What Is The Relationship Between Depression And Anxiety?

— -- Question: What is the relationship between depression and anxiety?

Answer: There's a very close relationship between depression and anxiety in adults. In fact in the National Comorbidity Survey, the co-occurrence of anxiety disorders and depressive disorders was at least 58 percent.

Many of the symptoms of anxiety disorders and major depression overlap quite a bit. And major depression can lead to anxiety and conversely, anxiety can lead to major depression. So we're talking about a very tight relationship here in terms of diagnosis. And also in terms of treatment, many individuals with major depression are also treated for an anxiety disorder with anti-anxiety medications.

Individual with depression and anxiety tend to not only have a sad mood and a decrease in their ability to derive pleasure from life, but they tend to be nervous and irritable and agitated and tense. They often experience difficulties with sleep, difficulties with falling asleep and difficulties with maintaining sleep.

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