Mixed Anxiety and Depressive Disorder: Signs and Treatments

Mixed anxiety and depressive disorder is a fairly common mental disorder, with symptoms that combine a sad, depressed, and pessimistic mood with anxiety and excessive stress. Because the symptoms overlap and overlap, the diagnosis of this disease is relatively complicated. However, most patients have a good response if detected early and treated promptly.

Mixed anxiety and depressive disorder is a fairly common mental illness today

Mixed anxiety and depressive disorder is a fairly common mental illness today

What is mixed anxiety and depressive disorder?

Mixed anxiety and depressive disorder is a term that refers to a mental illness that presents with both depression and an anxiety disorder. However, the patient does not have enough characteristic symptoms to be diagnosed with either disease individually.

Depression and anxiety disorders are two common mental illnesses today with symptoms and causes that have many similarities. Therefore, in many cases, both anxiety and depression appear at the same time. Compared with the development of individual diseases, the combination of these two conditions increases the level of emotional, cognitive, and behavioral complexity.

Without timely remedial measures, the patient’s physical, mental health and quality of life will be severely affected. In fact, cases of mixed anxiety and depressive disorders have a high risk of alcohol abuse, stimulants and sometimes unable to maintain work-study efficiency as before. The disease not only affects the health and life of the patient, but also increases the burden on the family and society.

Signs of mixed anxiety and depression

Mixed anxiety-depressive disorder usually develops symptoms of anxiety disorder first, then gradually develops into depressive manifestations. However, there are also rare cases of simultaneous onset of symptoms of both depression and anxiety. As mentioned, this pathology includes both depression and anxiety, but the symptoms are not too typical to make a definitive diagnosis of 1 of 2 diseases.

1. Manifestations of anxiety

An anxiety disorder is an excessive, irrational, and persistent worry about problems, situations, and events in life. The patient’s anxiety is often excessive for the extent of the incident/problem. In fact, many patients find their anxiety excessive but can’t control it.

Mixed anxiety and depressive disorder

Patients often feel anxious and insecure about problems in life

Patients with mixed anxiety and depressive disorder often present with symptoms of anxiety such as:

  • There is always a feeling of anxiety, insecurity and fear about problems / situations that are not really serious
  • Unstable mood, often irritable and easily angered and agitated
  • The mood is always restless and uncomfortable because there is always constant worry
  • Excessive anxiety leads to an avoidant reaction to life situations and difficulty making decisions
  • It is easy to experience sleep problems such as insomnia, restless sleep, difficulty sleeping, frequent nightmares, etc.
  • When faced with excessive anxiety, some patients may fall into a state of panic. This condition is often accompanied by physical symptoms such as muscle tension, increased heart rate, dizziness, trembling limbs, etc.

Symptoms are mild at first but tend to get worse over time if not taken care of and treated promptly.

2. Symptoms of depression

Along with symptoms of anxiety are symptoms of a depressive disorder. Depression is essentially an emotional disorder with low mood, characterized by symptoms of profound sadness, boredom, pessimism, constant guilt and low self-esteem. Compared with typical depression, depressive manifestations in mixed anxiety and depressive disorder are usually milder in severity.

Depressive symptoms in patients with mixed anxiety and depressive disorder:

  • Constantly feeling sad, depressed sometimes for no specific reason
  • Decreased or loss of interest in things around you, including previously enjoyed hobbies and activities
  • Fatigue, lack of vitality, weight loss
  • Decreased concentration, indecisiveness, relatively slow response to questions
  • Losing hope in life, always having a pessimistic and negative view on all matters
  • Low self-esteem, always feeling guilty and useless

Depressive manifestations in mixed anxiety and depressive disorder are usually mild. Very few cases are accompanied by psychosis (auditory hallucinations, hallucinations, loss of control of language, behavior, …) and most do not have suicidal thoughts and behaviors. However, symptoms can worsen without early treatment.

