Do You Have Depression or Anxiety?
Depression and anxiety are two terms commonly lumped together with many people using both words interchangeably to describe their conditions. While these disorders can show similar signs and symptoms, there are distinct features to know. Of course, talking to a mental health professional is the best way to find out. This article, however, can help you determine your condition while you wait for your appointment.
How to Know Which Condition You Have
Although different conditions known as mood disorders, depression, and anxiety are alike in many ways, they can occur at the same time. They are like silent companions that have the power to influence human thoughts and emotions, which is why they are often treated similarly and simultaneously.
“Feeling down” is expected from time to time. Everyone gets anxious now and then, especially when facing stressful situations. However, when those feelings linger and become severe, impacting day-to-day living, it may be a sign of an underlying mental health disorder.
Defining Anxiety
Anxiety is a feeling of dread, uneasiness, and fear, all of which are common reactions to stress. Anxious people may sweat, feel restless, and tense. They often have a rapid heartbeat, resulting from a stressful situation, such as a problem at work or before an exam. Anxiety is not all that bad; in fact, it is a way for humans to cope because it can also give a significant boost of energy. Others find it easier to focus on their work or studies when stressed.
Unfortunately, dread and uneasiness can remain, which can undoubtedly be overwhelming. Intense and excessive fear and worry are among the most common signs of an anxiety disorder. These feelings often come with physical tension, along with cognitive symptoms that cause significant distress and are usually hard to control. You may have anxiety if you are often:
- On edge or cranky
- Shaky
- Sweaty
- Feeling like you are out of control
- Worrying about almost everything
Anxiety disorders can manifest in different ways, each with various symptoms:
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder: This occurs when a person worries about several different, usually unrelated, things.
- Social Anxiety Disorder: People with this disorder are distraught whenever they are surrounded by other people, such as when at a party, school, or work environment.
- Panic Disorder: This disorder is characterized by recurrent panic attacks that happen unexpectedly, causing a person to show physical symptoms like shortness of breath and rapid heartbeat during a sudden period of intense fear.
- Phobias: Anxiety can also involve an irrational fear of things, activities, or situations, such as when socializing with other people. Other examples include acrophobia (the fear of heights) and agoraphobia (the fear of crowded places or outdoors).
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD): A person with OCD has unwanted thoughts, fears, or obsessions that lead to repetitive behaviors.
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): PTSD generally happens after a traumatic or difficult experience with symptoms manifesting as flashbacks and panic attacks.
Defining Depression
As mentioned, everyone can have a bad day when they feel down. Even feeling melancholy is normal. However, when that sad mood lasts for more than a day and interferes with your everyday life, it may be a sign of depression. Some symptoms to watch out for include:
- Feeling anxious or sad almost all the time
- Avoiding activities that you used to enjoy
- Feeling frustrated, restless, or irritable quickly, often without a reason
- Having trouble falling or staying asleep
- Sleeping too much
- Having headaches, stomach pains, or other aches that do not go away even after treatment
- Binge eating
- Eating less or having no appetite
- Having memory problems that were not present before
- Feeling guilty, hopeless, or worthless
People with depression can have thoughts of hurting themselves or even suicide. Always talk to a professional if you have depression. One way to get help is to reach out to the National Depression Hotline at (866) 629-4564, which is available 24/7 without any cost.
What Causes Depression?
There is no known exact cause of depression. In general, this mental condition can be due to genetics and early life experiences as well as biological and psychological factors. While everyone is different, some known causes that increase depression vulnerability in life include the following:
- Having relatives with the same condition
- Experiencing physical and sexual abuse
- Experiencing deaths, financial issues, and other events that cause significant changes
- Having cancer, stroke, chronic pain, or other medical problems
- Using drugs or alcohol
- Taking specific medications that cause anxiety symptoms
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about 301 million people worldwide had an anxiety disorder in 2019 alone. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that one out of six individuals will have depression at some point in their adult lives. In the U.S., about 16 million adults are diagnosed with depression every year.
Women are more prone to the condition than men, with the onset of symptoms starting during childhood or sometimes in early to late adolescence. However, anyone can get depressed, whether you’re young or old no matter your gender.
What About Anxiety?
Anxiety may present itself as a symptom of major depression. Conversely, you can have depression triggered by generalized anxiety disorder, separation anxiety disorder, or other types of anxiety disorder. The leading cause of anxiety is still unknown. However, genetics, brain chemistry and its biology, stress, and the environment contribute to the development of the condition.
Like depression, anyone can have anxiety. The risk factors vary depending on the type of anxiety disorder. For instance, generalized anxiety disorder and phobias typically occur in women. Meanwhile, both men and women can develop social anxiety, particularly those with specific personality traits, including shyness and being withdrawn when in new situations.
People who experienced traumatic events are more prone to have depression than those who did not. The same applies to those with anxiety or other mental disorder history in their families. Thyroid problems, heart arrhythmia, and similar health conditions increase the anxiety risk, as well.
