How Does Medication Treat Anxiety Disorders
Medications cant cure an anxiety disorder. But they can improve symptoms and help you function better. Medications for anxiety disorders often include:
- Anti-anxiety medications, such as benzodiazepines, may decrease your anxiety, panic and worry. They work quickly, but you can build up a tolerance to them. That makes them less effective over time. Your healthcare provider may prescribe an anti-anxiety medication for the short-term, then taper you off or the provider may add an antidepressant to the mix.
- Antidepressants can also help with anxiety disorders. They tweak how your brain uses certain chemicals to improve mood and reduce stress. Antidepressants may take some time to work, so be patient. If you feel like youre ready to stop taking antidepressants, talk to your provider first.
- Beta-blockers, usually used for high blood pressure, can help reduce some of the physical symptoms of anxiety disorders. They can relieve rapid heartbeat, shaking and trembling.
Your healthcare provider will work with you to find the right medication combination and dosage. Dont change the dose without consulting your provider. Theyll monitor you to make sure the medicines are working without causing negative side effects.
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.
How Depression Is Diagnosed
Currently, no medical test exists to diagnose depression although we are getting closer but instead, Major Depression is diagnosed when the criteria listed in A, B, and C exist at the same time:
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Why Are Anxiety And Depression Often Co
Its a cycle, says Sally R. Connolly, LCSW and therapist. When you get anxious, you tend to have this pervasive thinking about some worry or some problem. You feel bad about it. Then you feel like youve failed. You move to depression.
These two disorders anxiety and depression have a complicated relationship:
- The chance of acquiring depression is much higher when an anxiety disorder already exists. Nearly half of those with major depression also suffer from severe and persistent anxiety.
- People who are depressed often feel anxious and worried. One can easily trigger the other, with anxiety often preceding depression.
- People with post-traumatic stress disorder are especially prone to developing depression.
- A biological predisposition for both of these conditions if often at the root of an individuals battle. This seems to be true with anxiety disorders even more than with depression. Connolly explains, Some people are just worriers and pass it down.
People with an anxiety disorder should speak with a psychiatrist, therapist or other healthcare professional about their symptoms. Treatment for an anxiety disorder should not be delayed. If not caught in time, depression may find the door wide open for moving in and setting up house in those individuals.2
Are Women More Prone To Clinical Depression Than Men
Unfortunately, women have more chances to face major depression than men. The risk for women is two times higher.
Clinical depression is not something to give up on. You will always have a chance to save yourself or any loved one. The main point to ponder upon is why is the person so guilty about everything? The more involved you are in the close ones life, the lesser the chances of clinical depression. Find out the root cause and help this depressed person to get out of this zone.It can be dangerous for their life and even mental well-being. Try to get them out of the state by taking them to a psychiatrist. Therapy and medications can help patients suffering from clinical depression.
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How To Seek Help
When seeking more formalized help for anxiety or depression, start by speaking with your primary care physician.
You can also research local referrals via national organizations including:
Bear in mind that while effective treatment for anxiety or depression need not be a long-term commitment, it is likely to require regular, ongoing appointments at least in the short term . Therefore, it is critical to find a professional you trust and with whom you feel comfortable speaking about your symptoms.
It is equally important to make sure that you find a clinician that you can afford. Before making the commitment to ongoing care, you may want to meet with a couple of providers to get a feel for their therapeutic styles and their treatment recommendations. You can then use this information to determine which path forward feels best to you.
Symptoms Of Anxiety And Depression
According to the current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders , the standard classification of mental disorders used by mental health professionals in the United States, anxiety and depression can share several common symptoms, including, but not limited to:
- Being easily fatigued
- Sleep disturbance
Other signs that a person may suffer from both anxiety disorder and depression include:
- Constant, irrational fear and worry
- Physical symptoms like rapid heartbeat, headaches, hot flashes, sweating, abdominal pain, and/or difficulty breathing
- Changes in eating, either too much or too little
- Persistent feelings of sadness or worthlessness
- Loss of interest in hobbies and activities
- Inability to relax
- Panic attacks
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Some Common Causes Of Depression
Researchers have particularly been interested in investigating whether depression is an inherited condition. A major theory is that certain genetic changes make neurotransmitters ineffective or scarce.
