Depression Symptoms And Treatment: 8 Steps To Cope With Sudden Depression And Anxiety
Sometimes, events affect you unexpectedly, bringing on a sudden attack of depression or anxiety. For example, perhaps you are making lifestyle changes, starting or ending a relationship, beginning a new weight loss regimen, or taking a new career path, and your state of mind takes an abrupt downturn. Perhaps you have noticed changes in your mood, such as increased worry and anxiety or low mood, and you don’t understand why. If so, you may be experiencing an episode of depression or anxiety. Below, we’ll explore the symptoms of depression and anxiety and strategies you can use to address these conditions.
8 steps you can take to manage sudden anxiety and depression
Sometimes, sudden anxiety or depression can hit you hard and leave you feeling overwhelmed. There are simple ways to help calm your mind, like taking deep breaths, distracting yourself, or talking to someone you trust. Remember, these feelings are temporary, and it’s okay to ask for help when you need it.
Stay calm
Feeling a sudden bout of depression or anxiety can be frightening. Doing whatever you can to stay calm may help you focus on what triggered the event and how to feel better. If possible, you might take a break from everyday activities, breathe deeply, and remember that the symptoms of these episodes are temporary.
Distract yourself to combat bouts of sudden depression and anxiety
Distraction through humor, exercise, and positive socializing can reduce feelings of sudden anxiety and depression.
Practice self-acceptance
A sudden change in mood can lead some people to be hard on themselves. However, accepting that you feel depressed or anxious may help you overcome the experience and seek help.
Engage in self-care to avoid mental illness
Self-care includes eating healthy foods, getting sufficient sleep, taking hot baths, and connecting with others who support you. Self-care can help you stay as healthy as possible while you address the symptoms of depression or anxiety.
Challenge negative thinking to enhance mental health
Often, when we are depressed or anxious, we engage in negative thought patterns, such as telling ourselves we are a failure or won’t ever feel good again. By challenging negative thoughts, you may find that you can reduce their impact and focus on getting to a more positive place.
Exercise to reduce depression symptoms
Physical activity often helps relieve symptoms of depression and anxiety. Exercise can include walking, jogging, practicing yoga, swimming, biking, or practicing martial arts. Exercise can reduce stress and help you relax.
Avoid alcohol, drugs, and caffeine to manage symptoms of depression
The effects of alcohol, recreational drugs, and caffeine can contribute to symptoms of depression and anxiety. If you are experiencing an adverse change in mood, avoiding these substances may help you feel better.
Reach out for help and seek treatment
Therapists use several forms of talk therapy to help people overcome depression and anxiety. Reaching out to a mental health professional is often an effective method for overcoming a sudden attack of depression or anxiety.
It is okay to admit when you're experiencing symptoms of depression or anxiety. Recognizing a problem is the first step to finding a solution. It can feel overwhelming if this is the first time you're experiencing an episode of depression or anxiety, but it can help to remember that this is not your fault and that you’re not alone. It can also be helpful to understand the symptoms of depression and anxiety as you seek solutions.
Identifying the symptoms of depression and anxiety
Depression is more than just sadness. It can make you lose interest in things you once loved and leave you feeling drained. Depression might show up as changes in your sleep, changes in appetite, or even physical aches. Anxiety often comes along, too, making you feel on edge and full of racing thoughts, so noticing these signs is the first step toward getting help.
Depression symptoms
According to the American Psychiatric Association, the symptoms of depression include:
- Persistent sadness lasting longer than two weeks
- Unexplained low energy levels, fatigue, and tiredness
- Loss of interest in previously enjoyable activities
- Weight gain or loss or appetite changes
- Decrease in mental focus
- Changes in sleep habits, such as difficulty sleeping, insomnia, or excessive sleep
- Feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness, or helplessness
- Drug or alcohol use
- Memory problems
- Physical complaints, such as headaches, body pains, and digestive problems
- Thoughts of self-harm or suicide
Anxiety symptoms may accompany a depressive episode or exist on their own. People with anxiety may experience the following symptoms:
- Irritability
- Anticipation of negative outcomes
- Tense feelings
- Difficulty concentrating
- Hypervigilance
- Tingling sensations
- Racing thoughts
- Chest pain
Physical anxiety symptoms can include sweating, muscle tension, diarrhea or upset stomach, unexplained aches and pains, insomnia, a pounding heartbeat, shaking, dizziness, shortness of breath, and panic attacks.
