What is anxiety and depression?

Anxiety is usually a unique emotion, which triggers like an alarm in the brain, causing a state of alertness. Roughly speaking, it is like a warning that something is not right. It is necessary for our safety. However, when we suffer with the pathology of anxiety, it gets out of control, always causing this sense of alert, causing, mainly, anguish.

Depression, in turn, is a psychological pathology that causes feelings of emptiness and sadness, in addition to a great lack of interest in performing simple tasks such as often getting out of bed or taking a bath.

Both diseases are treatable and the diagnosis needs to be made with a professional, since their symptoms mix several elements that can confuse. In addition, it is necessary a great sensitivity to touch on the subject and a great empathy to understand what these people go through daily.

Meaning of anxiety

When we talk about anxiety, we are talking about a severe change in the quality of life of those who suffer from this disease. As they live in a constant state of alert, they take little advantage of some occasions by always expecting the worst of everything.

It's like living with a time bomb about to explode, however, she never explodes. Check now a little more about this disorder that affects the lives of a large part of the Brazilian population!

Who anxiety can affect

Anxiety is a faceless disease that can affect any gender, race and age, even being present in some children. However, there are cut-offs, since, according to a study conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO), anxiety is more present in the lives of women, but it is not a gender restriction.

The characteristic symptoms are very diverse, and may be shortness of breath, tachycardia, dizziness, and even fainting in more severe cases. Because this response is different in different organisms, it is necessary to study each case thoroughly for an accurate diagnosis.

Causes of anxiety

There is no single cause for anxiety and it can be triggered by several factors, including biological. Some people are born predisposed to this type of pathology. Others may develop it due to hormonal issues, professional conflicts, academic life or even family setbacks.

It is valid to say that there is that a person can go through just an anxious period without developing the chronic form of the disease. A person who is going through a divorce, for example, can become very anxious in the process. Just as someone who is discovering his sexuality, can develop anxiety in this time of discovery and uncertainty.

Anxiety, fear and stress

There is a great confusion that happens when we talk about anxiety, fear and stress, since, by the symptoms, they can all be very similar. Anxiety is a state of attention of the body, even when it is relaxed. The person is living, normally, without anything extraordinary happening, and then, suddenly, goes into despair.

Fear is a normal body mechanism that attacks when we feel in danger, so that feeling of agony and despair at a job interview, for example, is perfectly normal, as you are subject to the unknown and your body is programmed to protect you from the unknown.

And finally, there's stress, which can have similar symptoms simply because your body is in a state of exhaustion. Usually, this feeling is more like a tightness in the chest and a little uncertainty about what's putting you in that state. It's important to know how to differentiate between them.

Types of anxiety

There is not only one form of anxiety, it can be aggravated by several factors. Usually, this type of pathology will evolve and become more serious over time, especially if it is not well assisted. First of all, it is important to be clear that anxiety is something the body feels, only when exposed to imminent risks. Only in this situation it is normal.

When aggravated, it can go through several other pathologies, which are like 'arms' within the disease. The person can, for example, suffer with selective mutism, which is silencing oneself to a niche of people. Panic attacks, which are outbreaks of intense despair, can last for weeks.

Several phobias and even the development of obsessive-compulsive behaviors. The idea of the treatment is to avoid that it evolves to these cases and also that it doesn't become chronic, because, in this case, everything becomes much more difficult to be controlled.

Symptoms of anxiety

Anxiety symptoms can vary a lot, however, there are some that are always similar among patients. It is valid to say that there are physical and psychological symptoms. Many times, this causes patients to seek doctors of other specialties until they seek psychologists and psychiatrists.

The most common symptoms are: shortness of breath, high blood pressure, tachycardia, sweating, dry mouth, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness, gastric contraction, known as 'knot in the stomach'. There are those who develop tremors, drastic weight gain or decrease, irritability, cognitive blockage, social phobia, muscle tension and even hormonal discontrollment, such as menstrual delay.

When anxiety arises

There is no exact moment when anxiety can appear. Many times, it just comes out of nowhere, leaving your whole body on alert. Other times, it needs a little trigger, but overdoing the feeling of the moment, turning any glass of water into a big storm.

The episodes can be quick, taking 15 minutes on average, or very long, taking hours or even whole days. There are even more propitious moments for the episodes to happen, such as the moment when we go to bed. Thinking about the day lived can be a great factor for an anxious crisis.