How Are Depression and Anxiety Different?
Some people indeed confuse anxiety with depression and vice versa. The easiest way to know the difference is to look at the symptoms. In depression, there is a feeling of sadness that does not go away. You feel lazy, are uninterested in activities or hobbies you love, and may contemplate hurting yourself.
On the other hand, when you’re anxious, it is more about fears or worries that can be overwhelming. It is also persistent and cannot be controlled. As listed above, there are various types of anxiety disorders that will dictate how that worry or fear will surface. For example, if you have a social phobia, you dread meeting new people.
Can You Have Both Anxiety and Depression at the Same Time?
The answer is “yes.” About 60% of people with anxiety can have depression symptoms as well, and vice versa. A medical research institute in Australia has concluded that about half of the children and young adults with major depressive disorder also have a form of anxiety disorder. Anxiety can result in depression since the condition is characterized by long periods of worry, fear, hopelessness, or low mood.
However, this is not to say that you are depressed if you have anxiety for a prolonged period, and vice versa. It is always possible to be diagnosed with one of these conditions and have the symptoms of the other. The symptoms tend to overlap, making it quite complex to have an accurate diagnosis. Therefore, self-diagnosis is not recommended. Always consult with a mental health expert to determine your condition. More importantly, talking to a professional will help you figure out the best course of action for your anxiety or depression.
What Are the Treatments Available?
Depression and anxiety, particularly generalized anxiety disorder, typically have similar treatments:
- Psychological Therapies: This category of treatment involves allowing you to talk about your feelings and thoughts with a qualified professional. One example that you may be recommended to try is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). This treatment addresses the interactions between behaviors, feelings, and thoughts to understand your condition further.
- Antidepressants: Medicines known as antidepressants can be used to treat both depression and anxiety. They are effective for many individuals, especially selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).
Cognitive behavioral therapy works for most types of anxiety disorders, including generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety, and phobias. That’s why it includes exposure therapy, where clients gradually encounter the situation or object that causes their anxiety. That way, they build their confidence in managing and handling the symptoms.
In most cases, treatment combines both medicines and psychological therapies. Your medical professional will tailor your treatment according to your needs and situation. Some doctors may require you to make lifestyle changes, such as moving to a less stressful environment if they believe certain spaces contribute to anxiety or depression.
Diagnosing Anxiety
It is not enough to do a Google search and check the symptoms for yourself. You should always seek help from a doctor to determine whether you have anxiety. Diagnosing an anxiety disorder is not as challenging as you may think. In fact, it typically requires a physical exam with questions regarding your symptoms. A blood test may be recommended to check for the underlying cause if it exists. For instance, hyperthyroidism is often thought to be one of the primary causes of anxiety symptoms.
Your doctor may also inquire if you take any medications that may trigger anxiety symptoms, as well. Some medicines like levodopa (Parkinson’s disease medication) and cyclosporine (immunosuppressant for psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis) can cause symptoms.
Diagnosis can help determine if one or more of your medical conditions can o ccur with anxiety. Some of these include:
- Sleep apnea
- Schizophrenia
- Systemic lupus erythematosus
You can visit your doctor or psychiatrist, psychologist, licensed clinical social worker, or any mental health specialist for the diagnosis. A psychological evaluation may follow, particularly if the doctor cannot find an underlying cause of your anxiety symptoms. This specific evaluation includes:
- Your family history of depression or anxiety disorder
- Symptom history from the onset to severity and duration
- Treatments, if any
In most instances, you will be asked to fill out a questionnaire, which prompts you to divulge how the symptoms affect your daily life.
Suppose other psychological conditions, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, bulimia, or anorexia, accompany your anxiety disorder. In that case, the specialist will talk to you to evaluate how these conditions affect you.
Diagnosing and Treating Depression
Depression diagnosis requires you to have five or more depression symptoms daily. The symptoms should last almost the whole day for at least two weeks. If one of the symptoms is having a depressed mood or loss of interest in nearly all activities you previously enjoyed, it most certainly is depression.
Talk to your healthcare provider to discuss your condition. You will be asked questions about your symptoms, when they started, and how long they usually last. Do not forget to tell the provider about your medications or existing medical conditions, including thyroid disorders. Lab tests, physical exams, and interviews can help figure out if you have depression.
Finding Help for Your Depression
If you or your loved one has depression, you should get help as soon as possible. This statement is especially true if you are having thoughts about harming yourself or other people or committing suicide. Please seek help by calling the National Depression Hotline at (866) 629-4564. It’s free and available every day and all day for anyone with depression and those with a mental health crisis.
The National Depression Hotline will connect you with a specialist who will provide assistance, such as pinpointing the causes of your mental health struggles. More importantly, you will be given a plan to help address your depression or mental health disorder. Reach out and call the hotline for a safe environment to guide you toward your recovery.
