Note: This article was first published in Life in the Delta in March 2009.
Anxiety and depression are two different but often related disorders that plague many in our society. The World Health Organization now ranks depression as the 4th most significant cause of suffering and disability worldwide, behind heart disease, cancer and traffic accidents. Sadly, it is predicted that by the year 2020, depression will be the 2nd most debilitating condition. Most people who are depressed are also suffering from anxiety disorder. In fact, anxiety often precedes depression. As life keeps getting faster and faster and more complicated, people simply do not have the resources for coping.
Let’s spend a few moments defining anxiety and depression, in the most general of terms.
Anxiety can be likened to a state of fear without specific knowledge of why one is fearful. Almost anyone can be made anxious but an anxious person is that way no matter what – almost as if s/he is looking for a crisis. An anxious person’s mood is that of tension, panic, and apprehension. There is a sense of impending doom. Sometimes a person with anxiety experiences physical symptoms, such as heart palpitations, sweating, dry mouth, an increase in blood pressure, throbbing sensations in the head, shallow breathing, muscular tension, or chest pain. Anxious people may feel pain in their head, stomach or back. Some of their motor symptoms may include fidgetiness, an exaggerated startle response, restlessness, an inability to sit down, or pointless movement. Ultimately at the core of anxiety is an issue of control – as if any of us has control over anything in this life.
You might say that anxiety is about the future – about the “what if’s?” of life. Depression, on the other hand, is more about the past. At the core of most depression is usually disappointment. It may begin with a blocked goal of not getting what you want, which may lead to anger, which may lead to trying harder. But once you realize your blocked goal is no longer attainable, this may lead to depression. You might say it is anger turned inward. Two of the major symptoms of depression are feeling sad or down nearly everyday and losing interest or pleasure in most activities. Other symptoms include loss of appetite or marked increase of appetite – especially craving sweets or other carbohydrates, a decrease in energy, tiredness, feelings of worthlessness, an impaired ability to concentrate, and sometimes thoughts of suicide. Problems with sleep are the most common symptom of both depression and anxiety. However, some depressed people can oversleep.
Anxiety and depression may be the result of a variety of biological or psychological reasons. But they also have a social component as well. People who are suffering from them often have less social support and more marital problems and conflicts. Also, there is a greater risk of passing these disorders on to their children. They, in fact, intensify from one generation to the next.
Most people who have anxiety or depression do not seek help. However, there is much that can be done to help. Telling a depressed person just to “snap out of it” will not work. Exercise, though, is a wonderful tool and is almost as effective as medication. There are wonderful medicines for anxiety and depression but a word of caution: medication will not get to the root of the problem. Research shows that medication in combination with psychotherapy is the most effective way of healing anxiety and/or depression. I also think that faith and prayer are wonderful antidotes for anxiety and depression as they bring answers to many of life’s difficulties and uncertainties. In conclusion, please be aware of the danger of having anxiety and/or depression or the double jeopardy of having both – not only to yourself but to your family as well.
