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Key takeaways
Anxiety and depression are common mental health conditions worldwide, with anxiety being the most prevalent mental disorder globally and depression being a leading cause of disability.
Causes of anxiety and depression include a combination of genetic, environmental factors, and brain chemistry, but they manifest differently, with anxiety often involving fear and apprehension, and depression characterized by a persistently low mood and lack of interest in activities.
Both conditions can be diagnosed through physical and psychological evaluations by healthcare professionals, and treatments may include medications, psychotherapy, and lifestyle changes, with specific approaches varying between anxiety and depression.
Risk factors for anxiety and depression overlap but also have unique elements, such as a family history of mental illness and exposure to stress or trauma, underscoring the importance of personalized treatment and prevention strategies.
Anxiety vs. depression causes | Prevalence | Symptoms | Diagnosis | Treatments | Risk factors | Prevention | When to see a doctor | FAQs | Resources
Anxiety and depression are two very common conditions that affect people all around the world. Anxiety is best described as feeling fear or apprehension about future events and everyday situations. Depression is a mental health disorder that’s associated with a depressed mood. Let’s take a more in-depth look at the differences between anxiety and depression including their causes, symptoms, treatments, differences in diagnosis, and how to prevent them.
Causes of anxiety and depression
Anxiety is normal to experience in response to stress, but constantly worrying about future events or everyday situations can negatively impact a person’s quality of life. Anxiety is something that most people will deal with in short spurts, but it’s possible to develop anxiety disorders like panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), or phobia-related disorders like social anxiety disorder.
Researchers don’t fully understand what causes anxiety, but it’s thought to be a combination of genes, environmental factors, and brain chemistry. Certain medical conditions and medications can cause anxiety, and it’s also thought that diet, having a family history of mental health, and exposure to stress or trauma early in life can lead to anxiety disorders.
Depression is a complex mental health disorder that can negatively impact people’s daily lives, professions, and relationships. There’s a lot of research that suggests that depression is caused by imbalanced brain chemicals, but according to Harvard Health, understanding what causes depression is much more complicated than this. An imbalance of chemicals in the brain can play a role in causing depression, but so can genetics, stressful or traumatic life events, medical conditions, medications, and improper mood regulation by the brain.
Anxiety vs. depression causes |
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| Anxiety | Depression |
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Prevalence of anxiety and depression
Anxiety is a very common condition both in the United States and globally. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S., affecting more than 40 million adults. Globally, 1 in 13 people has some form of anxiety, which makes anxiety disorders the most common type of mental disorder worldwide. Large population studies support this and have shown that up to one-third of the global population will be affected by an anxiety disorder at some point in their lifetime.
RELATED: 62% experience anxiety, according to a new SingleCare survey
Depression is one of the leading causes of disability worldwide and majorly contributes to the global burden of disease, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). More than 260 million people have depression globally, and women are more likely to feel depressed than men. There are many different types of depression, such as postpartum depression, bipolar disorder, and major depressive disorder. Major depressive disorder is one of the most common types of depression and affects more than 16 million U.S. adults. It’s estimated that about 10% of youth in the United States have severe depression.
Anxiety vs. depression prevalence |
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| Anxiety | Depression |
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Symptoms of anxiety and depression
Anxiety is easily recognizable because it makes a person feel a certain way. Someone who is anxious may feel nervous, fearful, or panicked. They may also feel irritable and have an increased heart rate, experience difficulty concentrating, have racing thoughts, have trouble sleeping, have heightened alertness, or have moments of hyperventilation and/or sweating. These are all symptoms that the body and mind are responding to an external or internal form of stress.
The most common symptom of depression is probably a low mood, but depression can manifest itself in other ways too. Those with depression will often feel lonely, irritable, hopeless, sad, anxious, restless, or helpless. They may also have feelings of worthlessness, have a hard time sleeping, have low energy, sleep too much, lose interest in daily activities, or have suicidal thoughts.
If you’re feeling depressed and/or have been having suicidal thoughts or behaviors, know that it’s okay to get help. You can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline for free at 988 for confidential help.
Anxiety vs. depression symptoms |
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| Anxiety | Depression |
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Diagnosis
Anxiety can be diagnosed by a psychologist, psychiatrist, or other mental health professional who will perform a complete physical and psychological evaluation. A physical exam will help rule out any underlying medical conditions that may be causing the anxiety, and a psychological evaluation will include a discussion with the patient about their thoughts, behaviors, and feelings. If the patient is diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, then they will come up with a treatment plan with their healthcare provider to help manage the condition.
The process of diagnosing depression is very similar to that of anxiety. A psychiatrist or healthcare provider will do a physical exam to look for any potential health problems that may be causing depression symptoms. Blood tests are sometimes required to test things like thyroid health, which could be linked to depressed feelings. A psychological evaluation will also be done to see what the patient has been feeling and thinking. Sometimes healthcare providers will ask their patients to fill out a questionnaire or test that will help them determine if/what kind of depression they have. If the patient is diagnosed with a form of depression, their healthcare provider will help them come up with a plan to treat it.
Anxiety vs. depression diagnosis |
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| Anxiety | Depression |
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Treatments
Anxiety is most commonly treated with a combination of medications and psychotherapy, but lifestyle changes can also help. Medications like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), tricyclic antidepressants, and benzodiazepines can help regulate a person’s mood, sleep patterns, and energy levels. Psychotherapy involves working with a talk therapist or counselor to reduce anxiety symptoms. Psychotherapy such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can be thought of as a lifestyle change in and of itself, but other helpful lifestyle changes may include activities like exercise or meditation.
