More than a third of Americans show signs of clinical depression and anxiety. They have many overlapping symptoms and therefore are frequently talked about together.
Depression is characterized by feelings of sadness, emptiness, or apathy. If your feelings of not caring about anything, being hopeless, or lacking energy persists longer than 2 weeks consider talking to a mental health professional about what might be going on.
Anxiety is normal in small doses- before a big move, after a traumatic event, during hard times- but consistent and extreme anxiety most days for several months could be a symptom of an anxiety disorder such as Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD).
Do I Have Depression or Anxiety?
Whenever diagnosing, we have to carefully consider what our symptoms are before considering the diagnosis. Otherwise, we risk forcing our symptoms to fit into our preconceived notions of what is wrong.
The main hallmark of depression is low and sad feelings for a prolonged period, although additional symptoms include:
Anxiety on its own is normal to experience from time to time. However, pervasive anxiety that lasts for months on end may need to be addressed. Other symptoms can include:
Depression and anxiety have overlapping symptoms, including:
What Causes Depression and Anxiety?
Depression and anxiety go hand in hand because both can creep up when we’re experiencing big changes in our lives: a birth, marriage, move, career change, or death could fit the bill. Depression also strikes when we feel most isolated or alone.
Other potential causes include:
Prolonged Inflammation
Think of how red a cut gets as it heals- this is inflammation at work. The same applies to fever. Inflammation is your body rushing care and healing to the site. In moderation and on cue, this is a great system to heal yourself.
When there is prolonged inflammation, the same process meant to help us heal can start to tear our bodies and especially our brains, apart.
Prolonged inflammation is primarily caused by a diet overrun by sugar, too many calories, and unhealthy fats. Chronic infections and leaky gut are some conditions that may contribute to this as well.
If you find yourself pouring a mountain of sugar into your coffee or drinking nothing but soda, you could be suffering from prolonged inflammation. Talk to your primary care physician for ideas on how to put out the flames.
Thyroid Dysfunction
Your thyroid is in charge of making important hormones. There are a whole lot of different reasons your thyroid may not be functioning correctly. When the thyroid stops working right, it can have many repercussions and symptoms that can seem like depression or anxiety. Because of this confusion, treatment can be ineffective.
See your primary care physician if you think you might have a thyroid problem masquerading as a mental health illness.
Low Vitamin D, B12, Iron, and More
Everyone knows that vitamins are necessary for a healthy body. That’s why the Flintstones vitamins are so delicious. But what might be less known is the implications deficiency of these vitamins has on your mental health.
42% of Americans are deficient in Vitamin D, and although its lack is normally associated with seasonal depression, winter is not the only time a lack of Vitamin D can cause problems. If you work inside the majority of the day, you’re probably not getting enough Vitamin D.
B12 helps to make red blood cells and serotonin and regulates mood.
Iron is essential for helping transport oxygen to tissue. Without iron to create hemoglobin, fatigue, weakness and even anxiety or depression can appear. Anemia is a complication of this as well, causing excessive fatigue, shortness of breath, dizziness, headaches, and more in serious cases.
Depending on what you’re lacking in your body chemistry there is most likely a dietary answer for it. Talk to your primary care physician or book an appointment to discuss what is missing in your diet.
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How to Cope with Depression and Anxiety?
While there is no hard and fast cure for depression or anxiety, there are ways to manage and treat the illnesses. However, if you’re experiencing prolonged or serious symptoms like thoughts of suicide or panic attacks, talk you your doctor.
This way, they can get you the help you need while they rule out physical ailments that may be pretending to be depression and anxiety. They can also identify underlying causes that may be at the root of the problem. By doing that, they will be able to effectively treat your illness so you can start feeling better.
Give us a call, or book an appointment to speak to a professional about how you can feel better.
