There’s an Internet meme that says: “Depression is when you don’t care enough. Anxiety is when you care too much. Having both is hell.” While that meme does oversimplify things, as memes often do, it does drive home the idea that depression and anxiety are two complex disorders that often seem at odds with each other – and that it’s possible to have both.
Although National Anxiety and Depression Awareness Week is in May each year, the holidays can be a very difficult time for individuals across the world, especially if they have lost loved ones or are spending the holidays alone. If you’re concerned about a family member, it’s important to know what you might be dealing with from the start.
What is Anxiety?
Anxiety is a blanket term for three different types of disorders: Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Panic Disorder, and Social Anxiety Disorder. Although everyone feels a certain degree of anxiety as part of normal, daily life, the anxiety caused by these three disorders is pervasive, ongoing, and disruptive. The symptoms of these anxiety disorders are essentially the same for men and women and can include:
Generalized Anxiety
- Persistent troubling thoughts;
- Difficulty relaxing;
- Difficulty concentrating;
- Muscle tension and aches; and,
- Irritability.
Panic Disorder
- Sudden, and unexplained, attacks of intense fear involving sweating, racing heart, difficulty breathing, weakness or dizziness, and chest pain; and
- Intense worry about when the next attack will happen.
Social Anxiety Disorder
- Feeling extremely anxious and self-conscious in the presence of other people.
However, although the symptoms are often the same, the behavior associated with the disorder can vary between men and women.
For instance, the general consensus is that women get anxiety more often than men. As a result, women are more likely to talk about it and seek help than men. Additionally, men could be more likely to find unhealthy ways to cope with the anxiety, such as the overuse of alcohol. In fact, Prescotthouse.net, a men’s treatment center, indicates that alcohol can reduce anxiety and stress levels, but only momentarily. Aromatherapy and essentials oils for stress relief or better sleep may be another option to explore.
What is Depression?
Depression is also a blanket term for several different types of disorders: Major Depression, Persistent Depressive Disorder, Psychotic Depression, Post-Partum Depression, and Seasonal Affective Disorder. Like anxiety, depression is a normal part of daily life; but a depression disorder takes things to the next level with symptoms that last for months and even years. The symptoms of depression are essentially the same between the sexes and include:
- Sad, anxious or empty feelings that persist for weeks, months or years;
- Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, hopelessness, and pessimism that persist for weeks, months, or years;
- Loss of interest in pleasurable activities;
- Fatigue;
- Difficulty concentrating;
- Insomnia or excessive sleeping;
- Overeating or loss of appetite;
- Body aches, headaches, and digestive problems; and,
- Thoughts of suicide.
Although the symptoms are often the same between men and women, the way these symptoms manifest can often differ. For example, women might be more likely to withdraw and turn the depression inward, while men might be more likely to act out in appropriately. Additionally, because men are under pressure to appear strong, they may be less likely to speak out when experiencing depression and less likely to seek help. As a result, men may be more likely to look for alternative means of coping with the depression, such as excessive drug and alcohol use. To learn if you may be depressed, take this assessment from Mind Diagnostics.
What This All Means
On the surface it may seem that men are much worse off when it comes to anxiety and depression and, in some ways they are. However, as the world learns more about these disorders, it also reduces the stigma associated with them. This reduction in stigma can help men feel more comfortable getting the help they need. That, along with advances in the medications and methods used to treat these disorders, will enable men to better cope with these disorders without resorting to drug or alcohol abuse.
