Anxiety & Depression - Chicken or the egg?

[sasays]

I don't know if this is an invasion or privacy by asking, or if im being dim for even needing to ask, but i was wondering if those of you on here who suffer from Anxiety also suffer from Depression? And if so, what came first? Are they always linked? ie You get one, you get the other?

I was diagnosed with severe depression and anxiety last year, though that was the first and only time i had spoken to a professional about it. In with a million other thoughts and questions in my mind, i wonder what came first, though im not sure it matters i suppose, just wondered what anyone else though?

Love x

[Hidden]

Well, for me it usually goes Stress,Anxiety,Depression (SAD) and they do usually go hand in hand it depends in the individual. After a while you find a cycle which is where the CBT comes in useful as its easier to prepare yourself once you have accepted your feelings. I suppose you could compare it to being in a drug. You get the high then the low then the medium.

[Hidden]

For me its started with anxiety (didnt deal with anxieties) which lead to reoccuring depression (finally dealt with depression after years of avoidence) and then i went back to those intial anxieties that started it all, but i have been learning how to deal with the anxiety so im working on that at the moment!

So in a nutshell for me it went.....anxiety-depression-anxiety! everyones different though. xx

The depression stage was kinda mixed with depression and anxiety but the depression symptoms were at the forefront for the most part.

Hope you get well xx

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Oh balls I was reading my post while waiting for it to load up and realised it sounds a bit confusing....sorry i hope you get what i mean lol

[leehow79]

Hi hun, its unusual 2 get 1 wivout the other. ive suffered terribly 4 yrs wiv depression but only once b4 wiv anxiety + that was prenatal 15yrs ago. i normaly get the debilitatin depression were i go in2 a trance + cant funtion, will stay in bed till i come bck round. But theres all kinds of depression, u can hav wivout realisin + this can go on 4 yrs. theres also anxous depression as well as an angry form of depression. ive also had the longterm milder form but can still function wiv that 1. like i said i hav only had bad anxiety once b4 but that was until my nervous brkdwn in which i now hav both. i suspect there might b people sufferin frm anxiety on this site who dnt realise they hav som mild form of depression. somtimes u can hav this 4 yrs + not realise until u come out of it. after sufferin frm a serios form of depression which as controlled + debilitated my life 1 of my pet hates is how people so easily use the word wivout knowin the true meanin. i hav friends who wen feel a bit upset or say life hasnt gone 2 plan use the word + its always a competition as 2 whos the worst. wen sufferin frm such a life changin illness its hard 2 get any empathy or understandment bcause of the amount of people who so easily use the word. it also anoys me how every 1 wiv anxiety or depression r put in the same box wen the scope 2 these illnesses r humongous. its like chamomile tea has mild soothin properties + is fine 4 normal levels of anxiety but would b insane 2 treat seriously ill people wiv this. also why do they put nervously ill people in mental wards were u r gonna b nervous + r very fragile, they tried 2 do this wiv me but i was 2 frightened 2 go, i may of had a nervous brkdwn + suffer frm criplin depression but am as sane as any1 else.lol. i know i hav gone on but this is a sbject very close 2 my heart. i dnt mean 2 sound like i think my depression is the worst or anythin like that bcause no matter how crippled wiv it i hav been hav sin many a person in same boat or even a lot worse in hospital. is truly a horrific illness + dnt like 2 c any1 suffer wiv. ive had suicidal depression many a times + come out fine at the other end but dnt know about anxiety as 1st time sufferer apart frm 1 time b4 wen was pregnant + suffered bad. Wish u all health + happiness my friends, u luvly people do deserve it, wiv kindest regards leeanne.x

[thunderacer]

think mine started with anxiety, but really hard to tell, was it anxiety because i felt low or low because of the anxiety? i don't get the anxiety any more. just the depression now. Steve

[LizzyR]

Hello All, I think mine also started as depression but growing up I thought this was 'normal'

I now suffer from anxiety and depression. Anxiety is quite bad at the moment and my doctor has put me on Proporanolol. Seems to be helping as I don't feel like my heart is going to explode but it is also making me feel more depressed as I keep asking myself why I can't cope.

When I am in a 'good place' life is good and I enjoy life but when I become depressed and anxious I beat myself up trying to work out why. Am I weak? Why can't I seem to handle things? Doctor signed me off work for a week but I am too scared to hand note in as I don't want work to think I can't cope. Last time I was signed off (2 years ago) it was for 2 months and I promised myself I would never be in that position again but I seem to be heading that way.....I am also receiving CBT but things seem to be getting worse.

[joe58]

Yes I do and find the anxiety to be at its worst when I am down

[joe58]

I am seeing a cpn at the mo who is helping me to retrain my mine as my way of thinking is the cause of all problems. I have had this problem for yrs and it had became the norm for me