Depressions and Anxiety

THE LINK BETWEEN DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY

Depression and anxiety are sometimes hard to tell apart. While they may seem like completely different conditions, chronic depression can hide anxiety, while people who suffer from general feelings of anxiety may actually be experiencing a symptom of depression. Further, when people begin treatment for depression, the new focus on underlying issues sometimes causes anxiety symptoms, such as frequent heart palpitations, agitation and feelings of nervousness.

Which is it?

Many times, the same individual feels depressed and anxious, either at different times or at the same time. This can make it more challenging to decide whether the main issue is depression or an anxiety disorder. Symptoms that are the same in both conditions include obsessive thoughts or rumination, panicky feelings, stomach upset and racing heartbeat. Symptoms like sadness, lethargy, hopelessness and lack of motivation are more characteristic of depression than anxiety.

Anxiety may be caused by depression

Many times anxiety escalates because of depression and the behavior associated with being depressed. For instance, if depression causes a person to become isolated, he or she may become anxious about being alone. Depression-related anxiety can also result from financial worries due to the inability to concentrate and work effectively while depressed. Students who suffer from depression may experience anxiety about grades.

What to do about anxiety and depression

Since anxiety and depression are related, they are often treated in similar ways. If medications are prescribed, SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) may be used because these medications target the brain chemical serotonin, which regulates mood. People with higher levels of serotonin experience less depressive symptoms and fewer feelings of anxiety. However, some medications for depression may make symptoms of anxiety worse because raising serotonin levels too much causes a condition called serotonin syndrome which may increase anxiety symptoms.

Anxiety and depression both interfere with the limbic system of the brain – the area that regulates mood. Chemicals like serotonin and others, which are called neurotransmitters, create “good” feelings. When the brain cannot produce these chemicals for one reason or another, feelings of happiness and contentment diminish and feelings sadness, lethargy, anxiety and agitation increase. The goal, then, is to keep levels of mood-regulating neurotransmitters high. While medications can be helpful in this regard, you don’t necessarily need them.

Lifting Mood the Natural Way

Levels of serotonin increase when you exercise, eat a healthy diet and spend time outdoors. That’s why regular exercise and healthy eating habits are so important for people who suffer from depression and/or anxiety disorders. Interestingly, changing the way you think can also raise serotonin levels, which is why counseling and psychotherapy are often helpful.

Since the mind and body are closely connected, exercises that target both, like yoga, meditation and tai chi, can do wonders for people who suffer from chronic symptoms of depression and anxiety. These practices work by calming the mind so that extremes of emotion can be avoided. Guided meditation and hypnosis are forms of mind-body therapy that focus on guiding you to change the thinking habits that contribute to negative emotions.

In some cases, herbal remedies can be beneficial to people who suffer from minor depression or anxiety. One of the most common herbs for depression is St. Johns Wort, but there are many other herbs as well as other nutritional approaches to boosting mood and alleviating anxiety.

More information about natural ways to beat depression and anxiety can be found in “End Your Depression.” You will also learn more about how you can use your thoughts and the power of your mind to manage your emotions.

What Are The Causes of Depression?

WHAT ARE THE CAUSES OF DEPRESSION?

The causes of depression can be difficult to pinpoint. Since more than one factor contributes to the onset of depression in most people, it is almost impossible to say exactly what caused depression in any one person. Depression is not like the flu, where a certain virus is the cause. There are a lot of factors that appear to contribute to depression, and perhaps a group of factors is responsible for causing depression when they come together in a certain way. Many people have a genetic predisposition to depression, but even that in itself does not necessarily mean a person will become depressed. Other factors come into play as well.

Genetics and Depression

Several chemicals in the brain regulate mood and emotions. Known as neurotransmitters, these chemicals include serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine. Some people have lower levels of these chemicals available. In depression that is biologically or genetically based, depression symptoms are the result of depleted levels of neurotransmitters. A person who is genetically prone to depression may experience a quick downward spiral when something triggers a low mood. When neurotransmitters levels drop, behavior and thought patterns are affected. This can also happen the other way around; that is, depressive behaviors and negative thoughts can lower levels of neurotransmitters. In this way, depression can literally change brain chemistry and become a biological condition over time if it is not treated. When depression takes hold in this way, at least a short course of medication is often the only way to treat it. However, it is sometimes possible to recognize symptoms of depression and treat the condition naturally before it gets this severe.

Developmental causes of Depression

Some cases of depression are triggered by traumatic early experiences, such as being abused, abandoned or neglected in childhood. The theory behind developmental depression is that it is caused by an insecure upbringing that did not allow a person to grow into a happy, confident adult. The result can be a sense of sadness and loss in adulthood. People with developmental depression may be insecure and feel worthless. They may also have difficulty achieving what they want to accomplish in life or even setting goals in the first place.

Situational Depression

Situations such as the death of a loved one, the loss of a job or a life-threatening illness can also cause or contribute to depression. While everyone feels down when bad things happen, situational depression can become full-blown clinical depression in certain cases. If a person is biologically prone to depression or has inadequate support or coping skills, he or she may not be able to recover from a stressful situation and may instead become clinically depressed.

Causes of Major Depression

“Major depression” is the term used to describe a severe and debilitating case of depression. Major depression significantly affects a person’s ability to function, and it almost always requires professional, medical intervention. Biology is most likely to be at least partly the cause of major depression, though the condition can be triggered by something else, such as trauma or loss.

Solving the Mystery of Depression

The cause of depression may not be obvious until it is treated. Often a depression treatment that works for one person may not work for another, and that’s because each case of depression has a unique set of causes. If medication works, the depression has a biological component. If counseling works, there may be a behavioral cause or a problem with thinking patterns. If a change in diet helps, some aspect of the depression may have been caused by a nutritional deficiency. If finding a better job after being fired turns depression around, the cause of the depression was most likely situational.

In the end, knowing what causes depression may not be as important as knowing how to treat it. You can find out more about how to treat specific depression causes in “End Your Depression.” The guide provides a variety of options for treatment from which you can develop a targeted plan that works in your own unique case.