According to the American Psychological Association (APA), there are three different types of stress based on the duration, symptoms and triggers and can differ between individuals. Like stress, depression is very subjective based on the individual. However, the scientific community agrees that depression is a serious illness that can be chronic and needs lifelong treatments, according to the Mayo Clinic. In fact, stress can be a leading cause of depression.
Acute Stress Symptoms
According to the APA, acute stress is the most common form of stress and is caused by pressures and demands of the recent past and near future. Acute stress symptoms are typically short-term and do not cause serious damage. These symptoms are common to acute stress: emotional distress like anxiety and anger, headaches, muscle tension in the neck and back, gastrointestinal problems like nausea and diarrhea, increased sweating, elevated blood pressure and an increase in heart rate.
Episodic Acute Stress Symptoms
Episodic acute stress can be best described as episodes of acute stress due to constant worrying, pressures or demands. The symptoms associated with acute stress are also present in episodic acute stress but on a consistent basis. Episodic acute stress can cause additional symptoms like hypertension, migraines and heart disease, the APA reports.
Chronic Stress Symptoms
The APA defines chronic stress as the unrelenting, hopeless and grinding stress that can destroy minds, bodies and lives. Chronic stress worsens over time because most individuals give up and do not seek medical assistance. Chronic stress shares the same symptoms as episodic acute stress, the APA says, in addition to a few symptoms that are specific to this type of stress like stroke, cancer and suicide..
Depression Symptoms
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, depression varies between each individual and is a common illness that can become life-threatening. Depression symptoms include chronic fatigue, feelings of hopelessness, anxiety, worthlessness, guilt, thoughts of suicide, extreme changes in eating habits like loss of appetite or overeating, persistent body aches and pains, trouble with sleeping, irritability, restlessness and loss of interest in activities or hobbies.
Stress With Depression
According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), depression often coexists with other conditions like stress. NIMH reports that 40 percent of individuals suffering from post-traumatic stress also experience bouts of depression. Individuals suffering from post-traumatic stress often become depressed over reliving the traumatic experience.
Chronic stress can also lead to depression because the individual feels like there's no hope of escaping the stresses of life like dysfunctional families or homelessness. Depression can also cause stress because individuals who feel hopeless and worthless may become stressed over how to cope with life's situations. In a sense, these two disorders feed off each other. Also, these two disorders share common symptoms like anxiety, hopelessness, restlessness, irritableness, gastrointestinal issues like diarrhea and vomiting, and problems sleeping.
