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Anxiety and Depression - Introduction

Everyone, regardless of their age, sex or social status, has momentary and fleeting feelings of anxiety from time to time. This kind of anxiety does not concern doctors since it is very common and it is not something to be alarmed about. However, if feelings of anxiety are persistent and gets in the way of doing what is a considered normal routine in your life, then you may have an anxiety disorder.

Like feelings of anxiety, everyone also has moments of sadness which can be caused by anything; a bad day at work or a fight with someone, etc. This is also normal as we are people and we do get sad from time to time. If however, instead of fleeting episodes of sadness, you experience excessive sadness which hinders your ability to go about your everyday activities, you are the most likely suffering from depression.

Anxiety and depression are two different conditions but what binds them together is the control that they have over the people suffering from them. Since people suffering from anxiety disorder or depression do not go about their daily routines because of constant feelings of anxiety or sadness, they tend to be unproductive and become reduced to a state of hopelessness. Sometimes, even their loved ones and friends can’t do anything.

Relationship between Anxiety and Depression

Anxiety disorders are quite prevalent and about an estimated 1 in 4 persons will suffer from it at some point in their lives. Annually, an estimated 40 million or 18% of Americans over the age of 18 suffer from some kind of anxiety disorders. Most commonly, anxiety disorders develop in the early 30s and it is much more prevalent in women than in men.

Different from the normal and fleeting anxiety episodes, people who suffer from anxiety disorders have constant anxiety attacks in a span of 6 months to years if left untreated. As such, people suffering from anxiety disorders often have some accompanying mental conditions such as depression.

Since anxiety disorders cause these people to feel excessive uncertainty and worry, they tend to get sad, then sadder because they don’t have a clear idea of what they are going through until they reach the state of depression in which, quite often, they tend to self destruct their lives and start abusing illegal substances and alcohol. Because of this, it is much harder to treat people with anxiety disorders and depression as opposed to people suffering only from depression or anxiety disorders.

But this relationship between anxiety and depression is just that of cause and effect, and it is not yet that well understood by medical professionals and researchers. That is why more research is being conducted to provide clear evidence of the relationship between anxiety and depression. Furthermore, the research will also lead to new treatment processes and preventive measures for anxiety and depression.

Anxiety Disorders and Depression - Introduction and Relation