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Understanding the Symptoms of Anxiety and Depression: A Comprehensive Guide

By January 11, 2024No Comments

 

Life is a balance between what we can control and what we cannot. I am learning to live between effort and surrender -Danielle Orner.

Anxiety and depression, while difficult to deal with, are both actually fairly common among adults. Anxiety and depression both have a spectrum. While some people may experience small feelings of worry or sadness occasionally, other people may struggle with feelings of panic or deep sadness on a daily basis. No matter what level anxiety and depression may be present in your life, it is okay to ask for help. Sometimes we were not given the proper tools in childhood to be able to cope with anxiety or depression, which is why it is able to take such control of us as we get older and face more and more challenges.

 

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Anxiety and Depression Symptoms

 
Depression: There are many symptoms that can manifest due to depression, but some of the most common are feeling extremely sad, changes in your appetite, changes in sleep, irritability, low energy, difficulty concentrating, and lack of interest in activities you once enjoyed. Some symptoms are mental and some show up in your body physically. People can experience depression differently. Sometimes the causes are known, and other times one does not even know the reason why they are feeling down and depressed. Depression is a dark place where people feel alone and stuck. There are many reasons why one may experience depression, such as unprocessed childhood trauma, conflict in relationships, addiction, and trauma in adulthood just to name a few. Some individuals may have a predisposition to having depression.
 
Anxiety: Anxiety can have many different symptoms as well. Some common symptoms include, general worry, racing heart, sweating, panic, feeling dizzy, rapid breathing, and trembling. Anxiety usually means you are in a fight/flight state, preparing for “danger.” Meaning, your nervous system detects danger. Now, it doesn’t have to be logical. Keep in mind, some anxieties are not even ours. They can be passed down through generations. We hear stories, we witness others’ distress and we can internalize all that and make it our own.

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How To Manage Anxiety and Depression

Anxiety is the outcome of a dysregulated state, usually due to small or big trauma. Anxiety and fear are felt so strongly in our mind and bodies that we want to get rid of them right away. We freeze. We avoid. We overthink. And none of those coping methods actually help. Anxiety is about control. We want to control something bad from happening or make sure things happen how we want them to, so we remain comfortable. Fear too, is there to protect us. Reminding us of “dangers” to keep us safe. We don’t get rid of anxiety. We change our relationship with it so that when it shows up, it realizes it’s no longer needed and goes away. The more we try to force it to go away, the deeper it will dig its heels and stay. Allow it to show up. With past trauma (experiences that possibly created the anxiety and fears in the first place) our bodies react as well, without our awareness. So this may feel like you don’t even have a say and the anxiety and fear just pop up and hijack your well-being. Treatment for anxiety is nuanced. At My Therapy Corner, we give you skills to cope better now (using so many amazing modalities like mindfulness, CBT, ACT, DBT, Resourcing, etc.) while also looking at the experiences that started the anxiety in the first place (trauma work using other trauma modalities like EMDR, Polyvagal, etc.)
Just like with anxiety, the first step in combating depression is finding the root cause of the depressive symptoms. Some people need help to find what the cause may be, and that is absolutely okay. Our bodies hold onto things from our past, and if not processed correctly, symptoms of that hurt  will start to show themselves later on. Reaching out to a therapist to figure out what is causing your depression and taking on your healing journey together is always a great option when starting to combat your depression. 

Anxiety Therapists in Los Angeles

Anxiety and depression can feel incredibly overwhelming, but please remember that you are not alone. Understanding the cause of your anxiety and/or depression and working through it with a therapist in your area can be incredibly beneficial. Modalities such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and EMDR can help you understand and process whatever it might be that is causing your symptoms. Reaching out to therapists in your area is the first step towards a happier, healthier you.