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Help is available for both, but the path to feeling better may require health care and time.
The National Alliance on Mental Illness says loneliness, shame and blame often go along with mental illness. That can make it hard for someone to reach out for help. With their campaign — StigmaFree — NAMI is working to build hope, understanding and awareness.
A mental health stigma is fueled by attitudes, beliefs and stereotypes society holds about people who live with mental health conditions. It can make people feel ashamed for something that is out of their control. Most important, it’s dangerous.
People may skip the medical care they need due to a stigma. Compassion, understanding, and open talk about the illness can go a long way toward ending fear and shame. They can improve the chance of someone getting the help they need to feel better.
While depression and anxiety are different, they share some common warning signs. Sleep issues, fatigue and trouble with focus affect people with both. Still, there are important differences. Here are ways you can tell them apart.
Signs of Anxiety
You can learn more about anxiety and ways to cope with it from the National Institute of Mental Health.
Signs of Depression
For more information about depression, visit from the National Institute of Mental Health.
If you need care, your doctor can help you find a skilled therapist, counselor or psychologist. If you need help finding a doctor, call us at the number on your member ID card.
Originally published 5/28/2019; Revised 2022, 2024
The difficulty in overcoming anxiety and depression is that people have no idea what this is really about. At the outset, they simply do not notice the symptoms, and when they go to see a doctor, they are often already swallowed up by it. There is a film https://allatra.tv/en/video/game-of-professionals-what-is-consciousness-film-1 in which an international group of psychologists and psychiatrists simply and clearly explains the nature of this phenomenon, reveals the essence of consciousness, our personality and gives an answer to where intrusive thoughts come from. For me, this film became just the lighthouse thanks to which I got out to the shore of joy from this raging sea of depressive thoughts and states!