Anxiety is the new depression

The numbers speak for themselves – anxiety is the new depression. The American Center for Anxiety and Depression notes these astonishing facts.[1]:

• More than 40 million Americans over the age of 18, or more than 18% of the population, suffer from an anxiety disorder
• Anxiety is the most common mental health disorder in the United States.
• More than 16 million Americans over the age of 18, or about 7% of the population, have experienced a major depressive episode in the past year.
• Depression is the leading cause of disability in the United States.
• Surveys show that 60 to 70% of people with depression also suffer from anxiety

Think of all the people you meet during your day. More than one in five Americans have significant depression or anxiety disorders. More than 5% of our adult population, 1 in 20, suffers from anxiety and depression.

You have probably read in our newsletters that anxiety and depression are very treatable. But less than a third of those who suffer are actually getting the help they need.

Are anxiety and depression different or combined as a complex disorder?

The co-occurrence of anxiety and depression creates very uncomfortable realities. Each can exacerbate the effects of the other and make it more likely that one or both become chronic. Each can be challenging, but together they can put tremendous pressure on the foundations of our lives – relationships, job performance, physical fitness and happiness. Anxiety and depression together increase the risk of suicide.

In recent years, clinicians and researchers have postulated a new badessment: depression and anxiety may not be two distinct disorders that coexist. They can be a singular, more complex disorder, emanating from the same core.

Dr. David Barlow, Ph.D., is Director of the Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders at Boston University. Dr. Barlow notes that the genetics of each disorder appear to be the same and that their neurobiology seems to overlap. "The psychological and biological nature of vulnerability is the same … Some vulnerable people react anxiously to the stressors of life. And some people, in addition, go beyond that to become depressed. "

Whole person approach to care

The encouraging news is that as we continue to learn about anxiety and depression, the approach to treatment – whole person care – remains the same. Each disorder has deep causes. They can include genetic and neurological contributors. They also have experiential contributors.

Examining all facets of an individual's life – physical, medical, relational, family, emotional, spiritual – allows for a full understanding of the factors that contribute to it and the creation of a tailor-made and ideal program to effectively deal with each problem. Over time, the whole personal approach has produced the best results for all treatment methods.

Dr. Gregory Jantz is the founder of The center • A place of hope in Edmonds, Washington, was voted one of the top ten depression treatment facilities in the United States. Dr. Jantz pioneer Whole Person Care in the 1980s and is a world-renowned expert in the field of eating disorders, depression, anxiety, addiction to technology and abuse. He is a leading voice and innovator in the field of mental health, using a variety of therapies, including nutrition, sleep therapy, spiritual counseling and cutting-edge techniques of DBT. Dr. Jantz is a successful author and has appeared on CBS, ABC, NBC, Fox and CNN.

[1] https://adaa.org/about-adaa/press-room/facts-statistics