Anxiety Or Depression: Which One Do You Have?
When it comes to telling the difference between depression and anxiety, no wonder it can get confusing: many people with anxiety tend to get depressed, and many people with depression can feel anxious!
Baffling, isn’t it? But here’s what’s even more baffling to me…
Depression and anxiety share things in common, like “negative” thinking, which makes it hard to tell them apart when you’ve also got to deal with them as your real life problems.
But the two are different… and the differences may surprise you. I’ve got 6 to share with you from the perspective of cognitive therapy. And if you’d like professional and compassionate help with your anxiety symptoms, I encourage you to read this.
Knowing the differences between depression and anxiety is never more relevant than when it comes to telling them apart inside yourself. In that spirit, here are 6 simple ways for distinguishing between anxiety and depression to help clarify your experience of life right now.
What Are 6 Differences Between Anxiety And Depression?
#1. Negative Appraisals
Whether you’re depressed or anxious… your appraisal of things is negative.
If you’re depressed, your negative appraisal tends to be universal. You probably see what’s wrong with everything and you’re convinced there are no alternatives.
But if you’re anxious, your negative appraisal tends to be specific. You probably see some wrong aspects and you’re much more open to considering possibilities.
#2. Negative Futures
Want to know what really concerns both depressed and anxious people? The future.
If you’re someone with anxiety, you probably see a future that’s a mixture of anxiety and hope. You’re not ready to give up, at least not if you can do something about it.
But if you’re someone with depression, you’re probably looking for help on how to build a better future. You understand that starts by focusing on how to manage your daily struggle.
#3. Failures Or Mistakes
Failing is one of the best ways to tell the difference between anxiety and depression that’s sure to be easy and clear when it comes to your own experience.
If you’re a person with anxiety, you don’t believe your failures or mistakes are final. But if you’re a person with depression, you probably believe your mistakes can’t be taken back.
#4. Negative Evaluations
You always hear about “being open to what life has to offer.” And if you’ve got depression or anxiety, chances are you’re not the most open and receptive to new experiences.
With anxiety, you might feel unsettled about new experiences, but your opinion is also unconfirmed. Whereas with depression, you’re likely to feel certain that time will prove your negative thinking right.
Now let me throw in an additional detail. I believe there’s a subtle distinction that accounts for the difference in the level of certainty…
Depression focuses on loss. Anxiety focuses on threat. So when it comes to evaluating new experiences, you can see how depression and anxiety would do so differently.
#5. Anticipation Or Regret
Anxiety usually fears what hasn’t happened yet… while depression is likely about the pain that happens after.
If you’re anxious, you probably anticipate possible threats and attacks. But if you’re depressed, you probably regret significant losses and relationships.
#6. Motivation
This one may be the most notable difference between anxiety and depression, and here’s why: It’s all about where you are right now in terms of your energy levels.
If you’re someone with depression, you’re probably exhausted. And if you’re someone with anxiety, you probably only occasionally struggle with feeling stuck or frozen.
So which do you do? I offer both therapy for anxiety and therapy for depression. I know getting this part of your life handled as soon as possible is important to you, and I look forward to hearing from you soon.
You can reach out to me here:
Find out more about Depression Treatment or Anxiety Treatment.
About The Author
John Younes, JD, MA, LPCC, NCC is a trained counselor who owns a private practice in Denver, CO. In general, he specializes in depression treatment and anxiety treatment using existential and cognitive therapy practices.
If you’re thinking about suicide and are in immediate danger, please call your local emergency number… so for Denver, Colorado, call 1-844-493-8255 or text TALK to 38255. You can also call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.