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Do I Have Depression, Anxiety, or Both?
Anxiety is one of the symptoms of depression, and overwhelming, persistent anxiety can lead to feelings of depression like sadness and loss. Though depression and anxiety are closely connected, they’re two separate mental health conditions.
You can have depression. You can have anxiety. And you can have both.
Wendy Ann Reiss, MSN, PMHNP-BC, in Bloomsbury, New Jersey, is our experienced mental health practitioner. She understands the connection between depression and anxiety and the importance of treating each diagnosis separately.
In this month’s blog, we want to help you understand the differences between depression and anxiety and what happens when you have both.
About depression
We all feel sad sometimes, but depression is more than a temporary lull in mood and energy. It’s a mood regulation disorder that affects brain function, leading to:
- Overwhelming feelings of sadness and hopelessness
- Withdrawing from friends and family
- Losing interest in the world around you
- Feelings of shame or guilt
- Having little to no energy to get out of bed
Depression can affect your sleeping and eating habits and cause physical symptoms like headaches or belly pain. The mood disorder hijacks your life, imprisoning you in a world of hopelessness and despair.
About anxiety
The first thing you need to know about anxiety is that it’s a normal emotional reaction to stress. The nervousness and fear you feel before a big test or job interview is anxiety. The excitement you feel before graduation or a birthday party is anxiety.
Your emotional reaction heightens your senses, improves your focus, and helps you get through the nerve-wracking or exciting event. Once the event is over, your anxiety goes away.
However, overwhelming or ongoing anxiety is a potential problem and may indicate an anxiety disorder such as:
- Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
- Panic disorder
- Phobia
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
- Social anxiety disorder
All anxiety disorders stem from your body’s stress response — your nervous system’s fight-or-flight response designed to help you when you’re in danger. But with an anxiety disorder, you get stuck in fight-or-flight mode.
While symptoms vary among the disorders, the symptoms of anxiety often include:
- A sense of doom or fear
- Rapid heart rate
- Sleep issues
- Difficulty focusing
Anxiety disorders affect how you function and may cause physical symptoms similar to those that affect people with depression.
When you have both
Anxiety and depression are very different, but they frequently co-occur. According to research, nearly 46% of people with depression also have a history of one or more anxiety disorders. Research also shows that 20-70% of people with an anxiety disorder have depressive symptoms
While scientists don’t know the exact cause-and-effect that creates the connection between depression and anxiety, they theorize that the symptoms of one may trigger the other. Being in a constant state of stress wears you down, leading to feelings of depression, while being stuck in a world that feels hopeless and dark can lead to a stress response that triggers an anxiety disorder.
Whether occurring separately or together, you must know that you can feel better. With advances in therapeutic techniques and medications, we can break you out of your mental prison so you can live a happy and fulfilling life.
If you’re struggling with depression, anxiety, or both (or think you are), it’s time to reach out for help. Call our office or book an appointment online today. Telepsychiatry appointments are available.