The Cycle of Anxiety and Depression Symptoms

Anxiety and depression symptoms often co-exist, meaning that if you suffer from one problem you could be at risk for developing the other as well. This makes it critically important to take the time to educate yourself about depression and anxiety in order to learn how to combat the symptoms of these two conditions.

In many cases, depression and anxiety form a vicious cycle. Individuals who suffer from depression may find that symptoms such as sadness, hopelessness and loneliness give way to fear and anxiety. Likewise, the symptoms can create feelings of hopelessness and sadness. One of the main problems with the co-existence of depression and anxiety is that the two conditions tend to feed off one another. For example, when your depression creates anxiety symptoms those symptoms can cause you to feel even more depressed and exhausted; making your depression even worse.

Generally, it can be difficult to determine which condition came into existence first; however, the important key is to find out as much as you can about each disorder so that you can begin to take part in effective treatment techniques to get your life back.

It is important to understand when seeking recovery that every individual is different and so is their experience with anxiety and depression symptoms. This is because while many of the symptoms of these two conditions are the same, not everyone experiences them in the same way. In addition, due to the fact that anxiety can take on many forms, your experience may be completely different than someone else who also suffers from anxiety and depression. For example, in some individuals, symptoms manifest themselves as reliving traumatic events from the past. Other individuals may be terrified of social situations due to their anxiety while some people experience bouts that are manifested by severe symptoms like pain and a racing heart.

All forms have three main factors in common. They are:

• Extreme fear when there is no real danger present

• Emotional distress that actually interferes with your daily life

• A propensity for avoiding situations that are perceived to be linked with the anxiety

It should also be kept in mind that while we all feel sad from time to time, if you suffer from anxiety it is imperative that you begin to recognize the early warning signs of depression so that it can be treated along with your anxiety. These early warning signs and symptoms include:

• Continual feelings of sadness, tension or irritability

• Loss of energy

• Decreased pleasure or interest in usual hobbies or activities

• Change in sleeping patterns

• Change in appetite

• Significant weight loss or weight gain

• Restlessness

• Difficulty concentrating, thinking or making decisions

• Feelings of guilt, hopelessness or worthlessness

• Thoughts of death or suicide.

By recognizing anxiety and depression symptoms [http://www.selfsteps.com] and seeking effective treatment methods, it is possible to recover from these symptoms and get your life back.