Do I have depression or anxiety

[Tryinhard]

I’ve been taking anti depressants on and off since the age of 16. My counsellor has told me that she thinks I suffer from anxiety as opposed to depression. I tend to agree but the anti depressants are a big part of my life, are they really what I need though? I worry about everyone and everything. Never feel I’m good enough and yearn for other people’s approval. When things get hard I just go to bed and sleep

[monkey_magic]

Hi there Tryinghard,

From what you've described it sounds like you have low self esteem. Going to bed when things get hard isn't the best way to character build so I suggest you face those hard obstacles or challenges. Taking the easy way out won't change your depression or anxiety, which ever one you have or both.

I've had both depression and anxiety but I do things to improve both of those. It can get easier and can be overcome. I think worry comes from an emotional state so I would do things to help yourself emotionally.

I know you asked whether you've got depression or anxiety but there isn't enough information written. You also didn't ask for solutions but I've given some anyway.

Good luck with it all. I hope it gets better and easier for you.

[geoff]

hello Tryinhard, I'm certainly not someone qualified to say, but for me, anxiety and depression go hand in hand together, maybe your anxiety is much stronger than depression, but I can't give you a diagnosis, but you have to believe what your counsellor has said to you.
What I would be doing is writing down everything that you believe maybe a trigger for downward spiral, plus can I ask you to do the K-10 test,it's a test on whether or not you have depression and if so to what degree, it won't hurt, but please do it several times, not one straight after the other, but different times of the day, when you feel your worst and when you feel just OK.
Antidepressants (ADs) combined with counselling is the best way to tackle your anxiety because there could be many other reasons why you have it, but this is where you need a counsellor to ask all those difficult questions. Geoff.

[Tryinhard]

Thanks Geoff. The tests show I’m high risk with my answers. I know there are lots of factors in my life, addicted to gambling is one, that have me feeling the way I do. Unfortunately I’ve done wrongful thInto to gain money to gamble and now been found out. The thought of what my future holds is making me more anxious and depressed

[geoff]

hi Tryinhard, thanks for getting back to me and trusting me to open up.
If these tests show that you are high risk with your answers, then this shows that you may have more than anxiety, and that's why this particular illness then creates depression.
If I can explain a little bit more, the more you worry the more you are going to get down in moods, that's when depression takes over.
I'm so sorry that you have gained money by defection, unfortunately that is caused by an addiction that has the power to do this, but please never think I'm going to leave you OK.
If you want to please get back to me. Geoff.

[Tryinhard]

Hi Geoff your right my anxiety and mood is getting so low, I can’t stop crying and worrying. The thought of a police interview makes me feel ill. You don’t think of the consequences when your being deceitful and now reality has come crashing down. I don’t know if I’m strong enough to face this to the end