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Munk Kirkpatrick posted an update 6 months ago
How to Recognize a Depressive Anxiety Disorder
Depression and anxiety disorders can cause you to feel anxious and depressed all the time. These conditions can be caused by a range of factors.
The symptoms of each disorder are distinct, but there are some common symptoms. A therapist can help you identify your symptoms and help find the right treatment.
1. Genetics
Researchers have long observed that anxiety is more prevalent in families. If you have a parent, sibling or a twin who suffers from anxiety, your odds are higher than those without family members. That’s because genes and DNA play a role in anxiety disorders.
One of the largest studies on depression and anxiety found that they share many genes. The QIMR Berghofer research, published in Nature Human Behaviour identifies 509 genes that are associated with anxiety and depression. This is the largest number of genomic regions associated with psychiatric disorders and it includes 71 genes that were not previously linked to depression or anxiety.
Among the internalizing disorders, the most heritable–or proportion of a disorder’s symptoms that are a result of genetics–is seen in major depression and generalized anxiety disorder. Other risk factors that are not genetic include early life challenges and parenting style. Another risk factor to consider is neuroticism, a personality characteristic or temperament that is associated with some genetic risk and has been linked to both anxiety and depression.
A genetic component to schizophrenia, on the other hand is less well understood since schizophrenia sufferers have multiple causes of their symptoms. It is best to study twins in order to determine the genetic component. Researchers can assess the frequency of a disorder among identical twins (monozygotic or MZ) with the prevalence of their nonidentical siblings (dizygotic or DZ). This enables them to determine how much the phenotypic similarities are due to shared environmental factors and how much of it is due to genetics.
As the field of psychiatric genomics expands it is likely that additional genetic regions will be discovered that are associated with depression and anxiety. It is important to remember, however, that there will always be distinct individuals within the rigid categories of mental health. People who experience anxiety and depression at different points in their lives will have different experiences and may react to treatment differently.
If you have signs of depression or anxiety Don’t dismiss them. Just like you wouldn’t ignore a broken arm, it is important to seek out assistance from a physician when you’re struggling.
2. Stress
Every person experiences stress at some point or another, but it is important to distinguish between normal stress and more serious anxiety and depression disorders. If you are feeling depressed or irritable, as well as unmotivated you may require professional assistance.
Depression is a state of low mood that makes it difficult to function or enjoy life. It can affect your sleep appetite, concentration, and appetite and cause feelings of guilt or despair. In addition to seeking out treatment from a mental health professional, you can try taking small steps to boost your mood. Setting goals for yourself each day, such as making your bed or unloading your dishwasher, can boost self-esteem while providing some distraction.
Anxiety is the state of excessive fear or worry that can lead to physical symptoms like tension in muscles, restlessness and sleep disturbance. People with generalized anxiety suffer from excessive and persistent worry about the mundane such as work obligations, family issues, or financial concerns. They are often tense or tired and are overwhelmed by their thoughts, even when they know their fears are unfounded.
Both anxiety and depression can be managed, but you have to find the most suitable therapist. Psychological treatments, like cognitive behavioral therapy and dialectical behavior therapy are effective in treating anxiety disorders and can be combined with antidepressant medications. These treatments can take time to get going, but they are usually more effective than trying to cope on your on your own.
Call 911 or the crisis and suicide hotline at 988 923-5772 if you are experiencing suicidal thoughts or in a crisis. You can also seek help from your loved ones and connect with mental health professionals or join an online support group.
You should seek help as soon you can because depression and anxiety will worsen if you do not. Similar to going to the doctor if you hurt your arm or had an injury that was severe, you should seek treatment for anxiety and depression.
3. Personality
While a little sadness is normal from time to time, persistent, extreme or prolonged sadness could be a sign that you have an anxiety disorder. People suffering from depression typically have a hard time getting excited or enjoying life because they are constantly thinking about what’s happening or what other people may think of them. The good news is that depression and anxiety can be treated with medication or psychotherapy.
Personality is one of the major factors in anxiety and depression. It affects how a person’s symptom develops, and it can predict the treatment response. People with high levels of neuroticism, for example, tend to have poorer treatment outcomes, both in depression and anxiety (Kennedy and colleagues. 2005). Personality can also help predict which type of therapy will work best for a particular person. People with less neuroticism are likely to benefit more from cognitive behavioral therapy.
Depression and anxiety are both complex, but there are effective treatments available. If you are experiencing symptoms of depression or anxiety it is essential to seek out a physician. Your doctor will be able to determine the root reason and prescribe medication if necessary.
It can be difficult to communicate with other people when you suffer from depression and anxiety. This can result in feelings of isolation, which could make it more difficult to manage your symptoms. People who suffer from anxiety tend to be more self-critical and tend to ruminate, which can make difficult to find relief from depression.
To treat comorbid depression and anxiety the first step is to consult an expert in mental health. Together, you can develop a treatment plan to address your specific symptoms. Most of the time, different forms of psychotherapy are recommended since what works to ease depression symptoms may not help anxiety symptoms and vice in reverse.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in conjunction with medication, is a common treatment for both of these conditions. CBT assists you in replacing negative thoughts with more sensible and productive ones. It can also assist you in developing coping skills to manage stress in a more effective way. For example, you can learn to concentrate on what is in your control, such as acknowledging your emotions and reactions, and focus on the facts of a situation.
4. Ailment
If these feelings persist and intense, it could be an indication of depression or anxiety. Individuals suffering from anxiety disorder s may be overwhelmed by fear or worry about different things, such as money, work, relationships or health. Someone suffering from depression feels depressed and loses interest in the activities. Depression can also cause someone to feel tired or angry. Often, these symptoms last for more than two weeks and aren’t caused by a recent event or a medical problem like an infection or a physical illness.
There isn’t a single reason for depression or anxiety. Stress, genetics, and personality are all significant factors. It is more common to suffer from co-occurring disorders like depression and anxiety or anxiety with another mental health condition, like obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) as well as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Several types of psychotherapy or “talk therapy” can aid people suffering from depression and anxiety disorders. Cognitive behavioral therapy is the most popular, and it can assist people to modify their thoughts and behavior to reduce their anxiety. Medications, such as antidepressant and anxiety medications, can also aid. Taking steps to get enough rest, avoiding drinking and taking recreational drugs and eating a balanced, healthy diet, exercising regularly and getting social support can all help alleviate symptoms.
Many people suffering from both depression and anxiety notice that their symptoms appear to be linked to each other. For instance, anxiety can cause a person to avoid socializing or making new friends which can cause depression. Depression can increase anxiety and can cause feelings of feelings of loneliness.
A mental health professional can identify whether or not depression is due to an issue with the body like thyroid disease, or medications. If there isn’t a medical reason, the treatment plan for depression and anxiety could be similar but it’s likely to include both talk therapy as well as medication. The symptoms of both anxiety as well as depression generally improve with time, although it can take longer for depression to heal than it does for anxiety.