Mental health problems affect a large number of people worldwide, which makes it a major health concern today.
Unfortunately, the awareness about this problem is limited within the general population, which ultimately makes it difficult to address. This can be demonstrated by the fact that many people today do not know the difference between depression and anxiety, which are two distinct mental health issues.
That is why this guide has addressed the fundamental differences between these two problems. So, if you want to learn more about them, then keep reading.
What Is Depression?
Depression is a mood disorder that is characterized by feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and futility. The affected individuals often show a notable change in their overall behaviour, along with some other symptoms, as listed below.
- Constant negative thoughts
- Feeling irritable at the smallest things
- Loss of interest in things once enjoyed
- A general lack of energy for doing anything
- Sleeping too much or too little than normal
- An increase or a loss of appetite
- Loss of focus and concentration
- Rapid weight gain or weight loss
If you have any of these symptoms for more than two weeks, you can seek online counselling for depression and take medications, such as antidepressants. But be advised that this is a long-term issue that is not easily cured.
What Is Anxiety?
In general, anxiety is a feeling that you get quite frequently in your everyday life. For instance, you may feel anxious when you talk to new people, try out something new, and the list goes on. But once the situation becomes normal, the feeling goes away.
However, if it persists for a long time even after things normalize, it is an indicator of anxiety disorder. In this case, the feeling is much more intense than usual.
People suffering from this condition often get anxiety attacks where they show one or more of these symptoms:
- Restlessness and agitation
- Trembling hands and feet
- Faster breathing or feeling of breathlessness
- Dry mouth
- Nausea
- Excessive sweating
There are medications for dealing with anxiety, but in most cases, they are unnecessary. This is because the condition usually subsides, albeit slowly, after the difficult situation has been resolved.
What’s The Difference?
The primary difference between depression and anxiety is the symptoms and the feelings they elicit. Depression typically makes you feel sad and hopeless, while anxiety makes you feel afraid and nervous.
Also, anxiety attacks are relatively short-lived than depression spells, and they can be mitigated without external interventions in most cases. On the other hand, external assistance, such as therapy and medication is often necessary for managing depression.
Conclusion
It is possible for an individual to suffer from both problems at once. The daily lifestyle of such a person becomes severely affected since the symptoms of one problem often aggravate the symptoms of the other.
So, if you suspect that you may be suffering from either of these mental health concerns or both, get in touch with a counsellor at the earliest!