Depression vs. Anxiety: What's the Difference?

Depression and anxiety are both common mental health conditions that can significantly impact your health and quality of life. Although they have some similarities, they also have important differences, says Dawn Potter, PsyD , a clinical psychologist at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, where she specializes in treating depression, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder in adults.

Knowing the similarities and differences between their symptoms is key for getting the right diagnosis and treatment.

One reason: "They often co-occur," adds Dr. Potter. Nearly half of people with depression also have an anxiety disorder.

If you have both conditions, it's important that they're treated together rather than separately because of how the symptoms can interact. That's because co-occurring depression and anxiety can lead to a cycle of symptoms that can worsen without the right treatment.

For instance, someone with social anxiety disorder may avoid going to parties, on dates, or to school activities due to intense fear of judgment or embarrassment, Potter says. In turn, this sort of anxiety-driven avoidance could lead to or worsen depression over time if the person is frequently feeling isolated and missing out on social connection.

Here's what to know about the symptoms of depression versus anxiety, similarities, differences, and treatment options if you have one or both conditions.

What Is Depression?

Depression is a mental health condition involving deep sadness or a loss of interest in activities that lasts most of the day, nearly every day, for at least two weeks.

It's one of the most common mental health conditions, affecting an estimated 21 million American adults in a one-year period.

"It's not just about feeling sad; it's about a whole host of these symptoms that can make it hard for people to function," says Christine Crawford, MD, MPH , an adult and child psychiatrist and an assistant professor of psychiatry at Boston University School of Medicine. The symptoms can range from mild to severe and may include:

• Feelings of sadness, emptiness, tearfulness, or hopelessness
• Loss of interest or pleasure in activities once enjoyed
• Sleep problems
• Fatigue or lack of energy
• Appetite changes that lead to weight gain or loss
• Agitation, anxiety, or restlessness
• Slowed body movements, thinking, or speaking
• Angry outbursts, frustration, or irritability, even over seemingly small things
• Feelings of guilt or worthlessness
• Difficulty thinking or concentrating
• Trouble making decisions or remembering things
• Unexplained aches and pains, such as headaches or back pain
• Suicidal thoughts or behaviors

What Are Anxiety Disorders?

Everyone experiences anxiety from time to time. You might feel it before, say, speaking in front of a group of people or when driving in heavy traffic.

But anxiety disorders are when someone feels such intense fear or dread that it causes considerable distress or prevents them from going about typical daily activities. They're the most common mental health condition in the United States, affecting more than 40 million American adults each year.

There are several kinds of anxiety disorders, such as generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, or specific phobias. They all differ in some ways, but what they have in common is excessive fear or worry that's disproportionate to the level of threat posed by a situation.

Symptoms of anxiety disorders can include:

• Feelings of dread or apprehension
• Feeling jumpy or tense
• Irritability or restlessness
• Fearing the worst and watching out for signs of danger
• Racing or pounding heartbeat and shortness of breath
• Sweating, twitches, or tremors
• Headaches, fatigue, or trouble sleeping
• Stomach issues, frequent urination, or diarrhea
• Avoiding the source of anxiety

"Typically, you'll have a strong desire to avoid things that provoke anxiety, so that can result in things like avoiding driving, avoiding going to crowded spaces, avoiding things that can trigger this very intense feeling," Potter says. "It can have a negative impact on people's lives with this persistent worry that prevents you from relaxing and interferes with being able to focus on things."

What's the Difference Between Depression and Anxiety?

Depression and anxiety can both be debilitating and may distract you from work, school, or relationships. They can share some symptoms such as:

• Digestive issues
• Appetite or weight changes
• Sleep problems
• Problems with concentrating
• Restlessness or irritability

They also have several important differences. If you're experiencing changes in your mood and you can't decipher if it's depression or anxiety, pay attention to your energy levels and your thoughts. "The biggest thing for people to reflect on is the primary mood state they're experiencing," says Dr. Crawford. "What is the thing that's getting in the way the most?"

For instance, are you feeling sad, low, and hopeless about the future? Or are you grappling with excessive worry and nervousness that's difficult to control? Or are you experiencing both? The former is usually linked to depression, whereas the latter is often linked to anxiety. "Those are the two distinguishing features between the types of [symptoms and] thoughts that you're consistently having on your mind," Crawford says.

