Is depression linked to anxiety? by Wendy Bramham

Common symptoms of anxiety

Wendy writes: “The following can be symptoms of anxiety: numbness, feeling hot, wobbliness in the legs, inability to relax, light-headedness, unsteadiness, nervousness, feeling of choking, trembling hands, fear of losing control, fear of dying, difficulty in breathing, wanting to die, indigestion, pain or tightness in chest, feeling faint, and hot flushes and sweats when you are not unwell. These physical problems are often signs of deeper worries about loss or sadness in the past, or a fear of loss or sadness in the future.”

Does depression begin with anxiety?

“Anxiety can precede depression. Depression is often caused when we feel overwhelmed by sad and anxious feelings and can’t access them in a constructive way. We all fear the loss of someone or something we love. Loss is inevitable, and it can give rise to huge sadness and anxiety for a time, which is healthy and normal. However, it can also lead to depression if this process gets blocked in some way, or if it triggers deeper anxieties such as a fear of not being good enough.”

Wendy Bramham, June 2013 for BBC Wiltshire