How Are Anxiety and Depression Connected?

Anxiety and depression are two of the most common mental health conditions people experience individually nowadays. Contrary to what some people may believe, t's not uncommon for people to struggle with both these conditions simultaneously. In these situations, it's imperative that people seek treatment for both conditions, as addressing each can help improve their overall mental well-being. Additionally, individuals must also be mindful of the risks, causes, and concerns regarding substance use as they pertain to anxiety disorders and depression. 

At West Coast Recovery Centers, we offer outpatient treatment to people struggling with substance use disorder (SUD) and mental health conditions like anxiety or depression. Visit our website to learn more about us, our programs, and how you can start your treatment journey today. 

What Is Anxiety?

Like any mental health condition, anxiety looks different for everyone. Generally, anxiety is often described as a “feeling of fear, dread, and uneasiness.” It can cause physical changes in the body, such as sweat, rapid heart rate, or headaches, and can even lead to severe gastrointestinal issues. Unfortunately, things don't stop there. Anxiety causes a lot of mental and emotional distress, where fears and worries become so uncontrollable, that they prevent people from functioning day-to-day. 

Now, everyone experiences anxiety to some degree. We all worry and stress over the little things in life. However, it must be emphasized that anxiety disorders take things to a whole new level. The day-to-day worries of life become debilitating, and depending on the type of anxiety disorder one is dealing with, people can lose their jobs, relationships, and overall quality of life. 

Different Anxiety Disorders

As mentioned briefly, there are varying anxiety disorders. Some of the most common include: 

• Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD): Consists of persistent feelings of dread that interfere with daily life. 
• Panic disorder: Causes “frequent and unexpected” panic attacks where individuals feel intense fear, discomfort, and loss of control.  
• Social anxiety disorder: An intense fear of social situations or being watched and judged by others, sometimes causing people to avoid going to work or performing daily tasks. 

Therapy can be extremely effective in helping people manage the symptoms of their anxiety disorder while learning to cope better. However, when depression is involved, it can make things slightly more complex. 

Understanding Depression

Depression, sometimes referred to as major depression, major depressive disorder, or clinical depression, is a mood disorder. It affects how someone feels, thinks, behaves, and functions day-to-day. Like anxiety, there are varying types of depression, which may include major depression, persistent depressive disorder, or seasonal affective disorder. 

Individuals with depression may experience any number of the following symptoms: 

• Feeling sad, anxious, hopeless, and empty 
• Intense Irritability and restelness 
• Loss of interest in hobbies or enjoyable activities
• Impaired cognitive function, such as decision-making skills or memory 
• Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much 

Both anxiety and depression can be tough to overcome on their own, but what happens when someone experiences them together? 

How Are Anxiety and Depression Connected?

Anxiety and depression are connected in many ways. For starters, no one can pinpoint their exact cause. Research indicates that genetic factors, changes in brain chemistry, environmental influences, personality traits, and trauma can all contribute to the development of both disorders. However, there's no exact formula to predict who may or may not develop anxiety, depression, or both. 

Additionally, it's becoming increasingly common for people to struggle with depression and anxiety because each disorder can trigger the other. For example, depression often causes people to isolate themselves. To improve one's mood, people try to get themselves out around friends and family to reduce depressive symptoms. However, so much time spent away from people can lead to severe social anxiety. This forces people to be in an internal battle where they're trying to avoid their anxiety but fight their depression simultaneously.

The Influence of Anxiety and Depression on Substance Use

A significant risk associated with anxiety and depression is the development of SUD. When left untreated, individuals often turn to harmful behaviors in the hopes of managing their symptoms. Most commonly, people turn to drug or alcohol use. However, more often than not, substance use exacerbates symptoms of a mental health condition. That's why seeking treatment for any mental health concern is critical and why self-medicating of any kind is strongly discouraged. 

SUD is not the only risk of leaving depression and anxiety untreated. These disorders can negatively impact your physical health, lead to social isolation, reduce your quality of life, and lead to the development of other mental health conditions. At its work, these disorders can increase the risk of suicidal ideation.

If you're struggling with anxiety, depression, SUD, and other co-occurring disorders, we at West Coast Recovery Centers encourage you to seek treatment immediately. Healing is possible and it's worth every step of the journey. Make today the first of the rest of your newfound life of healing. 

Anxiety and depression are amongst some of the most common mental health conditions people experience nowadays. In many cases, people turn to substance use as a way to cope with their symptoms, but this is not helpful; it can even make symptoms worse. What is effective is seeking professional mental health treatment for your anxiety, depression, substance use, and other mental health conditions. Therapy and treatment programs can help you learn more about your conditions while offering practical tools to cope with and manage these disorders while living a full, happy life. For more information regarding substance use and mental health treatment, call West Coast Recovery Centers at (760) 492-6509 today.