Causes of mixed anxiety and depression

To date, the exact cause of mixed anxiety and depressive disorder has not been identified. However, similar to common mental illnesses, it is associated with the following causes and factors:

Mixed anxiety and depressive disorder

Chronic stress is a cause and risk factor for mixed anxiety and depressive disorder

  • Chronic, long-term stress: Excessive stress about life issues is the most common cause of excessive anxiety. After a period of progress, the mood easily turns to sadness, pessimism, loss of hope, and always self-deprecating. According to experts, stressful events leading to mixed anxiety and depressive disorders are mainly common problems, mild but difficult, lasting, rarely serious psychological trauma.
  • Personality traits: Personality is a factor that significantly influences the formation of mental illnesses. For mixed anxiety and depressive disorder, the risk was significantly increased in people with introverted, careful, perfectionist, or reflective, anxious, and stressed personalities. In addition, people with a sensitive neurological type are also at a higher risk of developing the disease.
  • Chronic diseases: People with chronic diseases such as sleep disorders, joint pain, gastroesophageal reflux, shoulder and neck pain, etc. are at risk of having a mixed anxiety and depression disorder. high. This is because these conditions have a significant impact on health and life leading to long-term depression, stress, and anxiety.
  • Other factors: The risk of mixed anxiety and depressive disorder may also be increased when factors such as family history, personal history of an anxiety disorder, depression, or disorder are present. mixture, use of alcohol, tobacco, narcotics, abuse of drugs that affect the central nervous system, etc.

Mixed anxiety and depressive disorder has a predominant onset between the ages of 15 and 30. Most cases of the disease do not occur due to a specific cause but are the result of an interaction between endogenous and exogenous factors.

Is Mixed Anxiety and Depression Dangerous?

In fact, most cases of mixed anxiety and depressive disorder are milder than typical depression and anxiety disorders. With early care and treatment, most people have a good response and quickly stabilize their lives after only a short time.

However, in subjective cases, mixed anxiety and depressive disorders can lead to severe suicidal thoughts and behaviors. In addition, improper treatment also increases complications from anxiolytic abuse.

Mixed anxiety and depressive disorder

Mixed anxiety and depressive disorder increases the risk of alcohol abuse if not diagnosed and treated early

Severe effects and complications of mixed anxiety and depressive disorder:

  • Causes health problems such as sleep disturbances, digestive disorders, weakness, weight loss, increased risk of cardiovascular problems, etc.
  • Exacerbation of existing diseases
  • Reduce the efficiency of studying and working
  • Increased risk of alcohol, substance abuse and smoking
  • Late detection can lead to suicidal thoughts and behavior

In general, mixed anxiety and depressive disorders cause similar severe effects as depression and anxiety disorders alone. However, in the case of early examination and treatment, this disease has a better response and is mostly controlled if it is active in the treatment process.

Diagnosis of mixed anxiety and depressive disorder

The diagnosis of mixed anxiety and depressive disorder is mainly based on clinical symptoms. The feature of this disorder is that the symptoms of anxiety must coexist with the depressive symptoms but the symptoms are not severe enough to make a diagnosis of either disease alone.

In cases where both depression and anxiety are severe, the diagnosis of depression is preferred. If depressive symptoms are more subtle than anxiety, the other possibility is that phobias and other anxiety disorders need to be raised.

Mixed anxiety and depressive disorder

Mixed anxiety and depressive disorder is easily confused with many other common mental illnesses

Mixed anxiety and depressive disorder is usually diagnosed when the patient meets the following criteria:

  • Low mood (sad, depressed, …)
  • Loss of interest, enjoyment and decreased sense of satisfaction
  • Expression of anxiety, excessive anxiety
  • It must also be accompanied by associated symptoms such as poor concentration, restlessness, loss of appetite, dry mouth, palpitations, difficulty relaxing, etc.

In addition to the clinical presentation, the doctor may also order a number of laboratory tests necessary to determine the physical cause:

  • Microbiological, biochemical and hematological tests
  • Drug testing
  • Urine test
  • Serological test for syphilis
  • Take a psychological test
  • Electroencephalogram
  • Thyroid hormone test
  • Cardiopulmonary radiograph, thyroid ultrasound, abdominal ultrasound

In fact, the diagnosis of mixed anxiety and depressive disorder is relatively complicated because the patient has many overlapping and intertwined symptoms. Therefore, the physician needs to make a differential diagnosis with other conditions with similar symptoms before making a final diagnosis.

Treatments for mixed anxiety and depressive disorder

At its onset, mixed anxiety and depressive disorders have mild symptoms. Therefore, cases of early detection and timely treatment often have a good response, the disease has markedly and positively improved. On the contrary, cases of late detection need long-term and careful treatment to prevent complications.

