Depression And Anxiety Facts: The Correlation of These Disorders

Depression and anxiety can have a lot of the same symptoms, and many experts believe the conditions can go hand-in-hand. While they may not always go together, there can be a correlation between depression and anxiety. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, almost half the people diagnosed with depression may also be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. Although it can be difficult to live with depression and anxiety, both mental health disorders tend to be treatable. Practicing self-care, leaning on your support system, and reaching out for professional help can improve symptoms. You can connect with a licensed mental health professional by looking for one in your local area or matching with one through an online therapy platform.

This article covers facts about anxiety and depression, including symptoms and potential mental health implications. We’ve also highlighted resources to help you find mental health care to address any symptoms you might be experiencing.

What is depression and what are the symptoms?

When someone lives with major depressive disorder, they typically experience a complex set of symptoms, including feelings of despair, hopelessness, anger, and significant distress. They often feel lonely, even if many people surround them. With a depressed mood, they tend to struggle with having enough energy to get through the daily activities that they need to complete. Some may not see the point in going through the motions of day-to-day tasks. In some cases, a person with depression may have thoughts about self-harm for which there is help available.

With depression, life can seem overwhelming, even in everyday situations. People experiencing depression symptoms often pull away from their relationships and prefer to be at home. They might not want to face the world and may not believe they are worthy of love from partners, family members, and friends. 

What is anxiety?

Anxiety usually entails feelings of fear, panic, and dread. Someone who experiences anxiety may live with an overwhelming sense of fear and anxiousness over situations that most people might not be concerned about. Sometimes, the person knows what they are anxious about, and other times they may have an overwhelming sense of anxiety for which they cannot pinpoint the source.

People who have chronic anxiety typically worry constantly. While they may not necessarily wish to pull away from relationships and their normal lives, anxiety can eventually cause these things to happen. The physical symptoms of increased anxiety can include increased heart rate, shallow breathing, dizziness, numbness in limbs, and muscle tension, among others.

Depression and anxiety facts: A deeper look at these mental health disorders

One of the biggest correlations between anxiety and depression may be that they both usually involve negative thoughts and a negative emotional state. 

It has also been found that both environmental factors and genetics can contribute to depression and anxiety. 

Both anxiety and depression can develop as a result of circumstances in your life, such as a divorce, bad results on a medical test, the end of a relationship, or the death of a loved one. Smaller things that occur over a long period of time, like worrying about being able to make ends meet or not knowing what to expect in the future, can also contribute to these conditions. The causes of depression and anxiety can also involve harmful experiences or past traumatic events. Traumatic life events may include abuse, injury, or loss of a loved one. 

Everyone's experience with anxiety vs. depression can be different, but some symptoms may be experienced across the majority of cases.

Depression and anxiety disorders often share comorbidities as well. For example, these mental disorders commonly occur alongside post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and other behavioral health conditions.

Being depressed and anxious can form a vicious cycle

Depression and anxiety can create a vicious cycle for those experiencing them. When someone has anxiety, it can start to affect their daily life. This can lead them to withdraw from the activities that they used to take joy in doing. When this happens, they may develop depression. The more depression symptoms they experience, the more anxiety they might develop in turn. You may be able to see how this can turn into a vicious cycle with both conditions worsening.

Reasons why people don't seek help for depression and anxiety disorders

Avoiding possible stigma

There is sometimes a stigma around mental health challenges like anxiety and depression that can cause people to avoid admitting that they are experiencing symptoms of these conditions. Our friends, family, and peers may negatively label those of us living with anxiety or depression, which can lead to discrimination in some cases. To avoid this potential discrimination, many of us may sometimes downplay our symptoms or choose not to talk about them. The possible stigma may also cause people to feel embarrassed about asking for help. 

Using the wrong words for depression and anxiety

Some may fail to seek treatment because they may think they’re experiencing problems that everyone goes through. They may call depression and anxiety things like “feeling down,” “lonely,” “worried,” or “blue.” By using these words, they can undermine the real issue and sometimes fail to realize that it can be necessary and worth it to seek help.

Believing the situation is hopeless

If people wait too long to seek treatment, they may start to think their situation is hopeless. They may believe things are so bad that there may be no hope. When managing depression, it can feel overwhelming to make an appointment, get dressed, leave the house, and face the world. Many people in this situation may believe they don’t have the energy they need to complete the necessary tasks and get themselves to a therapist’s office.

Thinking the situation isn’t bad enough

Many people who have anxiety and depression may not believe like their problems are “bad enough” to warrant professional help. They may not want to spend their time or money or waste the time of a doctor or therapist. They may think that they should be able to cope with their problems on their own.

Get the help you deserve for your mental health: Treatment

Both anxiety and depression are usually treatable. If you have both conditions, it might seem as if you are locked into a vicious cycle. However, it can be possible to break the cycle. Here are a few strategies that may help:

Practice self-care

Many people stop taking care of themselves when they have anxiety or depression because they may not believe they’re worth the effort at the time. However, doing things like getting enough sleep, showering, eating healthily, exercising, and going outside can be exactly what you need to start turning your situation around. You may have to force yourself to do it in the beginning, but the more you do it, the easier it may become.

Talk to someone

Try not to shut your friends and family out. Many people want to seclude themselves when they are experiencing symptoms of depression and anxiety, but that may not be helpful. Try to find a few trusted people in your life that you can turn to during difficult times. It may also help to connect with a support group for people experiencing depression. 

Get professional help

If you think you may need to see a doctor or therapist, it’s generally best to go ahead and schedule an appointment. If you are given a prescription or therapy “homework,” be sure to follow through for the best results. 

Benefits of online therapy for depression and anxiety disorders

If you are struggling with anxiety or depression symptoms and want to seek help but feel overwhelmed at the idea of having to get out of the house, BetterHelp may have affordable therapy options that you can take advantage of from the comfort of your home. 

In addition, online therapy can also be incredibly effective in treating anxiety and depression. In fact, many studies suggest that online therapy can be as effective as in-person therapy for the treatment of depression and anxiety. A therapist may be able to guide you through the process of managing symptoms more effectively.