Recognizing the Symptoms of Depression
Depression: Coping With Anxiety Symptoms
Depression and anxiety might seem like opposites. We think: Depression saps you of energy; anxiety makes you keyed up and afraid. Depression makes it near impossible to get out of bed; anxiety leaves you sleepless, pacing all night.
But the truth is not so simple. In fact, depression and anxiety often go together. Mental health experts estimate that more than half of the people diagnosed with depression also have anxiety.
Understand the symptoms of depression, from sadness to hopelessness to headache.
“We know that many of the symptoms of depression and anxiety disorders overlap,” says Ian A. Cook, MD, the director of the Depression Research Program at UCLA. “And we’re learning from studies that there also appears to be a lot of overlap in the underlying brain mechanisms involved in these two conditions.”
Unfortunately, the combination of depression and anxiety can be particularly severe, and many people don’t get the correct diagnosis. The good news is that doctors have good treatments for tackling both conditions.
“When you’re in the grip of depression and anxiety, it can feel like the misery will never end, that you’ll never recover,” says Dean F. MacKinnon, MD, an associate professor at the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. “But people do recover. You just need to find the right treatment.”
Understanding Depression and Anxiety
Although either depression or anxiety can be a disabling condition on its own, the combination can be particularly hard. “If you’re already depressed, anxiety is a multiplier of suffering,” MacKinnon says.
Depression can make feel people profoundly discouraged, helpless, and
hopeless. Anxiety can make them agitated and besieged by physical symptoms -- a
pounding heart, tightness in the chest, and difficulty breathing.
“People who have both depression and anxiety feel low, down in the dumps, and
unmotivated,” says Jerilyn Ross, MA, LICSW, president and CEO of the Anxiety
Disorders Association of America. “But their minds are also racing, they can’t
concentrate, they can’t sit still. It’s a very tough combination.”
It’s also tough to control. “It’s important for people to recognize that when they have both depression and anxiety, it may be more difficult for them to get all the way well,” Cook tells WebMD. That’s not to say they won’t recover fully, but that it may take more work, he says.
People diagnosed with both depression and anxiety tend to have
- More severe symptoms
- More functional impairment
- More trouble finding the right treatment
- A higher risk of suicide
Some people who are depressed have a distinct anxiety disorder, like panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, or generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), Ross says. Many others don’t have full-fledged anxiety disorders, but more general anxiety symptoms that accompany their depression.
The fact that depression and anxiety so often co-occur has led some researchers to speculate -- controversially -- that they may not always be different conditions. “It’s possible that in time, we’ll come to see anxiety and depression together as representing a distinct illness separate from either condition by itself,” Cook says.
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Important Safety Information About Cymbalta
Antidepressants can increase suicidal thoughts and behaviors in children, teens, and young adults. Suicide is aknown risk of depression and some other psychiatric disorders. Call your doctor right away if you have new or worsening depression symptoms, unusual changes in behavior, or thoughts of suicide. Be especially observant within the first few months of treatment or after a change in dose. Approved only for adults 18 and over.
What should I talk about with my healthcare provider?
Patients on antidepressants and their families or caregivers should watch for new or worsening depression symptoms, unusual changes in behavior, thoughts of suicide, anxiety, agitation, panic attacks, difficulty sleeping, irritability, hostility, aggressiveness, impulsivity, restlessness, or extreme hyperactivity. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have thoughts of suicide or if any of these symptoms are severe or occur suddenly. Be especially observant within the first few months of antidepressant treatment or whenever there is a change in dose.
Who should NOT take Cymbalta?
You should not take Cymbalta if:
- You have recently taken a type of antidepressant called a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI)
- You have uncontrolled narrow-angle glaucoma (increased eye pressure)
- You are taking Mellaril® (thioridazine)
What other important information should I discuss with my healthcare provider?
Before starting Cymbalta, talk with your healthcare provider:
- about all of your medical conditions, including kidney or liver problems, glaucoma, diabetes, seizures, or if you have bipolar disorder. Cymbalta may worsen a type of glaucoma or the control of blood sugar in some patients with diabetes
- about your alcohol use
- if you are taking nonprescription or prescription medicines, including those for migraine, to address a possible life-threatening condition
- if you are taking NSAID pain relievers, aspirin, or blood thinners. Use with Cymbalta may increase bleeding risk
- if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant during therapy, or are breastfeeding an infant
While taking Cymbalta, talk with your healthcare provider:
- if you have itching, right upper belly pain, dark urine, yellow skin/eyes, or unexplained flu-like symptoms, which may be signs of liver problems. Severe liver problems, sometimes fatal, have been reported
- if you have high fever, confusion, and stiff muscles to address a possible life-threatening condition
- before stopping Cymbalta or changing your dose
- if you experience dizziness or fainting upon standing, especially when first starting Cymbalta or when increasing the dose.
- about your blood pressure. Cymbalta can increase your blood pressure. Your healthcare provider should check your blood pressure prior to and while taking Cymbalta
- if you experience headache, weakness, confusion, problems concentrating, memory problems, or feel unsteady while taking Cymbalta which may be signs of low sodium levels
- if you develop problems with urine flow
If you have any questions, talk to your healthcare provider before taking Cymbalta.
What are the possible side effects of Cymbalta?
In clinical studies of depression, the most common side effect of Cymbalta was nausea. Other common side effects included dry mouth, constipation, decreased appetite, fatigue, sleepiness, and increased sweating. This is not a complete list of side effects.
Other safety information about Cymbalta:
Cymbalta may cause sleepiness and dizziness. Until you know how Cymbalta affects you, you should not drive a car or operate hazardous machinery.
See Prescribing Information for additional Important Safety Information, including Boxed Warning.
Depression Glossary
- Antidepressant: Drugs to be used to treat depression...
- Dysphoria: An emotional state marked by anxiety, depression, and restlessness ...
- Dysthymia: Chronic depression that is less severe than major depression ...
- Major Depression: Depression that lasts for at least two weeks and interferes with daily life ...
- Psychotherapy: Treatment by talking about emotional problems ...
- View All Terms
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