Anxiety and Depression

Anxiety and depression are types of mood disorders. Anxiety creates feelings of nervousness, worry, or dread. Depression can cause feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and reduced energy. Although the two conditions are different, you can have both at the same time.

Anxiety and depression are two of the most common mental health conditions. But what’s it like to have anxiety or depression and how are these conditions different from each other?

Anxiety

We all feel anxious sometimes and ‘anxiety’ can be used simply to describe that feeling. However, in a medical context, anxiety describes a group of conditions. It includes some less common conditions such as phobias and panic disorders, but the most common is generalised anxiety disorder (GAD). Generalised anxiety disorder may affect 1 in every 25 people in the UK.

The physical effects of generalised anxiety disorder include:

• muscle tension and aches

• headaches

• sweating

• dizziness

• bowel problems

• a fast heartbeat and shortness of breath

Depression

Most people go through periods of feeling down, but when you're depressed you feel persistently sad for weeks or months, rather than just a few days.

In depression, physical symptoms might also include:

• weight changes, often caused by changes in appetite

• being slower in your movements

Physical symptoms that appear in both generalised anxiety disorder and depression are:

• fatigue or tiredness 

• poor concentration

• being fidgety or unable to sit still

• difficulty sleeping 

Sometimes there's a trigger for depression. Life-changing events, such as bereavement, losing a job or giving birth, can bring it on. Those with a family history of depression are more likely to experience it themselves, but you can also become depressed for no obvious reason.

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.

Read my Depression Checklist HERE.