When Should Someone Get Help for Depression, Anxiety, or Both?

If you think you've been experiencing symptoms of depression for at least two weeks, it's time to seek out help by speaking to your family doctor or a mental health professional, Crawford says.

"Oftentimes, people think in order to meet the criteria for a major depressive disorder, you have to have been depressed for many months, but the reality is you just need to have those symptoms interfering for two weeks [for a diagnosis]," she says. (That said, you don't need to wait two weeks to seek treatment if you're struggling with symptoms. You can seek help at any time.)

The same applies for anxiety. We all experience stress to some degree in our day-to-day lives, but if your anxious thoughts and incessant worries are getting in the way of your daily routine, seek professional help, say Crawford and Potter.

If you're experiencing symptoms of both depression and anxiety, it's critical to get treatment for both simultaneously rather than separately. Experiencing two distinct sets of symptoms can make it more difficult to cope on a daily basis than if you just had one condition or the other, so it's important that your treatment is tailored to address both conditions.

Treatment options for depression and anxiety often overlap. One important option is psychotherapy or talk therapy, especially a certain type called cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). The approach can differ a bit for depression compared to anxiety, but in general, CBT therapists help patients learn techniques for identifying unhelpful thought and behavior patterns and changing them into more constructive ones, which can better help them cope with their condition and life's stresses.

"CBT retrains our brains from how we allow our thoughts to influence and impact our behaviors and moods to how we stop negative thoughts from snowballing," Crawford says. In depression, for example, CBT may be geared toward symptoms like lack of motivation, says Potter. In anxiety, it may be tailored to address certain worries or fears.

Medication, such as antidepressants or anti-anxiety medications , can also be helpful for some people, especially if they have more severe symptoms.

"There are many medications that work for both depression and anxiety, and that is because it is theorized that similar regions of the brain and similar chemicals are implicated in both conditions," Potter says. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are among the most commonly prescribed antidepressants, and doctors often use them to treat depression, anxiety, or both.

If you need help finding a mental health professional who can provide therapy or medication, these resources can help you find one near you:

• American Psychiatric Association's Psychiatrist Locator
• American Psychological Association's Psychologist Locator
• National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) HelpLine (reachable by phone call, text, or email)
  

The Takeaway

Depression and anxiety are common and distinct mental health conditions that often co-occur. If you think you may have either or both conditions, it's important to know how the symptoms can overlap and how they differ in order to get the right diagnosis and treatment for you.

Editorial Sources and Fact-Checking

Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy . We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.

Sources

1. Anxiety Disorders – Facts and Statistics. Anxiety and Depression Association of America . October 28, 2022.
2. What Is Depression? American Psychiatric Association . April 2024.
3. Major Depression. National Institute of Mental Health . July 2023.
4. Depression (Major Depressive Disorder). Mayo Clinic . October 14, 2022.
5. Anxiety Disorders. National Alliance on Mental Illness . December 2017.
6. Anxiety vs. Depression: Which Do I Have (or Is It Both?). Cleveland Clinic . January 4, 2024.
7. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Mayo Clinic . March 16, 2019.
8. Anxiety Disorders. National Institute of Mental Health . April 2024.
9. SSRIs. Mayo Clinic . September 17, 2019.

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Seth Gillihan, PhD

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Seth Gillihan, PhD, is a licensed psychologist in private practice in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, who helps people find personal growth by making important changes in their thoughts and habits. His work includes books, podcasts, and one-on-one sessions. He is the the host of the Think Act Be podcast and author of multiple books on mindfulness and CBT, including Retrain Your Brain , Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Made Simple , and Mindful Cognitive Behavioral Therapy .
He completed a doctorate in psychology at the University of Pennsylvania where he continued as a full-time faculty member from 2008 to 2012. He has been in private practice since 2012. … See full bio

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Chai was a national health reporter at Global News in Toronto for 5 years, where she won multiple awards, including the Canadian Medical Association award for health reporting. Her work has also appeared in the Toronto Star , Vancouver Province, and the National Post . She received a bachelor's degree in journalism from Ryerson University in Toronto.

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