How to deal with depression without medication

Anxiety and depression frequently coexists. If they happen at the same time, here's what you should do.

Many persons suffering from anxiety and depression are aware that their worried and self-critical thoughts are unreasonable, but they are unable to control them.

Do you ever worry so much that it affects your day-to-day activities? Or are you depressed to the point where your outlook is completely clouded? Do you and your partner have a lot of these or comparable feelings? You're not the only one who feels this way.

Anxiety disorders, which include generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and social anxiety disorders are the most frequent mental health problem in the U.S. adults, impacting 18.1 percent of the population each year, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA). The biggest cause of disability is mood disorders, which include major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, and seasonal affective disorder.

Furthermore, there is a substantial risk of acquiring depression alongside an anxiety condition or vice versa. According to Sally R. Connolly, LCSW, of Louisville, Kentucky, many persons with significant depression also have severe and chronic anxiety. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, 60 percent of those with anxiety will also have signs of depression, according to some specialists (NAMI).

What Are the Possible Links Between Anxiety and Depression?

Although sadness and anxiety are clearly not the same emotional states, mental health research reveals that they frequently coexist because they can be triggered by the same or comparable circumstances. Those overlapping causes, according to a report published in the American Journal of Psychiatry in May 2020, can include:

Genetic Determinants

Environmental, noninherited factors account for 60% of the tendency to depressed and anxious symptoms, while genetic factors account for 40%.

” "There is generally some family history with anxiety, more so than depression, and so we think there may be some genetic predisposition to this," Connolly explains.

Factors in the Environment

These stresses, also known as social factors, include early childhood trauma or neglect, as well as contemporary stressors such as relationship problems, unemployment, social isolation, and physical sickness. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), an anxiety disease, are more prone to develop depression (NIMH).

A Chronic Pain

Pain According to Harvard Health, chronic pain, especially disabling pain syndromes like fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), low back pain, migraines, and nerve pain is connected to psychological discomfort, including anxiety and depression. Indeed, evidence reveals that “pain shares some molecular pathways with anxiety and depression,” according to the authors.

According to Connolly, the core of the twofold illness is "a cycle." "When you're nervous, you tend to have this pervasive thinking about some worry or problem and that makes you feel horrible." Then you start to feel like you've failed and gone into sadness." "People who are sad often feel anxious and frightened," she continues, "so one might provoke the other."

Anxiety and Depression Symptoms

Anxiety and depression can share some common symptoms, according to the current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V), the standard classification of mental disorders used by mental health practitioners in the United States. These symptoms include, but are not limited to:

1.     Being quickly exhausted

2.   Concentration problems or a blank mind

3.   Anger

4.   Disturbance of sleep (difficulty falling or staying asleep; restless, unsatisfying sleep)

Other indicators that a person may be suffering from both anxiety and depression include:

1.     Fear and worry that is constant and illogical

2.   Rapid heartbeat, headaches, hot flushes, sweating, abdominal pain, and/or difficulty breathing are physical symptoms.

3.   Changes in eating habits, such as eating too much or too little

4.   Sadness or a sense of worthlessness that persists

5.    Loss of enthusiasm for hobbies and pastimes

6.   Inability to unwind

Anxiety attacks

Is it Possible to Treat Anxiety and Depression at the Same Time?

Yes. Nobody should have to deal with anxiety or depression, let alone both. People with anxiety disorders should discuss their symptoms with a psychiatrist, therapist, or another healthcare practitioner as soon as possible and begin therapy. Connolly advises seeking a complete evaluation from a psychiatrist as a first step if you feel you have both anxiety and depression. "Having a good diagnostic to rule out bipolar disorder is particularly important for those with both [anxiety and depression]," she explains.

According to a study published in the World Journal of Psychiatry in December 2015, effective treatment options often include a combination of talk therapy (psychotherapy), medication, and certain lifestyle changes. These may include the following:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

(CBT) CBT teaches people how to question their negative thoughts and how to minimize stress by using coping skills and relaxation practices. According to Harvard Health, CBT is not only a well-established treatment for anxiety and depression, but it is also the most thoroughly researched psychotherapy for reducing pain.

Psychotherapy for Relationships

Focuses on the link between symptom onset and present interpersonal issues, such as unresolved sorrow, relational conflicts, and social isolation or withdrawal

Antidepressants remedies

Selected serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as Celexa (citalopram), Prozac (fluoxetine), Lexapro (citalopram), Paxil (paroxetine), and Zoloft are antidepressants (sertraline). For more severe anxiety and depression, SSRIs are frequently combined with CBT and other forms of psychotherapy. Other alternatives include serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), such as Cymbalta (duloxetine), Effexor (venlafaxine), and Pristiq (desvenlafaxine).

Exercise

According to the Mayo Clinic, exercise can help with depression and anxiety symptoms, though the reason for this is unclear. One reason could be because exercise causes the brain to release feel-good hormones that improve your mood. Another benefit could be that it diverts your attention away from your worry, fears, and other negative thoughts. According to the ADAA, walking for as little as 10 minutes can help relieve symptoms.

Techniques for Relaxation Meditation for mindfulness

According to a large research review published in March 2014 in JAMA Internal Medicine, meditating — a method of training your mind to slow down racing thoughts, let go of negativity, and calm both your mind and body by sitting quietly and focusing on your breathing — can alleviate symptoms of anxiety and depression and improve quality of life.