What Is Overwhelming You?

There is a fine line between anxiety and depression. While the two conditions are largely interlinked, it is essential for patients and caregivers to understand the conditions fully in order to seek effective support and work towards a healthy recovery. We shed a silver lining on the cloud and point out some of the stark differences between the two conditions.

The basic symptoms of the conditions differ. Yet, each could be contributing factors to one another.

All adults would have experienced apprehension at some point in life. The cause could have been due to critical events in our life such as a job interview or a medical diagnosis. Despite all attempts of positive thinking, the fear of a negative outcome does create some physical and psychological aggravations within us. Anxiety creates great levels of uneasiness and the need to escape, which may lead to rapid heartbeats, sweating and shivers.

However, when such a condition or its symptoms are prolonged or frequent, it could indicate a call for professional intervention to treat anxiety disorders.

There comes a time in life where nothing seems to go right. The future seems bleak and thoughts focus only on the worst that could happen. All this negativity could overcome inner strength and lead to a decision to end it all. Depression slows down cognitive functions such as the ability to process information and express emotions. A lack of energy could also be caused by severe changes in appetite.

If such conditions are interfering with daily functioning, it could be indicative of depression and requires urgent psychiatric attention.

As we have seen above, the factors that cause anxiety can lead to negative thoughts and hence depression. Nipping anxiety or depression in the bud could sometimes save you or a loved one from the catastrophic impacts of these emotionally overwhelming conditions.