Mental Health Awareness Week 2023
April 26 2021
Read moreIn this post, we explain the difference between anxiety and depression.
It’s important to distinguish them as one in four people in the UK experience mental health problems each year.
As a result, it's not uncommon for you to encounter employees experiencing stress, anxiety, or depression. While there are similarities, they’re separate mental conditions.
These conditions are, as we say, very similar. And it’s vital that you understand the fundamental differences before you can speak to employees about them.
There are a lot of complex and lengthy descriptions out there. But if you want to know ‘what is the difference between stress, anxiety and depression?’ then here are some simple definitions:
While some of the causes and treatments may overlap, it’s important to be able to tell the difference between stress, anxiety, and depression so employees may receive the correct help.
The feeling of anxiety at certain points in our lives is normal, however in some cases that feeling may become more constant. When that happens, it becomes harder to control our worries and can often affect our personal and professional lives.
A mental health assessment helps the health professional determine which disorder an individual may be suffering from. They’ll ask about any physical or psychological symptoms, how long it’s been happening for, your worries, fears, emotions, and details of your personal life.
While both are different, they can happen in reaction to each other. People with depression often experience symptoms similar to people experiencing anxiety and vice versa.
Below are some examples of the physical and mental characteristics that can be displayed by an individual experiencing either of the conditions.
As you can see, there are a great many differences between anxiety and depression symptoms.
Although different, it’s possible to have them at the same time.
It’s not uncommon for someone going through depression to experience spells of anxiety or vice versa.
It can be difficult to distinguish between anxiety and other mental health conditions such as depression. It’s important to seek help if you think you’re affected by either. The first port of call should be to your GP.
While it may be difficult to talk about your feelings with your GP, it’s important to do so.
This is because every piece of information you provide helps them to understand your symptoms so they can make the correct diagnosis.
The sooner you talk to a medical professional the faster you can be on your way to good mental health.
Create a healthy work environment and engage your team members by setting an example.
One way you can do this is by having an Employee Assistance Programme, which improves wellbeing. Our EAP also comes with a wellbeing app, which employees can use whenever to access wellbeing resources.
For urgent guidance on managing an employee with depression, contact the Health Assured team. Call us now on <a class="rulertel" href="tel:08448910352">0844 891 0352</a>.
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