What is the difference between anxiety and depression?

Hi. It’s Jenny at AnxietyBoss.com. Our question today is from Donna in Lafayette, Indiana. What is the difference between anxiety and depression?

Both anxiety as well as depression are different levels of being negative and under stress. Anxiety is typically a short lived, more outwardly expressive state of being. It is very easy to spot a person having anxiety from his actions, body language, and behavior. For instance, people who are suffering from anxiety will often stutter when they speak. They will also speak very rapidly, often incoherently. Things will fall out of their hands as they try to do something in a state of being anxious. Moreover, people suffering from constant anxiety will not be able to focus on their tasks at hand and will report difficulty in understanding even the basic instructions.

On the other hand, depression is a deeper prolonged and very different state than anxiety. A depressed person will normally prefer to live in his or her own cocoon. They withdraw into their own world and they feel comfortable there. They lose interest in social interactions and almost try to avoid meeting people. While an anxious person will be more vocal, a person under depression will suppress their feelings and become an introvert. Moreover, those around them might not be able to spot the signs of depression easily.

Depression is basically a prolonged period and intense state of anxiety, one in which the person will withdraw inwards and will refuse to seek help. Treating anxiety could often be easier than treating the symptoms of depression. While a depressed person is definitely suffering from anxiety, an anxious person might not always be depressed.