Do I Have Anxiety, Depression, or Both?

Happy New Year from the team at Magnolia Medical Group in Denver and Wheat Ridge, Colorado! If you’re ready to take control of your mental health this year, our board-certified mental health professionals can help. 

Many of our clients worry they have anxiety or depression—or both. If this describes how you’re feeling, you’re in good company. Anxiety and depression are among the most common mental health conditions in America. 

In fact, around one-fifth of US adults experience anxiety, while about 18 million have one or more depressive episodes every year. And most people with one condition also have the other.   

Fortunately, these conditions generally respond well to treatment. Keep reading to learn the signs of anxiety and depression and the ways our team can help you thrive in the new year. 

Having an anxiety disorder

Anxiety disorders create feelings of chronic dread and fear that interfere with your daily life. There are different anxiety disorders, each with unique characteristics, including:

• Generalized anxiety disorder (anxiety related to everyday issues)
• Separation anxiety disorder (anxiety related to being away from loved ones)
• Panic disorders (recurrent panic attacks)
• Phobia disorders (intense and irrational fears)
• Social anxiety disorder (anxiety related to people or performance)

Anxiety disorders trigger your body’s flight-or-fight response, which triggers the release of stress hormones, which flood your bloodstream, increasing your respiratory rate and heartbeat and affecting your blood vessels so your blood pressure rises. 

These physical responses are excellent at giving your body what’s needed, like a burst of speed when running away or staying alert and quiet when hiding from something dangerous. 

With anxiety disorders, your body responds in this way to things that aren’t physically threatening or aren’t there or likely to happen. Yet the stress hormones still flood your body, causing symptoms like:

• Feelings of impending doom or dread
• Constant preoccupation or worry
• Trouble sleeping
• Feeling shaky or trembling 
• Difficulty focusing or concentrating
• Inability to redirect your thoughts 
• Feelings of panic (shortness of breath, lightheadedness, tight chest, feeling like your heart is beating too fast)

To be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, the symptoms continue for at least six months on most days of the week.  

Having depression

It’s normal to feel sad or depressed in reaction to different situations. But for people with depression, these feelings of low mood and other symptoms can arise without a triggering event and continue for at least two weeks. 

There are different types of depression, including major depressive disorder, seasonal affective disorder, and premenstrual dysphoric disorder, and depression can cause a variety of symptoms. Some common symptoms of depression most people with the condition share include:

• Chronic feelings of hopelessness or despair
• Persistent feelings of sadness, emptiness, or anxiety
• Feelings of guilt, helplessness, or worthlessness
• Feeling generally pessimistic 
• Not having interest or finding pleasure in things you once enjoyed
• Trouble concentrating, remembering, or making decisions
• Increased irritability
• Trouble with sleep 
• Physical symptoms without a clear physical cause
• Lack of energy or fatigue
• Frequent crying
• Talking and/or moving slower than usual
• Changes to your appetite and/or weight 
• Thoughts of death or suicide

It’s important to note that the severity of depression symptoms depends on many factors, and symptoms can change over time. When they interfere with your quality of life, it’s time to seek help.    

Having both anxiety and depression

Anxiety and depression share many symptoms, and one condition can sometimes trigger the other. For example, if you’re anxious, you may feel depressed about the way your symptoms control different aspects of your life, and vice versa.  

As such, it’s not surprising that research reveals around 60% of people with an anxiety disorder also have depression or that a similar number of people with depression also get diagnosed with anxiety. 

The good news is that for many people, the conditions respond to similar treatments, including interventions like:

• Lifestyle changes
• Psychotherapy (e.g., cognitive behavioral therapy)
• Mental health medications

You and your provider work together to create a treatment course that fits your needs and preferences. Typically, as one condition improves, the other does as well. 

How our team can help you thrive

At Magnolia Medical Group, our team uses a patient-centric approach that considers your diagnosis, symptoms, health history, and personal preferences to create a personalized mental health treatment plan. 

Whether you have an anxiety disorder, depression, or both conditions, our team can help. Depending on your needs, your treatment plan may include medications, psychotherapy, lifestyle changes, or a combination. 

Get the help you need for anxiety, depression, or both and thrive in the new year by scheduling an appointment online or over the phone at Magnolia Medical Group in Denver or Wheat Ridge, Colorado.