Depression and Anxiety

Our Experience

Our experience with depression and anxiety is that depression and anxiety are the most commonly diagnosed mental health conditions. It is noteworthy that a good clinician will always rule out underlying general medical conditions before one makes a formal diagnosis of a mood disorder, including depression and anxiety. Depression and anxiety often have high comorbidity with other conditions, specifically substance abuse disorders.

WHAT IS DEPRESSION?

Depression is a mental health condition that goes beyond feeling sad or having a bad day. When a sad mood lasts for an extended period and disrupts your normal functioning, it may indicate depression. Common symptoms of depression include:

Feeling sad or anxious frequently or constantly
Losing interest in activities that you previously enjoyed
Being easily frustrated, irritable, or restless
Experiencing trouble falling or staying asleep
Sleeping too much or too little
Experiencing appetite changes or unintentional weight loss or gain
Having physical symptoms, such as headaches, stomach problems, or aches, that do not improve with treatment
Struggling with decision-making, remembering details, or concentrating
Feeling fatigued, even after getting enough sleep
Having feelings of worthlessness, guilt, or hopelessness
Having suicidal thoughts or thoughts of self-harm

WHAT CAUSES DEPRESSION?

The exact cause of depression is not fully understood, but it is believed to be caused by a combination of genetic, biological, environmental, and psychological factors. Certain factors may increase a person’s chances of developing depression, such as:

Having blood relatives who have had depression
Experiencing traumatic or stressful events, such as physical or sexual abuse, the death of a loved one, or financial problems
Going through a major life change‚ even if it was planned
Having a medical problem, such as cancer, stroke, or chronic pain
Taking certain medications. Talk to your doctor if you have questions about whether your medications might be making you feel depressed.
Using alcohol or drugs

WHO GETS DEPRESSION?

It is estimated that around 1 in 6 adults will experience depression at some point in their lives. This condition affects approximately 16 million American adults annually. Depression can affect individuals of any age and background. It is not uncommon for people with depression to also have other mental health disorders.

Anxiety disorders frequently accompany depression. Individuals with anxiety disorders experience intense and unmanageable emotions of worry, fear, anxiety, or panic. These emotions can disrupt daily activities and persist for extended periods.

WHAT IS ANXIETY?

Anxiety is a natural emotion that everyone experiences from time to time. It is common to worry about things such as health, finances, or family problems. However, anxiety disorders are different from temporary worry or fear.

For people with an anxiety disorder, the anxiety persists and can worsen over time. The symptoms can interfere with everyday activities like work, school, and relationships.

There are different types of anxiety disorders, including generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, and various phobia-related disorders.

SYMPTOMS OF ANXIETY

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is a condition that causes individuals to experience persistent feelings of anxiety or dread that can significantly disrupt their daily lives. Unlike occasional worry or anxiety due to stressful life events, GAD causes people to experience frequent anxiety for extended periods of time, often lasting for months or even years.

Symptoms of GAD include:

Feeling restless, wound-up, or on-edge
Being easily fatigued
Having difficulty concentrating
Being irritable
Having headaches, muscle aches, stomachaches, or unexplained pains
Difficulty controlling feelings of worry
Having sleep problems, such as difficulty falling or staying asleep

Panic Disorder

Individuals who suffer from panic disorder are prone to experiencing frequent and sudden panic attacks. Panic attacks are abrupt episodes characterized by intense fear, discomfort or the feeling of losing control, even in the absence of any explicit danger or trigger. It is important to note that not everyone who experiences a single panic attack will necessarily develop panic disorder.

During a panic attack, a person may experience:

Pounding or racing heart
Sweating
Trembling or tingling
Chest pain
Feelings of impending doom
Feelings of being out of control

Social Anxiety Disorder

Social Anxiety Disorder is a condition characterized by an intense and persistent fear of being observed, evaluated, or judged by others in social situations. The fear of social situations can become so overwhelming that it may seem impossible to control. This fear can interfere with a person's ability to carry out everyday activities like going to work or school.

People with social anxiety disorder may experience:

· Blushing, sweating, or trembling

· Pounding or racing heart

· Stomachaches

· Rigid body posture or speaking with an overly soft voice

· Difficulty making eye contact or being around people they don’t know

· Feelings of self-consciousness or fear that people will judge them negatively

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DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY