How to Recognize a Depressive Anxiety Disorder
A majority of people feel sad or low at times however, anxiety and depression conditions can cause you to feel low and anxious much of the time. These conditions can be caused by a variety of factors.
The symptoms of each disorder are distinct however, there are common signs. A therapist can identify your symptoms and help find the right treatment.
1. Genetics
Researchers have noticed for an extended period of time that anxiety runs in families. If you have a parent, sibling or a twin who is suffering from anxiety, your odds are greater than those with no family members. That's because genes and DNA play a role in anxiety disorders.
One of the largest studies on anxiety and depression found that they share many genes. The QIMR Berghofer research published in Nature Human Behaviour identifies 509 genes that contribute to anxiety and depression. This is the highest number of genomic regions linked to psychiatric disorders, and it includes 71 that were not previously linked to depression or anxiety.
The internalizing disorders with the highest degree of heritability, or the proportion of symptoms that can be genetically determinable are major depressive disorder (MDD) and generalized anxiety disorder. Other risk factors that are not genetic include early life challenges and parenting style. Another risk factor that is important is neuroticism, a personality trait or temperament that carries some genetic susceptibility and has been associated with both anxiety and depression.
However, a genetic contribution to schizophrenia is less established because schizophrenics suffer from multiple causes of their symptoms. It is best to study twins in order to determine the genetic cause. Researchers can study the prevalence of a disorder in identical twins (monozygotic or MZ) with the prevalence of their nonidentical siblings (dizygotic or DZ). This enables them to determine how much the phenotypic differences are due to shared environmental factors and how much of it is due to genetics.
As the field of psychiatric genetics expands and more genetic regions that affect depression and anxiety will likely to be identified. It is important to keep in mind, however, that there will be distinct individuals within the rigid categories of mental health. People who suffer from depression and anxiety at different points in their lives will have different experiences and may respond to treatment differently.
Don't ignore symptoms of depression or anxiety. Just like you wouldn't ignore an injury to your arm, it is important to seek assistance from a physician when you're struggling.
2. Stress
Everyone faces stressful situations at one time or another It is vital to differentiate between normal stress and more serious anxiety and depression disorders. If you feel depressed and sluggish, or worried and demotivated you may require professional help.
Depression is a debilitating low mood that causes you to have difficulties concentrating or enjoying life. It can affect your sleep, appetite and concentration, and can cause feelings of hopelessness or guilt. You can also make small changes to improve your mood, in addition to seeking out professional help. Setting an achievable goal for the day such as making your bed or unloading your dishwasher, can boost your self-esteem while providing some distraction.
Anxiety is excessive worry or fear, which can cause physical symptoms like restlessness, muscle tension, and difficulty sleeping. People with generalized anxiety suffer from excessive and persistent worry about the mundane such as work responsibilities, family issues, or financial concerns. They tend to be stressed or easily tired and are overwhelmed by their thoughts, even when they know the fears aren't true.
Both anxiety and depression can be treated, but you need to find the most suitable therapist. Psychological treatments, such as cognitive behavioral therapy and dialectical behavior therapy are effective in treating anxiety disorders and can be used in conjunction with antidepressant medications. These treatments may take a while to work but many find them to be more effective than trying to deal with the problem on their own.
Contact 911 or the crisis and suicide hotline at 988-923-5772 if you are experiencing suicidal thoughts or in crisis. You can also seek help from loved ones, contact mental health professionals or join an online support group.
It is important to seek help immediately, as depression and anxiety will worsen if you don't. Just like you would go to a doctor if you broke your arm or suffered an injury that was severe and need treatment, you should seek help for anxiety and depression.
3. Personality
If you are feeling down occasionally is normal, persistent, severe or prolonged sadness could be a sign of an anxiety disorder. People with depression often have a hard time getting happy or enjoying life because they worry about what is happening or what other people might think of them. The good news is that depression and anxiety can be treated through therapy or medication.
The personality is a significant factor in depressive and anxiety disorders. It can influence how the symptoms of a person develop and can also influence the treatment response. For example, people with high neuroticism tend to experience a lower success rate in treatment for both anxiety and depression (Kennedy and colleagues. 2005). Personality also helps determine which type of therapy will work best for a specific person. People with lower levels of neuroticism are more likely to get better results from cognitive behavioral therapy.
Depression and anxiety are both complicated, but there are effective treatments available. If you are experiencing symptoms of depression or anxiety it is essential to seek out a physician. Your doctor can determine an underlying physical reason and prescribe medications if required.
It can be difficult to interact with others when you have depression and anxiety. This can exacerbate your symptoms by increasing your isolation. People who suffer from anxiety are also likely to be more self-critical and ruminative, which can make it difficult to overcome depression.
To treat comorbid depression and anxiety, the first step is to consult a mental health professional. Together, you can create a treatment plan that addresses your specific symptoms. In most cases, various forms of psychotherapy are recommended because what helps reduce depression symptoms may not help anxiety symptoms and vice the reverse.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), along with medications, is a common treatment for both of these conditions. CBT helps you replace negative thoughts with more sensible and productive ones. best meds for anxiety disorders can also assist you in developing coping skills to manage stress in a more effective way. You can, for example, learn to focus on the things you can control, such as acknowledging your emotions and reactions, as well as focusing on facts about an event.
4. Ailment
It's normal to feel sad and worried from time to time, but when these feelings are persistent and intense, they can be signs of depression or anxiety. People with anxiety disorders can experience overwhelming fear or worry about a variety of issues, like money, work relationships, health or relationships. Depression can cause a person to feel depressed and lose interest in their activities. Depression can also cause a person to feel exhausted or irritable. The majority of the time these symptoms last for more than two weeks and are not related to an event in the past or medical condition such as an infection or a physical illness.
There is no one reason for depression or anxiety. Genetics, stress and personality are all significant factors. It is more common to suffer from a co-occurring disorder, such as anxiety and depression or anxiety and a different mental illness, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Patients suffering from depression or anxiety disorders can benefit from a variety of psychotherapy. The most well-known is cognitive behavioral therapy, which assists people change their thinking and behaviors to reduce their anxiety. Medications, such as anti-anxiety and antidepressant medications, can also aid. Making sure you get enough sleep, avoiding drinking and taking recreational drugs and eating a balanced, healthy diet, exercising regularly and getting social support can all improve symptoms.
Many people who suffer from depression and anxiety also discover that their symptoms appear to play off of one another. Anxiety can lead to depression when a person is unable to socialize or making friends. Depression can also exacerbate anxiety and lead to feelings of loneliness.
A mental health professional will be in a position to determine if depression is due to a medical condition like thyroid issues or a medication. If there isn't a medical reason, the treatment plan for depression and anxiety could be similar but it's likely to include both talk therapy and medications. Both anxiety and depression symptoms tend to improve over time, but depression can be more difficult to eliminate than anxiety.