Skip to main content

Disturbing Duo: Depression and Anxiety


Depression is a common problem, affecting about one in six adults in their lifetime. But what if you also feel excessively anxious? If so, you may be one of the many people who experience an anxiety disorder at the same time as depression.
A study from Harvard found that among people with depression, nearly two-thirds also had generalized anxiety disorder. The rates of co-occurring related anxiety disorders -- social phobia, post-traumatic stress disorder, panic disorder, specific phobias and obsessive-compulsive disorder -- in depressed people were also all greater than 40 percent. 
Treating with antidepressants.  Having an anxiety disorder at the same time as depression can make it harder to find a treatment that works, according to guidelines from the American Psychiatric Association, but not impossible.
Antidepressants are often effective for symptoms of both depression and anxiety. You should be aware, however, that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), such as fluoxetine (Prozac) and sertraline (Zoloft), and tricyclics, which include the drug nortriptyline (Pamelor), can make anxiety worse before making it better. For this reason, your doctor will probably start you at a low dose and slowly increase the amount you need to take.
SSRIs seem to be an especially good choice for people with social phobias or post-traumatic stress disorder. Both SSRIs and the tricyclic clomipramine (Anafranil) have been shown to help people with depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder. SSRIs are the treatment of choice for both depression and panic disorder.
Additional treatments.  If an antidepressant is helping with your depression but not your anxiety, your doctor may add a benzodiazepine such as clonazepam (Klonopin) or lorazepam (Ativan) -- but be aware that it's easy to become dependent on these drugs.
Also keep in mind that medication isn't the only way to treat depression and anxiety. Many people opt for psychotherapy, which can be effective for both conditions. Many studies show the greatest benefit from a combination of drugs and psychotherapy. Although it's normal to feel sad or anxious from time to time, see your doctor if your symptoms are severe and interfere with daily functioning. 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Adopting a Vegetarian Diet

Adopting a vegetarian diet has become a popular choice for individuals looking to improve their health, particularly as heart disease and obesity rates continue to rise in many parts of the world. Vegetarians tend to have lower cholesterol levels and consume fewer trans fats than those who consume meat and dairy products. However, to maintain good health, vegetarians must ensure they obtain the right amount of nutrients from their vegan diets. By taking care to plan their diets carefully, vegetarians can enjoy a satisfying and tasty way of life. While there is no established vegan diet, it is widely agreed that with so many vegetarian diets to choose from, the choice is ultimately up to the individual. However, vegetarians must be cautious not to make their diets too restrictive as this can lead to difficulties in meeting the body's daily nutritional requirements. Commonly deficient nutrients among vegetarians include protein, iron, vitamin B12, vitamin D, calcium, and zinc. Soy pr...

4 Steps Tо Bеttеr Health

4 Steps Tо Bеttеr Health It's роѕѕіblе tо learn HOW tо bеttеr уоur health іn оnlу 4 steps аnd thіѕ article wіll show уоu how. Eасh step іѕ а bite-sized nugget оf healthy living information уоu саn асtuаllу use. Let's gеt started... Step 1: Nutritional Supplements In mу opinion, thеу аrе vеrу nесеѕѕаrу аnd vеrу beneficial- еѕресіаllу whеn combined wіth healthy eating habits. It's vеrу difficult tо gеt аll thе nutrients уоur body nееdѕ thrоugh food alone, but combining proper nutrition wіth nutritional supplements іѕ vеrу powerful. Thаt bеіng said, thе оnе supplement еvеrуоnе ѕhоuld bе tаkіng іѕ а good multi vitamin/mineral. Lооk аt іt аѕ added insurance- eating wеll іѕ crucial, but nоw thаt you're аlѕо tаkіng а multi, уоu саn rest assured you're gеttіng thе nutrients уоur body needs. Step 2: Nutrition Good nutrition іѕ SO important. Yоu аrе whаt уоu eat...remember that. Mаkе а conscious effort tо gradually improve уоur eating habits, eating mоrе оf th...

THE TRUTH ABOUT MENOPAUSE, WEIGHT GAIN AND "THE POOCH"

By Colleen McCleery, MD, OB/GYN—Exuberan® by Virtua Menopause is a mixed bag of little surprises. While most women look forward to saying goodbye to tampons and pads, far fewer are excited to now experience hot flashes and night sweats. And it’s probably fair to say that weight gain is the least popular and often least expected “side effect” of this hormonal shift. Considering many women struggle with their weight on a good day, it’s not surprising that this is the number one complaint from patients who are going through this transition. The biology of menopause During the late 40s to mid-50s, a hormone called FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone) increases and no longer performs its job to regulate the ovaries. During this increase in FSH, other hormones like estrogen, progesterone and testosterone decrease. A decrease in testosterone can lead to weight gain and decreased energy. And, not surprisingly, estrogen loss has far-reaching effects beyond hot flashes. It contribut...