Anxiety vs. Depression - Anxiety Message Board

Luvmydog · 11-20-2007, 10:07 AM

Would appreciate any comments about anxiety being the primary symptom of a mood disorder. We quite commonly hear that anxiety and depression go hand in hand, but I have always been a bit confused by this thinking in the medical community. I can understand that a clinically depressed person can also experience anxiety, but when anxiety is the primary presenting complaint and the person does not feel really depressed, what is the best medication to be on?? I really do not know if an antidepressant works very well for anxiety. Any thoughts on this? Thanks.

j2006 · 11-20-2007, 12:34 PM

There are many SSRIs that work for both, Zoloft, prozac, celexa, lexapro, effexor to name a few.

I know when I first started having panic attacks I didn't have depression. But as my symptoms continued I got depressed because I couldn;t get a grip on how I felt like I had no control over my body and it's sensations and symptoms.

Most people with panic and anxiety go through a course of tests and doctors to rule out any illness or anything that would explain how we are feeling.

Then after all of the research, tests, time and money spent you wind up back with the original diagnosis - anxiety.

Iulizbug · 11-21-2007, 10:54 AM

I have been both clinically depressed and anxious, both at different times in my life. I can tell you there is a distinct difference. I was extremely overweight at one point and that is where my depression stemmed from--feeling fat and not wanting to do anything, I just moped around and felt hopeless. Once I lost my weight, I realized that I still had a horrible amt of unresolved anxiety. I have had GAD since I was a teenager but it was misdiagnosed as depression up until recently. The two are different but certain drugs like effexor or lexapro work to cure both. I have found effexor with the combination of xanax very helpful, BUT I do gain weight from effexor and know its hell to get off so I am trying to just stick with my xanax for now. I was on wellbutrin when I was trying to lose my weight and it did help, but my anxiety went through the roof. I don't think that wellbutrin is the best for people with GAD or panic disorders---it intensifies them for me. I am scared that once I get off of the effexor and xanax I will be more of a basket case than I was before but I do know that I am not depressed right now. If I get fat again then I am sure I will be which is why I am trying to ween myself off of my effexor 150 and just stick to my xanax 1mg 3x daily. Hope this helps some...

~Liz~

granny0 · 11-21-2007, 11:06 PM

For me Paxil worked for the anxiety but did not stop a major depression sneaking in.

The Lexapro works better for the depression but the Paxil definately helped my anxiety more.

The anti-anxiety drugs, ( benzos, ativan, xanax valium) work great for anxiety. But they can become very addictive.

Hope this answered your questions

JB