You are not alone, mood and anxiety concerns are very common, and there is help!
Depression
According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), an estimated 8.3% of all adults in the United States had at least one major depressive episode in 2021. For adolescents, that rate jumps to an estimated 20.1% of the U.S. population aged 12 to 17. And these numbers only represent those displaying full criterion for Major Depressive Disorder; there are multiple levels of depression, with varying degrees of duration and severity.
Symptoms of Depression can include:
- Persistent sad, anxious, or “empty” mood
- Feelings of hopelessness or pessimism
- Feelings of irritability, frustration, or restlessness
- Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness
- Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities
- Decreased energy, fatigue, or feeling slowed down
- Difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions
- Difficulty sleeping, waking early in the morning, or oversleeping
- Changes in appetite or unplanned weight changes
- Physical aches or pains, headaches, cramps, or digestive problems that do not have a clear physical cause and do not go away with treatment
- Thoughts of death or suicide or suicide attempts
Anxiety
An estimated 31.1% of U.S. adults experience any anxiety disorder at some time in their lives and an estimated 31.9% of adolescents had any anxiety disorder. There are several ways anxiety can manifest, and, like with depression, on a spectrum of severity.
Symptoms of Anxiety can include:
- Feeling restless, wound-up, or on-edge
- Being easily fatigued
- Having difficulty concentrating
- Being irritable
- Having headaches, muscle aches, stomachaches, or unexplained pains
- Difficulty controlling feelings of worry
- Having sleep problems, such as difficulty falling or staying asleep
- Pounding or racing heart
- Sweating
- Trembling or tingling
- Chest pain
- Feelings of impending doom
- Feelings of being out of control
- Phobias
- Social anxiety