Anxiety and Depression Often Go Hand in Hand

Anxiety and Depression Often Go Hand in Hand

Why is it that someone would experience both anxiety and depression? When you learn about both disorder, you realize that they are somewhat related, and how one can lead to another. Anxiety and depression are often suffered by someone who starts with one disorder, and then finds themselves suffering from the other. Let's explore that a bit further here.

How One Leads to Another

Anxiety is marked by obsessive worry and nervousness, whether it's over a past event being repeated (such as in post-traumatic stress disorder), or over something that might happen, such as panic disorder. Anxiety and depression then go hand in hand because obsessive and excessive worry can keep someone in a heightened state of arousal, and this can cause severe depression. Depression is marked by a loss of enjoyment in activities or hobbies. It makes sense then that anxiety and depression are related or that one leads to another – how can you have enjoyment in your life, your relationships, your hobbies and interests, if you are constantly worried, nervous and anxious? To put it bluntly and crudely, anxiety just sucks the joy right out of life, and a joyless life is the basic meaning of depression.

Treating Anxiety and Depression

Anxiety and depression are also related because they are both baseless thoughts that are not tied to reality, and which often spiral out of control. Both can be treated with the same or similar medications that quiet discomforting and obsessive thoughts. They can also be treated with therapy, such as with a psychologist or psychiatrist. Many forms of anxiety and depression are caused by physical abnormalities, such as chemical or hormone imbalances, but if someone chooses not to take medications they can learn how to control their thoughts and how to replace those thoughts with new ones.

Sometimes just knowing that what you're experiencing is an anxiety attack or a bout of clinical depression can be enough to help someone cope with their debilitating circumstances. Knowing that others are going through the same thing can also help. If you're someone with both anxiety and depression, don't hesitate to speak to your healthcare professional at once, as help is available if you simply ask for it. You may not be completely cured of your conditions, but you can learn ways of coping and of not allowing these disorders to interfere with your everyday life.