Q. Do anxiety and depression go hand-in-hand?

A. Yes, depression and anxiety can go hand-in-hand. We have done research into this subject. About 53% of people with an Anxiety Disorder develop Major Depression as a secondary condition. Many people, during the course of the Anxiety Disorder, will experience repeated episodes of depression. People diagnosed with Major Depression can also go onto develop panic attacks and anxiety problems.

Many people feel it is because depression and anxiety responses reside in the same place in the brain and, more specifically, are due to a serotonin deficit. However, a more even view is to look at the quality of life of a person with an anxiety or depression condition. For anxiety, with ongoing symptoms the effect on a person's life and sense of self is like living in an internal cage. All aspects of life are affected in a detrimental way. It is only natural a person would start to feel depression and have depressed thoughts. The basic joys and freedoms of life are no longer enjoyed.

The same in the case of depression going into anxiety. There is also the other side of the coin. Many people say if you experience depression, the question they will ask is "What are you depressing ... what are you repressing?" Well in the case of anxiety, a person with an anxiety condition will be depressing/repressing huge amounts of anxiety energy. Trying to resist the symptoms and the actual physical/emotional experience. This is why the depression can arise. Trying to hold down a huge amount of anxiety is causing a loss of energy in the system and so is interpreted by the perception system of the mind as a depression; the energy drop plus emotional response to the actual experience. On the other side is Depression, and the anxiety response to the experience of ongoing depression. The actual depression can be a huge stressor and therefore contribute to the triggering of panic attacks and development of ongoing anxiety symptoms.

Here you can find an article on anxiety and depression. You may like to read this also.

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