Consequences of anxiety

One of the worst feelings that anxiety causes is a lack of security in your thoughts and a lack of confidence in the control we have over our lives. This, at various times, can cause us to change the course of our entire lives, starting to do things that, when healthy, we would not do.

An anxious person can, for example, develop a phobia of something important, such as living in society, becoming more antisocial and fearful. Develop addictions, such as alcoholism and even drug abuse; obsessive behaviors, family problems and even depression.

Diagnosis of anxiety

The exams to discover if someone has anxieties are done in the form of conversation, of analysis. Usually, the doctor chooses to recall situations in which the patient felt anxious and, in this way, begin to understand what he feels and what this causes in him.

Not always the professional arrives at an accurate diagnosis at the first contact, needing some sessions or consultations so that he understands how best to serve you. This way, you will draw together this path that you should follow and start the treatment.

Treatment of anxiety

Anxiety treatment can be started in several ways, because the stage of the pathology is the decisive factor for the treatment to be thought. Many times, the person can control anxiety with physical activities and change in diet. In other cases, staying away from some situations can be the solution.

There are doctors who indicate alternative treatments, phytotherapic, oral or even recreational, such as occupational or psychological therapies. And, finally, there are medicines that help control the disease, known as anxiolytics.

Meaning of depression

Depression is, in general, a feeling of deep sadness and a permanent emptiness that affects some people throughout life, being a pathology very difficult to cure. The person, usually, presents a great lack of interest in activities that were previously pleasurable for him/her. Check now the main symptoms of depression and how to diagnose them as soon as possible!

Who Depression Can Affect

Depression can affect anyone, at any stage of life, existing, for example, the childhood depression, even if the symptoms are a little different from the pathology that affects adults. Women, according to data from the World Health Organization, are the most affected worldwide.

There are times when people may be more vulnerable to the onset of the illness, such as in economic crises, loss of loved ones, abuse or social chaos scenarios, such as an epidemic or pandemic, for example. At first, it is often mistaken for sadness, but the picture is more serious.

Causes of depression

Being a biopsychosocial pathology, depression can have its onset by external factors and by hormonal factors, which are configured as internal factors. Genetic issues can also play an important role in the development of the disease, since several psychological illnesses are inherited.

Thus, depression can develop due to negative stimuli, such as the death of someone or something very strong and abrupt, as well as can be developed by a very large hormonal decrease. In genetic cases, the family with a history of the disease can be the cause, being also a biological deficit.

Depression and sadness

Sadness and depression are often confused in people's minds, mainly because when someone is sad, they usually say "ah, he's depressed". However, these two states are not the same thing. Sadness is a natural state that every body is programmed to feel, depression is not.

When we talk about depression, we are talking about, besides a sadness, an apathy about almost everything. So, she is not exactly sad, but feeling empty and hopeless. This, of course, in its most advanced degree.

Types of depression

There is a book where mental diseases and disorders are catalogued called "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V)" and according to it, there are at least 8 types of depression, which are:

Major depressive disorder, which would be it in its primordial state; Premenstrual dysphoric disorder, which is that period known as PMS and its mood swings and, in some cases, apathy. Substance-induced depressive disorder, which is when the person becomes depressed by the use of some drug, legal or otherwise.

Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder, which in some cases is configured as bipolar disorder; Persistent depressive disorder, which depression in its chronic state; Depressive disorder due to another medical condition; Depressive disorder with other specification; and Unspecified depressive disorder.

Symptoms of depression

Just like anxiety, depression can have a very wide range of symptoms, being very relative from person to person. But, normally, the person presents insomnia, a feeling of emptiness or constant unhappiness. This feeling can be accompanied by anguish and also anxiety crises.

The individual may present sudden mood swings, dietary changes, eating a lot or almost nothing. Difficulty in concentrating or feeling pleasure, including sexual, since it causes a considerable decrease in libido. Difficulty in being in social spaces may also be noted.

Consequences of depression

As depression is a disease that moves mostly the head, the consequences can be several, including the increase in the development of other diseases, since there is a low immune system during the depressive period. Patients also complain of pain in the head, stomach and even joints.

The lack of sexual desire is also one of the main consequences, being a great interference in one's life. Substance abuse can also be more common, such as alcohol, illicit drugs and even addiction to some medications, especially tranquilizers. Family problems can also be a consequence, since families are always shaken by this disease.

