Anxiety and Depression Symptoms

Most people believe anxiety and depression are two separate conditions that do not work together. But the fact is research has shown that the two do actually overlap each other, however the symptoms can be completely separate of each other, this makes it difficult to initially diagnose either condition.

The reason why these two disorders occur at the same time is not fully understood. Research shows that major depression can often accompany an anxiety disorder. Both of these disorders are more than likely caused by a brain chemistry imbalance, however the exact reason these two opposite disorders exist in the same person is still not understood. What is understood is that the flight or fight reaction does not work in anxiety sufferers, it can be triggered by any thing at any time. Anxiety sufferers always feel they are in danger.

When you think about someone suffering from depression you generally associate it with someone that is in despair, angry, tired, overwhelmed by normal life, and unwilling to be part of society. A depressed person will withdraw into themselves and cut off ties with others.

On the other hand an anxiety attack will happen out of the blue for no apparent reason. Without the proper treatment an anxiety sufferer will start to fear the actual attack itself, worrying when and where the next attack will take place. They will go on to have a negative impact on the sufferers life, affecting their jobs, relationships and even going into society.

What the majority of people suffering from theses two disorders don't realize is that one can often lead to the other. Depression can weigh heavily on the mind, this can lead to the depressed person going through a number of different emotions. This can lead to anxiety and eventually lead to panic attacks. Suffering a panic attack causes a loss of control, the more this happens the more the sufferer will become depressed, thus forming a vicious circle.

Research shows that having depression and anxiety together is much worse than having just one of these conditions. Someone suffering from both disorders will take a lot longer to resolve their depression which will make it much harder to treat them. Also those that suffer from both disorders
have a much higher suicide rate.

Although this does not sound good for people suffering from both conditions help is at hand. Anti-depressant drugs can be used for treating both disorders. If used with behavioral therapy there is a high success rate in treating depression accompanied by anxiety.