Anxiety/Depression & Effect on Brain & Recovery in Pinecrest

Anxiety and depression are two of the most commonly diagnosed types of mental health disorder, and it’s estimated that more than 264 million people worldwide live with depression. They can be experienced individually, but they often occur at the same time. They also have many symptoms in common.

Common symptoms of depression include:

Low energy
Chronic fatigue
Difficulty concentrating and making decisions
Poor memory
Changes in appetite
Problems falling or staying asleep, waking up too early, or oversleeping
Loss of interest in hobbies and activities
Persistently feeling sad or empty
Feeling worthless and/or helpless

Common symptoms of anxiety include:

Restlessness
Easily fatigued
Muscle tension
Difficulty concentrating and making decisions
Racing heart
Sweaty palms
Changes in appetite
Difficulty falling or staying asleep, or waking up too early
Feeling helpless

Every patient is different, so exactly what you will experience will depend on the issues you are experiencing and how you are dealing with them.

The Effect of Anxiety and Depression On The Brain

Many people don’t realize that depression can have a real, physical impact on the brain. Some of the latest research shows that the size of specific areas of the brain can decrease in people who suffer from depression. These areas are:

The hippocampus, which plays a major role in learning and memory.
The thalamus, which is primarily responsible for relaying sensory impulses from the body to the brain.
The amygdala, which is the part of the brain that influences emotions, and in particular fear.
The frontal lobe, which is responsible for higher cognitive functions such as memory, emotions, problem-solving, motor function, impulse control, and social interaction.
The prefrontal cortex, which makes up more than 10% of the volume of the brain and is involved in executive functioning such as planning and decision-making.

Studies show that when an area of the brain shrinks, so too do the functions that are associated with that particular region. For example, if the hippocampus gets smaller, it can result in impaired memory and difficulty learning and retaining new information. Experts estimate that it takes a minimum of 8 months for anxiety and depression to cause changes to brain functionality.

One of the biggest problems is that if this is the case, depression will also cause shrinkage of the amygdala, and this can directly affect your ability to regulate your mood and emotions. This effectively enters you into a cycle of negative thought that can be extremely difficult to break. The longer you suffer from anxiety and depression, the greater their effects on your brain are likely to be and the longer it will take you to recover.

Brain Resilience

Brain resilience refers to how well your brain handles stress. This could be small, daily stressors, or significantly traumatic events. People who are resilient are able to successfully adapt and return to functioning fairly normally, even after a stressor. Unsurprisingly, many people who suffer from anxiety and depression do not have the greatest resilience. Fortunately, according to research, it is possible to change the structure and function of our brains to become more resilient to stress.

There are lots of different strategies that are said to build resilience, including using realistic optimism, utilizing social support, and undertaking regular exercise, which has been shown to not only work out the body, but also the brain. Approaches utilized by our center for these conditions include Neurofeedback, Hyperbaric Oxygen, Functional Medicine applications for hormones, immune, and inflammation components, Eye-tracking training, vestibular therapy, and Photo-biomodulation. Our dedicated team can talk to you more about brain resilience and how to build it.

To find out more about the effects of anxiety and depression on the brain, or to learn more about brain resilience, please speak to our dedicated team today at Bagnell Brain Center in Pinecrest, Florida. Feel free to give us a call at (305) 889-7488 to schedule an appointment!