The other major component is environmental triggers which may make a person who is genetically predisposed to depression more likely to develop it. Certain factors that make it more likely a person will experience clinical depression include:
- A family history of depression
- Experiencing a traumatic event or major life change
- Financial troubles
- Being very ill or injured , needing to have surgery or undergo medical treatment, or having to manage a chronic and/or progressive health condition
- Caring for a loved one who has a major illness, injury, or disability
- Taking certain medications that can cause symptoms associated with depression
- Using illegal drugs and/or misusing alcohol
If you have experienced a form of depression before, you may be more likely to experience it again or develop another form in response to certain stressors or life changes .
Hope Peace And Joy Are Real And Available For You
If you are experiencing symptoms of clinical depression, you are certainly not alone. People throughout the ages have struggled with depression, as do billions around the world. Depression is damaging and can be deadly, so please dont hesitate to get professional help from your doctor, a therapist, or psychiatrist.
The good news is that depression is successfully treated and many are cured on a daily basis. Prescription antidepressant medication will alleviate the symptoms of depression and allow you to concentrate, think, and develop the spiritual and psychological skills which renew and heal you and free you from the grip of depression.
Isaiah 61:1 tells us Jesus came to heal the broken hearted and set the captives free, to comfort all who mourn, and give an oil of gladness instead of mourning.
You dont have to stay trapped make the call today to access the healing and peace God gives through Jesus so you can live the abundant life and achieve your God-given potential.
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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.
How To Tell If You Have Depression
Depression affects people in different ways and can cause a wide variety of symptoms.
They range from lasting feelings of unhappiness and hopelessness, to losing interest in the things you used to enjoy and feeling very tearful. Many people with depression also have symptoms of anxiety.
There can be physical symptoms too, such as feeling constantly tired, sleeping badly, having no appetite or sex drive, and various aches and pains.
The symptoms of depression range from mild to severe. At its mildest, you may simply feel persistently low in spirit, while severe depression can make you feel suicidal, that life is no longer worth living.
Most people experience feelings of stress, anxiety or low mood during difficult times. A low mood may improve after a short period of time, rather than being a sign of depression.
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Stages Of Clinical Depression
Clinical depression refers to the state where a person has lost something really big or close to the heart. He/she feels extreme level of disturbance and coping up with the situation is nowhere to be found. Even in clinical depression, there are various stages which give a chance for recovery and coming back to life. These stages have been identified on the level of sadness or grief someone feels:
Alternative And Complementary Treatment
You may choose to explore complementary or alternative therapies for depression. One of the most common is an herbal supplement called St. Johns wort.
The FDA has not officially approved St. Johns wort to treat depression, but it is often suggested by alternative health practitioners. Research has indicated that St. Johns wort may be beneficial for some people who have symptoms of depression.
The supplement comes in various doses and preparations and can be purchased over-the-counter and at most health food stores. There is no standard dose and you may want to work with a practitioner as you undertake some trial and error to determine the dose that feels right for you.
Similar to how prescription medications affect neurotransmitter levels, St. Johns wort may influence the levels of a specific neurotransmitter called serotonin in the brain. When people have too little serotonin, they can feel depressed. Increasing the amount of serotonin can help improve symptoms. However, having too much serotonin can lead to a serious condition called serotonin syndrome.
If you are taking a medication that carries a risk of increasing your serotonin levels too much, your doctor will teach you about the signs of serotonin syndrome to watch for. They will also want you to make sure that you never take more than one medication, herb, or supplement that can raise your serotonin levels at the same time .
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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.
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 1-800-273-8255 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 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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Can Anxiety Disorders Be Prevented
You cant prevent anxiety disorders. But you can take steps to control or reduce your symptoms:
- Check out medications: Talk to a healthcare provider or pharmacist before taking over-the-counter medications or herbal remedies. Some of these contain chemicals that may make anxiety symptoms worse.
- Limit caffeine: Stop or limit how much caffeine you consume, including coffee, tea, cola and chocolate.
- Live a healthy lifestyle: Exercise regularly and eat a healthy, balanced diet.
- Seek help: Get counseling and support if you experienced a traumatic or disturbing event. Doing so can help prevent anxiety and other unpleasant feelings from disrupting your life.