Diagnosis of depression

The diagnosis may have several stages, since it may be a suspicion within a psychological treatment, but the confirmation only comes after a psychiatric evaluation. Normally, it is discovered through a technique called anamnesis, which is basically the patient telling periods of his life and, together, finding the origin of the disease and what triggered it.

This discovery can also be made through the discovery of another illness. Many times, a person thinks he is anxious and, when investigating the cause of his anxiety, he discovers he has depression and that, in fact, the anxiety was only a symptom of the depression. Depression is serious and should be diagnosed with doctors, not with friends' prescriptions or internet tests.

Depression Treatment

An adequate treatment for depression can consist of several stages, being done in a unique way for each patient, since this disorder, usually is accentuated in some niches of life, which causes the treatment to be done as a 'damage repairer'.

Usually, patients with depression undergo therapy sessions and also medication. In some cases, the patient takes medicine for depression and anxiety. Along with this oral treatment, the patient receives psychological monitoring and also another occupational treatment, such as hortotherapy, for example.

The relationship between anxiety and depression

Depression is not confused with anxiety, but anxiety is regularly confused with depression, even more so that, in some cases, it can be a depressive symptom. It is important to be aware of the signs so as not to make this mistake and, of course, always seek professional help. Check out the main differences and how to know how to identify them in your routine or your friends and family!

Difference between anxiety and depression

In an intrinsic way, these two psychic disorders are linked to a certain extent, since they speak directly to the lack of control that an individual may feel over himself. However, there is a very important differentiation that must be made in order not to confuse the pathologies: the analysis of empathy.

An anxious person, or living an anxious outbreak, has many sensations. He feels fear, anguish, irritability and some physical symptoms, such as shortness of breath and sweating. However, when this same person is in a depressive crisis, he feels nothing, only a great disinterest and desire to disappear. The anxious person is restless, while the depressive is too quiet.

Anxiety becoming depression

There are a number of factors that can turn anxiety into depression, but perhaps the most commonplace is stress. Stress is usually a complete departure from the center of peace that we all have. Usually someone who is stressed is someone who is restless even during leisure time. He has many responsibilities and those responsibilities worry him.

This concern with the future, with all the things that he and only he can do, is the beginning of anxiety, which becomes more frequent and intense. The person starts to lose quality of life, to have a bad sleep and a poor diet because of this. This situation gets worse until he starts to feel purposeless and unmotivated.

Demotivation and fatigue cause the lowering of several hormones, which can be the beginning of the tortuous valley of depression. The person begins to feel insufficient, absent, sad and without spirit to do even what he liked.

Suffering from depression and anxiety

A person can suffer from depression and anxiety. Unfortunately, this is a common diagnosis in Brazil. The person who lives with these two diagnoses goes through peaks of anxiety crisis within the depression, which are more aggravated, being manifested more as panic crises, for example.

It is important to say that the depressed person does not necessarily spend every day feeling apathetic and lifeless lying in bed, but this is a 'place' that he always returns to. He feels insufficient and rejected, becoming anxious and restless, thinking he is a burden in the lives of the people around him. This is how the diseases coexist together and are brutally harmful.

How to deal with anxiety and depression

To deal with depression and anxiety, it is important to understand that they have degrees, causes and phases, not always being linear or "visible". In addition, all treatment must go through a professional sieve.

Check now some of the aids you can have in the treatment of these pathologies so present in our lives!

Professional help

First of all, if you identify yourself with any of the symptoms listed or know someone who does, seek qualified professional help. Even more at this first moment, it is fundamental to look for serious and competent people, because a bad start can be very difficult to get around.

If the help you sought says it's a lack of willpower, lack of faith or coolness, seek other help urgently. Depression and anxiety are serious disorders that should be treated by people who are capable of dealing with them. You need to feel, above all, welcomed and cared for, not judged. Don't hesitate to change doctors if this is your case.

Contact with people

When we are fragile, it is natural to look for people who we trust and who take good care of us. So, if you are feeling unwell, seek help from those who love you. A good conversation is not a treatment, but it is a very important support point.

People still have a lot of preconceptions about mental illness and being judged is the last of the needs someone in that state needs. Talk to that best friend, that understanding mother, that nurturing sibling. It's okay to not be okay, at least for now. That strength will help a lot.

