Physical Signs of Depression & Anxiety

As a result of the numerous demands of the modern world, many people experience a mild form of depression or anxiety at some point in their lives. The conditions can be triggered by anything from a lost job to an unexpected crime to a movie that cuts a little too deep emotionally. When depression begins to impact normal living, however, there is reasonable cause for concern.

Significance

• Clinical depression is a prolonged response to negative situations, while an anxiety disorder is marked by a severe response to situations perceived as threatening although they might actually be harmless. Estimates indicate that people who have been diagnosed with depression also demonstrate an anxiety disorder approximately 50 percent of the time. Despite the high rate, such co-occurrence doesn't prevent treatment of either disorder or both together, although it has a significant impact on the chosen methods.

Physical Symptoms

• The various physical signs of each disorder can make it easier to diagnose or recognize them. Fatigue, recurring headaches, loss of interest in sex, insomnia, both decreased and increased appetite, agitation, continual digestive problems, and untreatable pain are all indications that someone could be suffering from depression. Physical symptoms linked to anxiety include sleeplessness, headaches, constant tiredness, and irritability also, in addition to profuse or frequent sweating, tense muscles, being on edge or easily startled, nausea, frequent trips to the bathroom, and the shakes.

Substance Abuse

• Due to an inability to cope with their conditions and/or related stressors, many individuals who suffer from depression and anxiety resort to alcohol and drugs as a form of self-medication. The intoxicating substances can provide a temporary sense of relief and make sufferers feel almost normal and more capable of making it through the day.

Treatments

• The physical symptoms that accompany depression and anxiety are often treatable with prescription drugs, psychotherapy, or a combination of both. For example, each condition responds well to pharmaceuticals that affect serotonin levels, such as SNRI (serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor) and SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) medicines. The same can be true for therapy that aims to help sufferers achieve recovery by learning how to solve their personal problems, to get rid of negative behavioral patterns, and to face their fears.

Considerations

• As overly simple as it may seem, research has shown that just exercising more can counter the adverse effects of depression and anxiety. While increased regular physical activity isn't a cure by itself, it provides benefits powerful enough to positively impact a person's physical and psychological well-being.