Similar to anxiety and depression, treatment for mixed anxiety and depressive disorder includes medication, psychotherapy, and home support measures. Most cases require a combination of treatments to get the best results.

1. Using drugs

Drug use can improve negative emotions, stabilize mood, and physical symptoms in patients. The principle of drug administration is to prioritize monotherapy and combine therapy only in cases of poor response.

In all cases, doctors always prescribe a low dose, then gradually increase the dose until effective, then switch to maintenance use. Because of the high risk, narcotic anxiolytics (benzodiazepines) are rarely used and are used only for short periods of time.

Mixed anxiety and depressive disorder

Medication can improve symptoms of mixed anxiety and depressive disorder.

Commonly used medications for mixed anxiety and depressive disorder:

  • Antidepressants: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), polycyclic antidepressants, etc.
  • Anxiolytics: Anxiolytics are used to improve anxiety, stress, and panic. Depending on your specific condition, your doctor may choose benzodiazepines or non-benzodiazepines. In particular, benzodiazepines are used less often than the high risk of addiction.
  • Neuroleptics: Neuroleptics (antipsychotics) are used to reduce hallucinations, hallucinations, and delusions (if present), and to improve agitation, sleep disturbances, and withdrawal. … Commonly used drugs include Risperidone, Olanzapine and Quetiapine.
  • Beta-blockers: Beta-blockers (Propranolol) are used to improve physical symptoms caused by mixed anxiety and depressive disorders such as increased heart rate, palpitations, increased blood pressure, limbs trembling…
  • Other drugs: Patients with mixed anxiety and depressive disorder can also take some additional drugs and oral support tablets such as nerve-nourishing tablets (Piracetam, ginkgo leaf extract, choline, …) , B vitamins, minerals, antihistamines H1 (Hydroxyzine).

Using drugs has many risks and side effects. Therefore, patients only use the drug when indicated and need to use it according to the instructions to achieve good results, and at the same time limit adverse effects and risk situations arising.

2. Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy is the mainstay of treatment for mixed anxiety and depressive disorder. This method uses the medium of “communication” for the patient to express feelings, thoughts, and perceptions about problems and aspects of life. Thereby helping the therapist correctly identify the psychological problem and assess the impact of mixed anxiety and depression disorder on life.

Depending on the circumstances of each case, the therapist may consider psychotherapeutic techniques such as:

  • Reasonable explanatory therapy
  • Cognitive behavioral therapy
  • Relaxation exercise therapy
  • Family therapy
  • Supportive therapies such as music therapy, exercise therapy, etc.

Psychotherapy has a positive effect on mixed anxiety and depressive disorders and emotional disorders. This method is often applied in parallel with drug treatment to support emotional and psychological well-being and help patients cooperate more in the treatment process.

2. Measures of care and support

Care and support measures play an important role in the treatment of mixed anxiety and depressive disorders. These measures can improve emotional instability, mood and contribute to improved physical health. In addition, after the disease is in remission, the patient also needs to maintain reasonable care measures to prevent recurrence.

Care and support measures to improve mixed anxiety and depressive disorder:

  • Develop a scientific diet menu with all necessary micronutrients. In addition, patients should also adjust their diet to improve some physical symptoms caused by mixed anxiety and depression disorders such as constipation, stomach pain, bloating, indigestion, etc.
  • Regular physical activity helps to improve health, relieve stress and stabilize a good mood. Therefore, patients should spend 30 minutes a day exercising. Priority should be given to subjects of moderate intensity such as yoga, walking, cycling, swimming, jogging, badminton, etc.
  • Do not use alcohol, tobacco, drugs and limit the use of too much caffeine.
  • Make sure to get 7-8 hours of sleep every night and spend 20-30 minutes every afternoon for a nap. To improve insomnia, difficulty falling asleep and restless sleep, patients should apply relaxation measures such as listening to music, taking a bath, aromatherapy, massage, etc.
  • Planning to work scientifically, avoiding the situation of working for a long time but with poor performance, often encountering errors, etc. Increasing work efficiency will help patients reduce stress – stress, and be more satisfied with themselves. body and have plenty of time to rest and relax.
  • Learn to share your feelings and household chores with your partner and family members.

Mixed anxiety and depressive disorder is a fairly common mental illness today. Hopefully, through the above information, patients themselves can realize the seriousness of this disease. From there, actively examine and cooperate in the treatment process.

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