Understanding what causes sudden depression and anxiety
There are many possible reasons why anxiety or depression occurs suddenly. An anxiety or depression attack may be due to experiencing a traumatic event, a sudden loss of a job or loved one, or a significant change, such as giving birth, which can cause postpartum depression. During pregnancy and childbirth, the brain undergoes increased production of many hormones, which can result in depression. The symptoms might seem sudden, but your brain chemistry may have been changing over time in response to stress.
Sometimes, sudden changes in your mood can result from stress in daily life. High levels of stress can impact your mental health, cause a panic attack, and contribute to a greater risk of physical illnesses, including heart disease and heart attack. In addition, stress can also come from healthy lifestyle changes, such as making dietary changes or quitting smoking. Further, women experiencing premenstrual syndrome (PMS) can experience depression symptoms due to hormonal changes that occur during this time. In addition, some people experience depression when they have a chronic physical illness, such as cancer.
Mood changes can also result from variations in weather patterns, such as when there is a lack of sunshine or when there is cold weather in winter. Some people experience seasonal affective disorder (SAD) when sunlight is limited.
Some people may not have a clear trigger event for how depression or anxiety started. Some can complete daily activities and communicate with others even if they feel depressed or anxious. However, untreated depression and anxiety can progress into a more severe mental illness. You can take action when noticing any changes, especially if they last longer than two weeks or you experience thoughts of self-harm.
Talking about your feelings may help
As hard as it may be to open up to someone, it may bring relief to get emotional support for your feelings. In addition, gaining insight from a trusted friend or family member can help put your situation into perspective. If you don't know someone with whom you feel comfortable talking, consider consulting a doctor or a mental health professional.
Treatment options for depression and anxiety
When left untreated, depression and anxiety can worsen and affect your overall well-being. You may benefit from seeing a mental health professional as soon as possible to obtain a diagnosis and receive the appropriate treatment to overcome depression symptoms that last longer than two weeks. Studies have shown that medication, psychotherapy, or a combination of these are practical options for relieving symptoms of depression and anxiety.
BetterHelp currently accepts HSA/FSA cards and is recognized as an eligible expense by most HSA/FSA providers. Get started today.
Online therapy for mental health: Help for mental illness and symptoms of depression
Online therapy through a platform such as BetterHelp is a convenient, flexible choice for treating symptoms of sudden anxiety and depression. Research shows online therapy is as effective as seeing a therapist in person for many mental health conditions, including anxiety and depression.
In addition, online therapy is often more convenient than in-person sessions because you can often connect with a therapist via audio, video, and in-app messaging without taking time out of your life to commute to an office. This may be especially useful if symptoms of depression make it difficult to leave home. Also, you don’t have to have a diagnosis such as major depressive disorder to benefit from speaking to a therapist about what you’re experiencing.
Takeaway
What do sudden depression and anxiety mean?
An individual may experience a sudden anxiety and depressive episode in response to a traumatic life experience, such as a major loss or change. Anxiety disorders and mood disorders like depression are distinct categories of mental health conditions, but they can often co-occur. For instance, a 2015 study states that approximately half of patients with post-traumatic stress disorder also have major depression.
Is there such a thing as sudden-onset depression?
Yes, a person may experience a sudden depression for any number of reasons. Traumatic life changes, such as divorce, death, or loss, can bring on symptoms, as can pregnancy and childbirth. Postpartum depression can occur due to hormonal changes as well as the huge life change of becoming a parent. Certain medical conditions, such as chronic illness and hormonal changes, may also cause symptoms of depression, including feeling restless or irritable, feeling hopeless, losing interest in previously enjoyed activities, and experiencing changes in sleep and appetite.