Good night's sleep

Sleep is restorative in every way. Sleeping good nights is fundamental for the cure of any disease. This is because the brain in a resting state uses the 'pause' to regenerate cells, helping the body completely, from nails, hair, skin, to our memory, happiness and disposition.

But it's not as easy as it seems, right? Sleeping can be a terror for depressed and anxious people, since the brain doesn't seem to turn off. That's why it would be interesting to do activities that tire the brain during the day. Invest in physical and cognitive activities, since, besides distracting, they will help your sleep to become deeper.

Meditation practice

Meditation can be an alternative for those suffering from depression and anxiety, as it helps promote inner peace and connection with ourselves, which is something a little corrupted when suffering from a mental pathology. It helps with balance and self-control, promoting safe spaces.

It is of great value in the battle against stress. There are still respiratory benefits, because the breathing techniques used in meditation are the same ones used for people to calm down in an anxiety crisis. Every breathing technique is welcome in moments of crisis, and meditation brings several.

Physical activity

Physical activity can be one of the easiest ways to change with depression and anxiety, since it helps in the production of hormones, the bloodstream and the proper functioning of the body. And it does not need to be very far-fetched to do well no, since a short run is enough.

Start little by little, run in circles in your living room for 20 minutes. Put on your favorite music and dance and sing it. Go up and down the stairs at home. These are small habits that will make all the difference in your mood, mood and health. Gradually increase them until you see the results.

Create a routine

Creating a routine can be the first step to a great improvement in the condition. This is because an anxious or depressive person does not deal very well with surprises and casualties, and a routine avoids exactly that. Your day is planned, without big surprises and making a kind of motivating discipline.

When thinking about your routine, avoid fancy stuff because it can get you frustrated. Plan simple things for your day and put even the small things in the routine, like shower, lunch, coffee and especially plan breaks. Your rest is also important for your day. The idea is not to over demand yourself.

Time for you

Having some time to reorganize our thoughts is fundamental in this process, mainly because the estrangement with ourselves is one of the causes of depression and this time can revive it, being one of the pillars of the beginning of the evolution of the condition. But it's not just any time, it's a quality time.

Start thinking about things you feel good doing alone. Do you like watching movies at the movies? Have you ever thought about going alone? It might do you good. Do you like watching clouds and thinking about life? If it makes you comfortable, do it. The important thing is not to demand too much of yourself and to feel good.

Self-knowledge

Self-knowledge is our greatest weapon against most ills of the mind. Knowing ourselves, we know our limits, our insecurities, our pains and our strengths, which is key in the fight against depression and anxiety. Knowing you, you know how they affect you.

Promote spaces for self-knowledge, test your deepest tastes. Try new things and see if you don't identify with them. Revisit things and spaces that make you comfortable. Do you know that dish you didn't like when you first ate it? Maybe trying it again might be a good idea. Get to know yourself.

Deep breathing

The first thing that an anxiety attack takes away from you is your breath. Your breathing is heavy, out of breath, and out of sync. In that moment, your thoughts are always the worst and your central pole of balance, your breathing, is as out of sync as you are. In that eternal instant, you are not even in control of that, your breathing.

This is why breathing techniques are very important for anxious people. When they regain control of their breathing, it feels like things start to make sense again. There are several videos of techniques that can help you calm down and start breathing fluidly again.

Self-care

Being one of the most important tools in this moment, self-care is the biggest pillar of your relationship with yourself. It is where you will understand the importance of patience with you, of affection with you, of attention with you, and this all coming from you! Embrace yourself in this moment.

It's not easy to learn to love yourself, it takes time and effort. But respecting yourself is the first big step for that to happen. And you can do that right now. Take care of your mind, cut out what's bad for you, respect your time and your process. And be grateful to yourself.

Are anxiety and depression curable?

Depression and anxiety can be cured if treated correctly. As they are psychic diseases, they can return, that is, the care must continue after the diagnosis of cure is reached. Therefore, adopting a healthy lifestyle is primordial for them to be completely stabilized.

In addition, it is essential to continue taking care of your mind and preserve yourself from situations that leave you on edge, whether they be jobs or even people. Time for you should be routine, the care you should have with you as well. Many times, medications are suspended after healing, but good habits should never be.