Stressed or Depressed? Know the Difference

What do we know about depression?

In day-to-day talking with our friends or family, we tend to speak of depression, stress and anxiety as if they are interchangeable or describing the same thing. This is not the case.They are different. If you are feeling overwhelmed by stress, you are not alone; it's practically a fact of life.

Stress is good if it motivates you but it's bad if it wears you down. Many factors can contribute to the stress you experience, and this stress can cause changes in your body that affect your overall physical, mental, and emotional health.

Depression is more serious and long-lasting than stress, and requires a different kind of help. In a 2010 survey by the American College Health Association, 28% of college students reported feeling so depressed at some point they had trouble functioning, and 8% sought treatment for depression.

Things we know about depression

• It is the fourth most significant cause of suffering and disability worldwide behind heart disease, cancer and traffic accidents

• It will be the second most debilitating human condition by 2020

• Depression exists in a social, psychological and biological context; that is depression is influenced by genetics, diseases, hormones, cognitive distortions, influences of family/workplace/friends, history and drug/alcohol use to name a few

• Depression onset is associated with the number of anxiety issues a person may have, the persistence of anxiety based avoidance behaviors and how much they affect the person’s psychosocial functioning. Put simply, if you have enough anxiety symptoms for long enough and they affect your life enough you will probably get depressed

• Insomnia and loss of energy are the most common symptoms of depression across cultures and women had a higher rate in all countries

• Depression is a risk factor also in stroke influencing frequency, functional recovery and possible post-stroke mortality ( Nemeroff & O’Connor, American heart Journal, October, 2000

• Therapies with the greatest empirical support all emphasise ACTION in treatment; clients may feel better in merely supportive therapy but they will do better in treatment with direction

On the other hand stress is a completely different thing.

Stress is simply a reaction to a stimulus that disturbs our physical or mental equilibrium. In other words, it's an omnipresent part of life. A stressful event can trigger the “fight-or-flight” response, causing hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol to surge through the body.

VS

Depression is more than just feeling “down.” It is a serious illness caused by changes in brain chemistry. Research tells us that other factors contribute to the onset of depression, including genetics, changes in hormone levels, certain medical conditions, stress, grief or difficult life circumstances.

Good News !

The good news is that depression is a highly treatable condition. However, it's not something you can snap out of by yourself, so it's important to get help. How do you tell the difference between stress and depression? Both can affect you in similar ways, but there are key differences. Symptoms of depression can be much more intense. They last at least two weeks. Depression causes powerful mood changes, such as painful sadness and despair. You may feel exhausted and unable to act.

Here are common signs of stress and depression. Which fits you best?

Common Signs of Stress

Common Signs of Depression

Trouble sleeping Feeling overwhelmed Problems with memory Problems concentrating Change in eating habits Feeling nervous or anxious Feeling angry, irritable or easily frustrated Feeling burned out from studying or schoolwork Feeling that you can't overcome difficulties in your life Trouble functioning in class or in your personal life

Withdrawing from other people Feeling sad and hopeless Lack of energy, enthusiasm and motivation Trouble making decisions Being restless, agitated and irritable Eating more or less than usual Sleeping more or less than usual Trouble concentrating Trouble with memory Feeling bad about yourself or feeling guilty Anger and rage Feeling that you can't overcome difficulties in your life Trouble functioning in your class or in your personal life Thoughts of suicide

How are stress and depression different?

stress tends to resolve if life events change vs depression can last up to years

stress tends to have an obvious trigger vs depression can hit out of nowhere

stress is related to life events vs depression can happen even if life seems fine

stress is related to current events vs depression can be linked to unresolved past events

stress can cause depression or anxiety disorders if left untreated vs depression can cause suicidal thoughts if left untreated

stress leads to adrenaline highs followed by crashes vs depression leads to fatigue

stress is socially acceptable and even encouraged vs depression still, sadly, bears social stigma

stress at very high levels has risk of heart attack vs depression at high levels has risk of suicide

low stress can be okay and keep you motivated vs low depression can still be debilitating

Now you know the difference between stress and depression look around and see if you find any of these signs of depression in you or your loved ones; waste no time and take immediate action,go out and ask for help there is nothing to be ashamed of .Depression is an illness and it should be treated ASAP.