Stress can be caused by a variety of factors, including work, personal life, poor health and many other problems. It is important to reduce stress levels through physical activity, healthy eating and meditation. If you do not manage stress at the right time, it can reach a critical stage and lead to anxiety and depression. Are you distracted by stress, anxiety and depression? Well, they have three different problems and should not be considered the same. Read on to learn more about it.
World Health Day is celebrated on April 7 every year to raise awareness about a specific health issue that concerns people worldwide. This year’s theme is’Our planet, our health‘With World Health Day 2022 Near the corner, Onlymyhealth has planned a series of live interviews with various experts on a variety of topics, including mental health, oral health, and more. In a detailed live session with us, Dr. Reema Gupta, Psychologist and Psychiatrist, Max Super Specialist Hospital, Shalimar Bagh, Explains the difference between stress, anxiety and depression.
What is the difference between stress, anxiety and depression?
Dr. Reema said, “Basically, anxiety is one of the mental disorders but in common people’s language many people use this word to describe how they are feeling. One can use work anxiety, but anxiety disorder is something completely different.” He added, “In anxiety disorders, a person experiences both cognitive (nervousness, lack of concentration, etc.) and physical (hypertension, tremors, etc.) problems. If one has anxiety, it is always best to consult a counselor or psychiatrist. ”
Stress
What is stress? Dr. Reema explains that stress is a kind of complex reaction. Stress can affect not only your mental health but also your physical health. Any environmental stimulus that is difficult for you to deal with can be stressful. Our body and mind can easily understand that we do not have the ability to handle specific situations when needed.
Stress is mostly characterized by irresistible feelings. This feeling may be due to your ability to cope with excessive stretching or being under stress for a long time. Sometimes, stress can even help us perform our daily tasks, too much stress can make us “sorry” and generally tired. Here are the main symptoms of depression:
- Headache
- Body aches
- Eating Disorders
- Mood swings
- Loss of interest
Depression
Depression is basically an experience where you feel low most of the time which is called “low mood” and you may lose interest in the things you used to enjoy. You may experience changes in your sleep, appetite, guilt, lack of motivation and usually avoid meeting others.
When talking about depression, Dr. Reema mentions the symptoms of depression which can help in self-diagnosis, so that the patient can go to the doctor. Here are the symptoms:
- Sorry
- Not able to work daily
- Fatigue
- You will not be able to enjoy the things you used to
- Negative thoughts about yourself
- Lack of confidence
- The notion of worthlessness, hopelessness, and helplessness
- Sleep quality is poor
- Lack of appetite
It is important to see a doctor if you experience any of the symptoms listed above. Do not take these symptoms lightly as it can lead to mild to severe depression. To prevent a chronic condition, you should take care of it immediately with the help of a specialist.
Also read: What are the concerns? Here are six ways in which anxiety can affect your health
Anxiety
Anxiety is defined as the feeling of fear that something really bad is about to happen. Anxiety can be general or specific to a place, situation or thing that can be a phobia. The main symptoms of anxiety disorder are:
- Feeling upset
- Increased heart rate
- Sweat
- Sleep problems
- Feeling tired or weak
- Difficulty concentrating
Depression, stress and anxiety are all common problems that people should consult a psychologist for. There are therapies that can provide support as part of the treatment. Many people may feel better with the help of adjuvant therapy but they can improve the treatment in one way or another.
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