What is the difference between anxiety and depression?

Some people think that depression is the common anxiety disorder in daily life. Strictly speaking, this view is very wrong. Because depression and anxiety are two different diseases, both the causes and symptoms are different. Let's introduce the difference between depression and anxiety in detail.

1. The manifestations of prominent symptoms are different.

1. Depression: Sadness or depression is just a symptom. Depression often presents with physical symptoms. Patients complain of pain (headache, abdominal pain), fatigue, sleep disorders, appetite changes, emotional indifference, irritability, anxiety, sexual dysfunction, drug abuse, negative thoughts, interpersonal relationship pressure, a sense of worthlessness, pessimism, guilt, shame, etc.

2. Anxiety: Severe anxiety affects normal function. Common symptoms include: tremors, tension, breathlessness, sweating, dizziness, inattention, sleep disorders, irritability, panic: repeated panic attacks (symptoms similar to heart attacks), which may be complicated by agoraphobia. Patients may have physical symptoms. They may use alcohol or drugs to control anxiety or depression.

2. Diseases pose different levels of threat to life and health.

Although both diseases bring great inconvenience to patients and pose a threat to their physical and mental health, the harm they bring is also different. Because many anxiety patients do not receive early treatment, they have already posed a great threat to their daily lives. Depression patients suffer great pain both physically and mentally, which affects their normal social functions and work. In addition, the suicide rate of depression patients is very high, which brings serious blows to the patients' families.

3. The pathogenic nature of the two diseases is different.

Anxiety disorder is a typical mood disorder characterized by persistent anxious emotions that are inconsistent with the actual situation, or anxiety that persists for too long and becomes a pathological anxiety symptom. Depression is a significant and persistent low mood and is a common mood disorder.