Depression is often treated with a combination of medications, psychotherapy, and brain stimulation therapies. Medications like serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), serotonin modulators, atypical antidepressants, monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), and tetracyclic and tricyclic antidepressants can all help treat different types of depression by affecting the balance of neurotransmitters in the brain. The type of medication that works best for someone will vary based on the type of depression they have and their unique medical history.
Psychotherapy is almost always a part of the treatment plan for depression and can include CBT, support groups, interpersonal therapy, psychodynamic therapy, and psychoeducation.
Stimulation therapies can also be extremely helpful for treating major depression. Electroconvulsive therapy, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation, and vagus nerve stimulation all stimulate different parts of the brain and may help patients who haven’t felt any improvements from taking medication and/or doing psychotherapy.
Anxiety vs. depression treatments |
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| Anxiety | Depression |
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Risk factors
Some people have a higher risk of getting anxiety than others. People with a family history of mental illness or anxiety are more likely to have anxiety, as are people who’ve been exposed to trauma or stress as a child. Being shy as a child may also be correlated with an increased risk of having anxiety throughout life. Women are diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder twice as often as men, which means that being female may increase your risk of feeling anxious.
Substance abuse of drugs, cigarettes, or alcohol also increases the risk of experiencing some form of anxiety. In addition, some research shows that people with chronic illness have a higher risk of getting generalized anxiety disorder.
Some people have a higher chance of becoming depressed because of their unique life circumstances. Having a family history of mental illness or depression, having a personal history of other mental illnesses, having low self-esteem, being self-critical, experiencing traumatic or stressful events, having a serious chronic illness, and abusing drugs or alcohol can all increase the chance that someone will experience depression.
RELATED: Mental health survey 2020
Anxiety vs. depression risk factors |
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| Anxiety | Depression |
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Prevention
Anxiety isn’t a condition that can be prevented, but certain things can help reduce the severity of symptoms and how often they occur. Lifestyle changes like exercising regularly, getting enough sleep, reducing stress through activities like yoga or meditation, limiting caffeine intake, and talking to friends and family members can all help relieve symptoms of anxiety. Knowing what triggers your anxiety is a great way to predict when you might start feeling anxious and may help you understand when it is time to take some deep breaths or talk with someone you trust. For some people with anxiety disorders like obsessive-compulsive (OCD) disorder or panic disorder, a healthcare provider might prescribe an anti-anxiety medication to help reduce how often the person feels anxious.
It’s difficult to say whether or not depression can be completely prevented because it is a complex condition caused by many factors. Healthcare providers and researchers agree that some things can help reduce the chance of depression manifesting or recurring for people. Some studies even show that 22% to 38% of major depressive episodes can be prevented with the right methods.
For people with conditions like major depressive disorder or bipolar disorder, following the treatment plan their healthcare provider gave them is the best way to reduce the likelihood of their depression getting worse. For those with milder depression that may come and go, lifestyle changes like exercising regularly, reducing stress, getting enough sleep, reducing alcohol and drug use, and talking with a counselor can really help. Sometimes people with mild depression may also need to take an antidepressant to keep their symptoms from getting worse.
How to prevent anxiety vs. depression |
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| Anxiety | Depression |
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When to see a doctor for anxiety or depression
Sometimes anxiety can be self-managed and easily resolved, but it is important to know when it’s time to see a doctor. If anxiety is affecting more than one area of your life and persists for more than six months, it may be a sign that you have an anxiety disorder or something else serious going on, and would be a good time to check in with your doctor.
If you start having any of the symptoms of depression, such as feelings of sadness or loss of interest in daily life, it may be time to see a healthcare provider. Having these feelings sporadically is a normal part of life, but experiencing them frequently may be a sign that you have depression. Depression that goes untreated can become serious and sometimes lead to suicidal thoughts or behaviors. If you have any of these symptoms, it’s best to seek medical advice as soon as possible.
Frequently asked questions about anxiety and depression
How do I know if I have an anxiety disorder?
If your anxiety becomes a persistent part of your everyday life and begins to affect how you think and behave, then it may be time to talk with your healthcare provider to see if you have an anxiety disorder that would be causing you to feel the way you do.
How effective are treatments for anxiety?
Studies have shown that psychotherapy and medications are more effective at treating anxiety compared to control groups. Frontiers in Psychiatry has even called cognitive behavioral therapy the current gold standard of psychotherapy because of how effective it is.
RELATED: How to find a therapist during a pandemic
How can I make sure I find the right healthcare professional to help me?
Your current healthcare provider is the best person to start a discussion with about how to treat your anxiety or depression. You can also try the Anxiety and Depression Association of America’s Find A Therapist tool to search for mental healthcare workers near you.
Sources
- Anxiety disorders, National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
- What causes depression?, Harvard Health
- Facts and statistics, Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA)
- Depression, World Health Organization (WHO)
- Major depression, NIMH
- Number of people reporting anxiety and depression nationwide since start of pandemic hits all-time high in September, Mental Health in America
- Any anxiety disorder, NIMH
- Risk factors for generalized anxiety disorder, Winchester Hospital
- Tips to manage anxiety and stress, ADAA
- Preventing depression, The Journal of the American Medical Association
- Major depression can be prevented, American Psychologist
- Treatment of anxiety disorders, Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience
- Why cognitive behavioral therapy is the current gold standard of psychotherapy, Frontiers in Psychiatry
- Find a therapist, ADAA
