare provider may also perform an exam or order lab tests to see if you have another medical condition.

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What Are The Signs And Symptoms

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.

Seeing A Doctor About Depression

Big changes in your life, like bereavement, losing a job, or even having a baby, can cause symptoms of depression. You’re also more likely to experience depression if you have a family history of depression. However, it’s also possible to become depressed without there being an obvious reason.

You can learn more about depression causes here.

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Physical Symptoms Of Depression

Depression, also referred to as major depressive disorder or clinical depression, is a mood disorder that causes recurring and sometimes constant feelings of sadness and lack of interest. Someone diagnosed with depression may find it difficult to do simple, everyday tasks or feel that life isnt worth living.

Its not known what exactly causes depression. Avariety of factors may be involved, such as biological differences, brain chemistry, trauma, hormones or inherited traits.

Depression cant always be quickly solved, and it is a mental health disorder that may require long-term treatment with medication, psychotherapy or both. While we typically associate depression with emotional pain, signs and symptoms like crying and feeling hopeless, depression can also manifest in different types of physical pain.

Emotional SymptomsFor some, depression may occur only once, like after a challenging life event such as the loss of a job. However, people typically have multiple episodes of depression. During these depressive episodes, symptoms can occur the majority of the day or sometimes every day. These symptoms include:

For many people with depression, their symptoms are severe enough to affect day-to-day activities, such as work, school, social activities and relationships with others.

PreventionTheres no sure way to prevent depression, as everyone responds to treatment differently. However, these strategies may help:

Theres No Shame In Seeking Treatment

Mental illness is often seen as a taboo subject, and those who suffer from mental health conditions can face a great deal of stigma. This stigma can make it difficult for people to seek help, as they may worry about being judged or misunderstood. Additionally, the stigma surrounding mental illness can make it hard for people to find support from family and friends. In many cases, the shame and isolation that comes with mental illness can worsen symptoms and make a recovery more complex.

No one should feel ashamed to seek mental health services. Mental health is just as important as physical health, yet it is often overlooked or ignored. Depression and anxiety are two of the most common mental health disorders and can profoundly affect someones life.

Left untreated, depression can lead to suicide in some cases. Anxiety can lead to panic attacks and a host of other problems. If you or someone you know is struggling with depression or anxiety, please seek help from a professional. You are not weak or crazy for talking to a therapist or counselor. Your mental health is worth it.

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Looking After Someone Who Has Depression

If you’re close to someone with depression, their condition can affect you too. Your relationship, and family life in general, can be strained, and you might not know what to do or how to help.

Talking about the situation can help. Finding a support group, or talking to other people in a similar situation, can make it easier to cope. If the condition is causing difficulties in your relationship with your partner, you could contact a relationship counsellor who can talk things through with both of you.

When suffering from depression, men are less likely to ask for help than women. They’re also more likely to turn to drugs and alcohol to cope with the symptoms.

Other Types Of Depression

There are different types of depression, and some conditions where depression may be one of the symptoms. These include:

• postnatal depression sometimes new mothers, fathers or partners develop depression after they have a baby this is known as postnatal depression and it’s treated in a similar way to other types of depression, with talking therapies and antidepressant medicines
• bipolar disorder also known as “manic depression”, in bipolar disorder there are spells of both depression and excessively high mood the depression symptoms are similar to clinical depression, but the bouts of mania can include harmful behaviour, such as gambling, going on spending sprees and having unsafe sex
• seasonal affective disorder also known as “winter depression”, SAD is a type of depression with a seasonal pattern usually related to winter

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Can Depression Be Prevented

You can help prevent depression by getting enough sleep, eating a healthy diet and practicing regular self-care activities such as exercise, meditation and yoga.

If youve had depression before, you may be more likely to experience it again. If you have depression symptoms, get help. Care can help you feel better sooner.

What Are The Different Types Of Depression

You might have heard a number of terms used to describe depression. In this section, we explain what some of these terms mean.

What is clinical depression?

Clinical depression is a common term, but it is not a formal diagnosis. People sometimes say clinical diagnosis to just mean they have been diagnosed by a doctor.

What is a depressive episode?

Your doctor might say that you are going through a depressive episode. This is the formal name that doctors give depression when they make a diagnosis. They may say that you are going through a mild, moderate or severe episode.

What is recurrent depressive disorder?

If you have had repeated episodes of depression, your doctor might say that you have recurrent depressive disorder. They may say that your current episode is mild, moderate or severe.

What is reactive depression?

If your doctor thinks that your episode of depression was caused by particular stressful events in your life, they may say that it is reactive. For example, divorce, job or money worries. This is sometimes separated from an adjustment disorder, where you may struggle with some symptoms of depression because of adapting to a major change in your life. Such as separation from people, retirement or migrating to a new area.

What is a severe depressive episode with psychotic symptoms?

You can find more information about Psychosis by clicking here.

What is dysthymia?

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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.

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. Its 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.

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To Cope With Anxiety And Depression Try These Tips:

Try diaphragmatic and square breathing techniques.

Diaphragmatic breathing involves taking a deep breath from your diaphragm. Your stomach should expand as you breathe in. Square breathing techniques involve taking a deep breath in for five counts, holding this deep breath for five counts, exhaling for five counts and finally holding for five counts before repeating. The entire time should be spent focusing on your breath versus the stressful event.

Challenge your thoughts.

This involves not judging situations good or bad and focusing on what you’re feeling and identifying what’s in your control. Your primary areas of control are acknowledgement of your emotions, feelings and your reaction to stressful situations. It is also important to focus on the facts of the situation. Sometimes your anxious and depressive thoughts are not always based in facts. Facts are 100% absolute not assumptions.

Ask yourself:

• How would I like the situation to turn out?
• What are the facts?

Then identify small, specific goals to get to your desired outcome. If you fail to acknowledge your emotions and feelings and attach a negative thought to a situation, the outcome of that situation will result in avoidance and increased anxiety and depression.

Focus on the facts.

Challenge yourself to find the facts in a situation and acknowledge whatever emotions and feelings the situation reveals. Doing so increases the likelihood you’ll be able to cope effectively with a stressful situation.