{"id":23274,"date":"2021-03-25T13:00:15","date_gmt":"2021-03-25T17:00:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=23274"},"modified":"2025-09-04T14:56:32","modified_gmt":"2025-09-04T18:56:32","slug":"anxiety-vs-depression","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/anxiety-vs-depression\/","title":{"rendered":"Anxiety vs. depression: Compare causes, symptoms, treatments & more"},"content":{"rendered":"

Anxiety vs. depression causes<\/a> | Prevalence<\/a> | Symptoms<\/a> | Diagnosis<\/a> | Treatments<\/a> | Risk factors<\/a> | Prevention<\/a> | When to see a doctor<\/a> | FAQs<\/a> | Resources<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Anxiety and depression are two very common conditions that affect people all around the world. Anxiety is best described as feeling fear or apprehension about future events and everyday situations. Depression is a mental health disorder that\u2019s associated with a depressed mood. Let\u2019s take a more in-depth look at the differences between anxiety and depression, including their causes, symptoms, treatments, differences in diagnosis, and how to prevent them.<\/span><\/p>\n

Causes of anxiety and depression<\/span><\/h2>\n

Anxiety<\/b> is normal to experience in response to stress, but constantly worrying about future events or everyday situations can negatively impact a person\u2019s quality of life. Anxiety is something that most people will deal with in short spurts, but it\u2019s possible to develop anxiety disorders like panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), or phobia-related disorders like social anxiety disorder.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Researchers don\u2019t fully understand what <\/span>causes anxiety<\/span><\/a>, but it\u2019s thought to be a combination of genes, environmental factors, and brain chemistry. Certain medical conditions and medications can cause anxiety, and it\u2019s also thought that diet, having a family history of mental health, and exposure to stress or trauma early in life can lead to anxiety disorders.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Depression <\/b>is a complex mental health disorder that can negatively impact people\u2019s daily lives, professions, and relationships. There\u2019s a lot of research that suggests that depression is caused by imbalanced brain chemicals, but according to <\/span>Harvard Health<\/span><\/a>, understanding what causes depression is much more complicated than this. An imbalance of chemicals in the brain can play a role in causing depression, but so can genetics, stressful or traumatic life events, medical conditions, medications, and improper mood regulation by the brain.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
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Anxiety vs. depression causes<\/span><\/h3>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n

Anxiety<\/b><\/td>\nDepression<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n
    \n
  • Brain chemistry<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Environmental factors<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Genetics<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Diet<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Certain medications<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Certain medical conditions<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Exposure to stress<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Exposure to trauma<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Family history of anxiety or other mental health conditions<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n
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