Symptoms of Anxiety and Depression
By: Margaret Wack
Updated December 28, 2020
Medically Reviewed By: Lauren Guilbeault
- Excessive Worrying
If you find yourself constantly worrying about things, it could be a symptom of anxiety. While some worry is a normal part of everyday life, people suffering from anxiety deal with excessive worry, even about things that might not otherwise seem very important. These worries are often intrusive and affect your thoughts and emotions even when you try your best to ignore them.
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- Feeling Restless or On Edge
Feelings of unexplained restlessness and tension can be another common symptom of anxiety. This can include a sense of impending doom or disaster, sometimes accompanied by fear or even panic. These feelings can be concentrated on a specific event, like loss of a job or a natural disaster, or they can be more diffuse. If you feel like you’re constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop, you may be suffering from anxiety.
- Muscle Tension
Constantly tense and physically wound up? Muscle tension is a physical symptom that often accompanies mental health issues, including anxiety. This constant tension leaves you feeling sore and physically exhausted, even when you haven’t done any other physical activity. This prolonged tension can often be the source of chronic pain and other recurring illnesses, so it’s important to nip it in the bud before it becomes more severe.
- Feelings of Worthlessness
People suffering from depression often experience a persistent feeling of worthlessness and low self-esteem. This can be a more general feeling or can be related to a specific area such as work, school, or personal relationships. While most people go through periods of self-doubt and uncertainty, the symptoms experienced by those suffering from depression are more intense and tend to persist regardless of external factors.
- Excessive Guilt
Similar to feelings of worthlessness, excessive guilt is another common symptom of depression. People can feel guilty for things they have or haven’t done, often dwelling on past actions to an unhealthy extent. People can also feel guilty about their mental illness itself and the way it affects their personal and professional lives. These feelings of guilt are compounded by the other common symptoms of depression, such as withdrawal from personal relationships and failure to fulfill obligations at work and school. Guilt over symptoms of depression can be a vicious cycle, so it’s important to seek help before you’re caught in the spiral.
