What is the Difference Between Anxiety and Depression?

What is Anxiety?

Most people experience feelings of anxiety at some point in their lives. The occasional panicked breathing, chest-thumping, or feelings of worry are natural. But when they last for extended periods or happen consistently, it may signal an anxiety disorder.

Essentially, a person with an anxiety disorder experiences a pattern of constant and excessive worry that's hard to control and often affects their daily lives. There are many types of anxiety disorders, but the most common is generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Others include social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, phobias such as claustrophobia and agoraphobia, and separation anxiety.

What is Depression?

Depression is a complex mood disorder that affects more than 264 million people in the world. Depression causes a person to feel persistently sad, hopeless, or unmotivated for weeks or months. Depression is different from normal mood swings, occasional feelings of sadness, or responses to loss or trauma. Its symptoms are lasting and can be severe enough to affect your personal, work, and family life. There are many different types of depression, with the most common being major depressive disorder (MDD).

What is the difference between anxiety and depression, exactly? Identifying the psychological and physical symptoms of the two conditions can help answer this.

Phycological Symptoms

• Anxiety: The psychological symptoms of anxiety are constant worrying, feelings of extreme anxiousness, feelings of helplessness, irritability, restlessness, difficulty concentrating, and feeling on edge.
• Depression: With depression, psychological symptoms include continuous sadness, loss of motivation, loss of interest in hobbies/activities, thoughts of self-harm, irritability, feelings of anxiousness or helplessness, feelings of guilt or worthlessness, difficulty concentrating or making decisions, and continuous empty moods.

Physical Symptoms

• Anxiety: The physical symptoms of anxiety include fatigue, insomnia, muscle aches and tension, heart palpitations, dizziness, shortness of breath, excessive sweating, stomach aches, dry mouth, and headaches.
• Depression: Some of the physical symptoms of depression are fatigue, insomnia, oversleeping, unexplained pains, constipation, changes in appetite, changes in weight, and speaking or moving slower than usual.

Do I Have Anxiety and Depression?

It is possible to have both of these conditions. Although anxiety and depression are distinct from one another, they are often co-morbid. This means that many people with anxiety also have depression (and vice versa).

In fact, studies reveal that approximately 67 percent of people with lifetime GAD also report having MDD. And 20 percent of people with MDD report having GAD. Sometimes, when a person has both anxiety and depression, they co-occur simultaneously. In other cases, one is caused or triggered by the other. It's important to remember, though, that only a trained mental health professional can diagnose you with any (or both) of these conditions.

What's Next?

Anxiety and depression symptoms can interfere with your routine and negatively impact your life. Fortunately, they are very treatable. If you suspect you have depression and/or anxiety (or you already have a diagnosis), you should seek appropriate treatment. A mental health professional can give you an accurate diagnosis and help you decide which available treatment option is best for you.

If you have tried medication and talk therapy and found limited success, you can consider non-drug treatments, such as transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). TMS is a proven treatment for people with MDD that does not respond to medication. And if you have co-morbid anxiety symptoms, treating MDD can sometimes help you manage those symptoms as well.