Depression and anxiety are the most common mental illness among many people. Depression is a feeling of prolonged sadness and loss of interest due to changes in brain function. Anxiety is intense feelings of worry and fears consistently, even during everyday situations. These two mental illnesses go hand in hand with each other; most people that have depression have dealings with anxiety and vice versa.
There are many types of depression; some examples are chronic depression, postpartum depression, and bipolar depression. Depression includes many symptoms and varies throughout the many people that face it day by day. Symptoms can affect every aspect of a patient, including cognitive and behavioral. Some symptoms include weight gain and loss, lack of concentration, fatigue, discontent, etc.
Anxiety also includes multiple types, just like depression does. The five major types of anxiety are generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, and social anxiety disorder. Symptoms of anxiety or quite similar to depression, some signs that can differ are hypervigilance, palpations, sweating, etc.
Depression and anxiety can drive people to do a variation of things that they believe helps them cope with their issues: some things that patients may turn to is substance abuse. Self-Harm, sometimes even suicide. In a recent report made by the Amerian Psychological Association, there was a 30 percent increase in suicide and suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States. Substance abuse is when people repeatedly use things such as alcohol, drugs, etc. in a harmful or hazardous way. Self-harm is when people injure themselves purposefully as a way of coping with issues they have to face. Although people use harmful mechanisms to deal with their problems, some may use useful devices or turn harmful into helpful. For example, some people may choose to write, talk to others, participate in physical activity, and many other mechanisms.
Depression and anxiety are conditions that are very common worldwide and should have more awareness toward it. Many people don't take heed to how important mental health is mainly in their overall health. Some people believe that the importance of mental health should be a part of the curriculum in schools. Many students have trouble with mental health issues, and they may not understand what is going on and why they are going through whatever they go through. There are many events that people have made to bring more awareness to mental health, such as fundraisers, banquets, etc.
Mental health is something of great significance and should be looked at with more awareness by individuals.
