Understanding Anxiety and Depression

There are times when people get moody, sad, and miserable, and withdraw from any social activities they might take part it. These are often the results of depression, which can be very random and pass quickly in some people, while others suffer from these symptoms on a daily basis, and their function in daily life is greatly affected. When a person is suffering from intense sadness or despair, and symptoms are prolonged, they may also suffer from other unknown mental illnesses, such as bipolar disorder, dementia, or delirium. These mental illnesses are often confused with one each one as the symptoms are generally related and presently similar. Anyone regardless of age, race, or gender can suffer from depression. In fact, it is estimated that 19 million Americans suffer from depression every year.

Clinical depression is acknowledged more serious than normal feelings of sadness as often people will turn to substance abuse and constantly think negatively. About 16% of the worlds population is estimated to have or will sometime experience a form of clinical depression during their lifetime. Women are twice as likely to become depressed, than men are. Clinical depression is the second leading is the second leading cause of disability, and can interfere with people lives, such as work, school, and their social life. Both mental and physical fatigue can be present in an individual suffering from a form of depression, and intense feelings of guilt, helplessness, and isolation can be accompanied by anxiety.

Anxiety can be described as an unpleasant combination of physical sensations in the stomach or chest area, accompanied by a feeling of inner nervousness that can be combined with tension, panting, and a fast heart beat. In patients who suffer from depression, it is very likely that anxiety can influence a person more negatively. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, as many as 90% of those who are diagnosed with a form of depression, also have symptoms of anxiety. Therefore, depression and anxiety often overlap each other and can affect a person even worse, such as give them feelings of insecurity, and paranoid thoughts. Since depression and anxiety can be linked to other mental disorders, feelings of unease can trigger psychotic episodes in certain individuals and may result in delusional and disorganized thinking. Without the proper care, these conditions can prolong and become worse over time, and even cause people to do unpredictable things such as quit their job, abuse drugs, and run away from home. Even more serious is the fact that people who are greatly depressed, may feel like life is not worth living and attempt to commit suicide, endangering themselves and possibly others.

Without getting too detailed about other illnesses and conditions that accompany anxiety and depression, recommendations are that if a person is thought to be suffering from such symptoms, that they should seek advice from a health care professional. The good news is that depression and anxiety are treatable with certain medication, and once treated, a person can recuperate and be able to return to their normal way of life.