Worried & Withdrawn: The Relationship between Anxiety & Depression
Anxiety and depression are the two most common mental health concerns. In a recent study, 19% of Canadian adults reported they’re currently dealing with symptoms of depression, while 15% reported having symptoms of anxiety.
Anxiety
Anxiety involves feeling worried or nervous about everyday situations. Anxiety causes fears that feel difficult to control and that negatively impact one’s day-to-day life.
People often avoid situations or places that cause anxiety, like driving in a busy area, meeting new people, going to the doctor, or saying “no” even when they want to.
Anxiety also creates uncomfortable physical symptoms, including racing heart rate, chest pain, shortness of breath, tense muscles, trembling, feeling hot, sweating, nausea, headaches, and difficulties sleeping.
Depression
Depression is characterized by low mood and a lack of interest in the things one usually enjoys. People living with depression often describe struggling with low self-worth and feeling hopeless about the future.
Like anxiety, depression has physical symptoms, like fatigue, changes in appetite (either eating more or less than usual), and changes in sleep (either sleeping more or less than usual).
Anxiety & Depression: An Unfortunately Common Duo
Anxiety and depression differ in many ways. Anxiety can make us feel like we’re too activated, as though we’re always on edge and unable to wind down. While depression typically makes us feel slowed or weighed down, with a lack of energy, joy, and motivation.
Anxiety and depression also have some overlapping symptoms, including sleep issues, problems with decision making, difficulties concentrating, fatigue, and irritability.
Many people live with both anxiety AND depression. Research suggests that around 50% of people who experience depression also experience anxiety.
This combination can create a confusing mix of emotions.
What’s the Link between Anxiety & Depression?
Anxiety and depression may be linked in several ways. First, both issues could have similar contributing factors. Second, the symptoms of anxiety could contribute to depression, and vice versa.
Shared Factors
Mental health concerns are caused by a complex mix of contributing factors, including early childhood experiences, trauma, social environments, genetics, personality, life stressors (e.g., work stress, financial problems), past and present relationships, medical issues, and more.
Similar factors could contribute to both anxiety and depression.
To give a hypothetical example: Say June is facing a ton of stress at work and having problems in her marriage. Because of these issues, June may be more likely to feel worried, depressed, exhausted, on edge, and irritable. She may have difficulty sleeping and little time for healthy routines like exercising, eating regularly, and connecting with friends.
Depending on June and her situation, she may be able to cope effectively with these concerns. Or, due to a combination of the factors described above, June’s symptoms could escalate into anxiety, depression, or anxiety AND depression.
Anxiety Contributes to Depression; Depression Contributes to Anxiety
One mental health concern can also feed into other mental health concerns. The symptoms of anxiety and depression take a toll on many areas of a person’s life, including their work, family, hobbies, and social relationships. These negative effects could in turn contribute to further mental health concerns.
To use another hypothetical example: Morgan has been dealing with anxiety for a few years now. They find social interactions overwhelming. When they’re around other people, they’re consumed by thoughts that they’ll do something stupid or embarrassing. So Morgan goes to fewer and fewer social events. They stop replying to their friends’ texts, so they don’t have to explain what’s happening. While they used to love playing volleyball, they drop out of the league because they’re too anxious about the games.
Over time, Morgan notices that withdrawing from the people and activities they used to enjoy negatively impacts their mood and motivation. Living in a constant state of anxiety leads to them feeling exhausted and worn down. Perhaps Morgan starts feeling hopeless about whether they’ll ever get past anxiety. They beat themselves up over how they’ve treated their friends, and start thinking of themselves as a “failure.”
Similarly, the symptoms of depression could contribute to anxiety. If people disengage from important areas of their life (e.g., attending yoga classes, volunteering) due to low mood and fatigue, they may feel increasingly worried about going back to those activities over time. If depression gets them seeing the world as a negative place, they could develop a sense of anxious dread about what’s ahead. Feelings of low self-worth could also contribute to a loss in confidence and increasing worries about how to cope with different situations.
How to Move Past Anxiety & Depression
Fortunately, many of the same strategies can be helpful for coping with both anxiety and depression.
In counselling, addressing these two concerns may involve:
Creating healthy routines to support your overall well-being, including moving your body, eating regular meals, and getting adequate sleep
Reducing sources of stress if possible. This strategy could include changing your work schedule, cutting back on volunteer roles, or getting more help at home
Taking on small, gradual challenges to help you feel more comfortable going outside your comfort zone
Understanding the stories, beliefs, and expectations you’re using to interpret your experiences - like assuming that worst-case scenarios will inevitably come true
Challenging unhelpful beliefs and trying on new perspectives (e.g., “Even if something bad happens, I can handle it”)
Building skills for coping with difficult emotions as they come up
Learning how to focus on the present moment versus dwelling on the past or worrying about the future
Improving how you communicate with others, so you feel more confident dealing with conflict, expressing your feelings, and saying “no” when needed
Learn more about counselling for anxiety and depression.
Want to talk about how anxiety and depression are impacting your life? Reach out to a mental health professional today.
About Marnie Rogers-de Jong
My goal is to help people break free from anxiety, perfectionism, stress, and depression. I’m a Registered Doctoral Psychologist with a PhD in Counselling Psychology. I offer in-person counselling in Saskatoon and video counselling across Saskatchewan.