Anxiety

Doctors and mental health professionals often find that anxiety and depression go hand-in-hand and that many people who struggle with anxiety are often depressed and vice versa. Psychology Today reports that 60-70 percent of people with depression also have anxiety issues. If untreated, the combination of the two situations can be very dangerous.

The combination of depression and anxiety can lead a person to have trouble completing everyday tasks and further the fears and worry that come from the anxiety. The psychological nature of the two disorders is similar and one feeds off the other. If you are anxiety stricken and your fear of situations and events leads you to not live your life normally, depression can set in and you shut down. Just think if anxiety is keeping you from getting out and doing things, even normal daily life tasks, your mental well being will suffer and cause melancholy that can lead to depression.

Health care professionals frequently have difficulty deciphering anxiety from depression. Some think that basically the issues with anxiety and depression are symptoms of one disorder stemming from the anxiety. Others think that they are disorders that should be studied more as separate situations requiring more targeted medications. Right now, the medications to treat anxiety and depression are mostly one and the same. Most anti-depressants or SSRIs, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, are effective in treating both anxiety and depression. Some mental health professionals think that more research needs to be done from the pharmaceutical perspective to treat the problems separately.

Moreover, another treatment option for anxiety called cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is also effective for both anxiety and depression. CBT is a form of therapy that works on changing the thought patterns that cause the fear and worry resulting in anxiety. On a basic level, anxiety stems from the thinking that doom or a bad outcome will result from a situation or event. Anxiety sufferers often think about the worst possible scenario and the worry from that thinking causes them to avoid the situation all together for fear of discomfort or even a panic attack.

CBT and treatments for anxiety and depression allow people to develop coping mechanisms for their situations. Part of the reason they cannot go about their life as others would is because they do not know how to deal with the anxiety, how to cope with panic attacks and other related situations. The therapy and medication help them learn coping mechanisms. Some anxiety and depression sufferers use yoga and meditation to overcome their issues. They use breathing techniques and relaxation mechanisms from their yoga and meditation practice to cope with stressful situations or to avoid a panic attack. Knowing what works for you and understanding the core of the anxiety and how to address it are integral to combating the anxiety and depression interfering with your life.

Doctors also recommend that people with anxiety and depression get out and move around. Exercise has many positive benefits for anxiety and depression sufferers. Exercise lowers the stress levels and produces good energy. Stress is the main factor in the development and agitation of anxiety. Moving the body will dissolve some of nervous energy that causes anxiety. Further, exercise can lift some of the sadness and melancholy that comes with depression.

In time, your treatment for anxiety and depression will change your brain chemistry and outlook in a way to better deal with the intruding thoughts that keep you from doing things that most people would not have any apprehension about. As treatment goes forward, people also usually regain and build the confidence that allows them to live a more normal life.