Anxiety and Depression are Friends

The common stereotype of a depressed person is usually that of a sad, lazy, unmotivated individual with pessimistic views about everything in life. This is far from the truth. A person that has depression also carries with themselves extreme symptoms of anxiety. Panic attacks, heart palpitations, and feelings of complete hopelessness all come with depression. In fact, the feelings of extreme anxiety and panic leads a person to feeling out of control of their life and emotions. Depression can lead to some very serious health issues. Lack of hunger, taking unnecessary dangerous risk, and in worst case scenarios: suicide. The exact link to anxiety and depression is still sketchy. Treatments are similar for the two disorders and explains why many believe the two to be the same. Eighty-five percent of diagnosed depression patients are also diagnosed with generalized anxiety order.

Patients that have both these disorders face a tremendous challenge. Not only is it a challenge to face life with these disorders combined, but they are usually more severe when partnered up. Depression has a history of being chronic in patients, and tends to take longer to treat. In combination with long bouts of severe anxiety, often leads a patient to suicide. In recent studies, 65% of patients diagnosed with major depression also had symptoms of high anxiety.