How long does sudden depression last?
The duration of a depressive episode can vary depending on several factors, such as the age of the individual, the severity of their symptoms, and the presence of other psychiatric disorders. The key to recovering from a depressive episode is to seek depression treatment right away. There are effective ways to treat depression, and when you leave depression untreated, there can be negative consequences. In certain cases, untreated depression can lead to substance abuse (self-medication), disrupted relationships, and self-harm.
What causes random spurts of depression?
Both biological factors (such as hormonal changes) and environmental factors (such as trauma) can be causes of a sudden depressive episode.
Is sudden sadness normal?
It can be. Sudden feelings of sadness can occur due to major life changes. They may even happen at unexpected times, as delayed reactions to trauma. For example, if you lose someone, you may be able to cope with the loss for some time and feel like you have everything together. However, you may find that months down the road, you start crying all the time and experience feelings of extreme sadness.
Sadness, worry, and anxious feelings can be normal, but if you are experiencing symptoms of depression or severe anxiety, reach out to a mental health professional. They can provide a proper diagnosis and treatment, and can help you develop coping strategies to manage your symptoms.
What is a sudden mental breakdown?
A mental breakdown is a reaction to trauma. In some cases of trauma or extreme stress, you may find that you can power through for a while without negative consequences. Then, suddenly, your mental health takes a steep downward turn. You may find that it becomes difficult to focus and notice racing or intrusive thoughts, feelings of extreme sadness, or physical symptoms. For example, post-traumatic stress disorder can develop shortly after witnessing or experiencing a traumatic event, such as a serious accident, military conflict, or a violent personal attack. However, in some cases, it can take months or even years for symptoms to develop.
Common symptoms of PTSD include flashbacks of past trauma, intrusive memories, memory loss, avoidance of certain situations or activities, ongoing fear, and hypervigilance. Some people with PTSD may also experience suicidal ideation or thoughts of self-harm. SAMHSA’s national helpline offers 24/7 information for treatment help. For crisis help, you can contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline any time, day or night, to speak to a volunteer.
How do you deal with sudden sadness?
There are several ways you can cope with sudden sadness. Emotional support from close friends and loved ones can help. You may also choose to seek professional help from a therapist to talk through your feelings. Healthy lifestyle habits and self-care practices can also help you cope with feelings of loneliness and sadness. This includes things like regular exercise, a balanced and healthy eating plan, getting outside, and mindfulness activities like meditation or deep breathing.
What triggers depression and anxiety?
There are different triggers for depression. Sometimes, it can be purely biological, like a hormonal change. Other times, it can be some sort of life change, like the death of a loved one, a serious breakup, or losing a job. In some cases (like postpartum depression), it can be a combination of both. Pre-existing mental health conditions, such as schizophrenia, anxiety disorders, or personality disorders, can also increase the risk of developing depression.
Anxiety disorders are also likely caused by interlocking factors, including genetic, environmental, and developmental factors. Both anxiety and depression are common mental health conditions. Data collected by the National Center for Health Statistics on the prevalance of anxiety and depression shows that in 2022, 18.2% of adults reported experiencing symptoms of anxiety in the past two weeks, and 21.4% reported experiencing symptoms of depression.
There may also be a relationship between depression and anxiety. Research published in the American Journal of Psychiatry in 2020 assessed the link between anxiety and depression and found that 45.7% of patients with lifetime major depression also had a lifetime history of at least one anxiety disorder.
Is depression sudden or gradual?
Depression can present slowly or suddenly. Some people with depression have lived with it their whole life and may have recurring episodes. Others may be hit suddenly with a period of depression caused by some sort of trauma, hormonal change, or illness.
Will depression end on its own, or does it need treatment?
It may or may not, depending on the severity of the depression. In some cases, mild depression may resolve on its own. However, treatment is often necessary for moderate to severe depression. A mental health professional will conduct tests to measure the severity of an individual’s symptoms and determine an appropriate course of treatment. Depression treatment often involves psychotherapy, antidepressant medicine, or a combination of the two.
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