Depression Anger Anxiety Understanding the Relationship
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Depression, anxiety, and anger are interconnected emotions that arise when our brain perceives a potential threat. When our body senses a threat, it activates the threat response system, leading to the release of cortisol, the main stress chemical. Cortisol triggers the release of norepinephrine, which causes various physiological changes, including the dumping of blood glucose to provide energy for fight or flight.
However, prolonged periods of anger and anxiety can have negative effects. Low serotonin levels, which occur during stress, can disrupt sleep, leading to difficulties in concentration, focus, and fatigue. Sex hormones are also altered during periods of perceived threat, resulting in decreased libido and affecting the availability of important brain chemicals like serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine. Imbalances in these chemicals can lead to feelings of depression, anxiety, fatigue, sleep disturbances, and changes in appetite.
While anger and anxiety are normal emotions that signal potential threats, experiencing them for extended periods is akin to driving a car with the gas pedal constantly pressed down. Eventually, this can lead to depression and a depletion of energy. Symptoms of depression resulting from prolonged anger and anxiety include a lack of pleasure, difficulty concentrating, sleep changes, eating changes, and feelings of guilt.
Depression can have various causes, but persistent anger and anxiety are major contributors. It is crucial to identify the sources of these threats and develop strategies to address them in order to rebalance brain chemicals, improve sleep, appetite, and libido, and alleviate depressive symptoms.
Depression, anxiety, and anger are interconnected emotions that arise when our brain perceives a pot