How To Differentiate Between Stress, Depression And Anxiety?

Stress, anxiety and depression are three very common psychological disorders worldwide. According to WHO data, mental disorders represent 30% of the global burden of non-fatal disease. In relation to this, the psychologist Guillermo Ballenato affirms that “depression, anxiety and stress make up a significant part of the social landscape of the XXI century”.

Likewise, there is a problem that we cannot ignore: there are  a large number of cases that are not diagnosed and therefore not treated. This is what studies such as the one carried out at the University of Massachusetts reveal to us. That is why it is so important to learn to identify your main symptoms so that you can react before these conditions get even worse.

Now, it is important to know that stress, depression and anxiety can manifest separately or together. In some cases, one disorder can even lead to another. Let’s see below how they can affect us and what each of them consist of.

Stress: what to know

The stress response originates when a person perceives a situation as threatening and also considers that they do not have the resources to deal with it. That is to say, the event demands an overexertion and in some way, it is considered that personal well-being is in danger. Thus, stress is nothing more than a way of facing and adapting to the different situations that arise.

One of the keys to understanding stress is to be aware that it is more of a perception on the part of the person than of the situation. By this we mean that it depends on the cognitive assessment that is made of what happens. In this way, if the person considers that he cannot respond adequately or considers that he does not have the resources to face it, he will experience stress.

Symptoms associated with stress

Some of the symptoms associated with stress could be:

• Psychophysiological symptoms. Increased breathing, heart rate or blood pressure, headache, digestive problems, exhaustion, insomnia

• Neuroendocrine symptoms. Increased release of epinephrine and cortisol, both known as stress hormones. Thus, at higher levels of these hormones, the liver will release more glucose into the blood.
• Psychological symptoms. Indecision, loss of sense of humor, frustration, anger, problems with concentration.

On the other hand, the Yale University psychologist Bruce McEwen affirms that “there is more and more evidence that stress directly affects the nervous system: infectious diseases such as flu, colds, herpes … increase.”

However, stress does not always have negative consequences, since thanks to it we have survived as a species for many years. Their presence is an opportunity to put personal resources into operation and generate, if possible, the adaptation or change that the situation demands.

It is also known as positive stress or “eustres”, that impulse that encourages us to face problems in a more creative way, with greater responsibility and initiative.

Depression: what to know

Depression is a mood disorder characterized by very different symptoms depending on each person. However, all of them are under a gray reality invaded by pessimism, the inability to cope with life and a general malaise.

Although each person can experience depression in a different way, chronic sadness is often considered one of the most characteristic symptoms. And although this idea is not entirely wrong, it is important to keep in mind that a person may have depression and not be apparently sad or emotionally flat.

The main causes of depression are associated with genetic, physiological, personal and environmental factors. This means that it is a multifactorial disorder, hence its origin is not usually easy to identify. In addition, depending on the severity, frequency and duration of the symptoms, different types of depression are distinguished.

On the other hand, there are different theories that try to explain the phenomenon of depression. For example, according to the cognitive perspective, depression is the result of a cognitive distortion, from which the person observes the world, the future and himself from a negative filter.

The behavioral perspective considers that it appears due to the lack of reinforcement towards the person, thus causing them not to act. While from a biological point of view this is explained by an imbalance of certain neurotransmitters.

A worrying situation is that according to the WHO, depression is the leading cause of disability in the world. Currently, about 300 million people suffer from this mood disorder and at least 50% of them do not receive treatment or if they do, it is not the most appropriate.

Symptoms of depression

Some symptoms of depression can be:

• Irritation, bad mood.
• Apathy, loss of energy.
• Insomnia or excessive sleep.
• Feelings of worthlessness.
• Hopelessness
• Motor slowness
• Concentration problems.
• Loss of interest and motivation.
• Recurring ideas associated with suicide or “disappearing”.

Anxiety: what to know

Anxiety is part of human existence. All people at certain times in our lives feel a moderate degree of anxiety as an adaptive response to new situations and events. This type of response works as a surveillance and protection mechanism to warn us of possible dangers.

Thus, anxiety is an emotional response to stimuli or situations that are perceived as threatening  in the future. This being the characteristic that differentiates anxiety from stress, since the latter focuses on something that is being suffered at a certain moment. The problem arises when it is not known to manage and it becomes pathological, interfering negatively in our lives.

Symptoms of anxiety

Some symptoms of anxiety can be increased muscle tension, sweating, breathing, the presence of pressure in the chest, the feeling of unreality, blocked digestion and in some more serious cases, the fear of losing. control or even go crazy.

As with depression, there are different theories to explain how anxiety disorders develop. At a general level, anxiety is explained as a biased perception of the world.  The person pays attention only to that information or stimulus related to the feeling of threat and interprets it in a wrong way.

For example, if a person feels anxious when interacting with others, they will focus their attention on signs of rejection, no matter how minimal.

As we can see, stress, anxiety and depression can affect us in a very negative way, especially if we let time pass. Caring about our physical and emotional health is essential (as well as those around us).

Therefore, let us not hesitate to ask a mental health professional for help when we perceive that we are losing control. Or that we are losing our quality of life.