Stress vs Depression
Although Stress and Depression are two words that are often understood in one and the same sense, there is a difference between them. First let us pay attention to the definitions of the two words. Stress is a kind of tension that arises from our daily dealings with the world. On the other hand, depression is a kind of change in the mood caused by biochemical imbalance. This is the main differences between stress and depression. Through this article let us examine the differences between the two in detail.
What is Stress?
As mentioned above, stress is a kind of tension that arises from our daily dealings with the world. Stress would show through physical, emotional and behavioral symptoms. It can be said that stress arises from certain factors related to our reactions to daily life such as the pressure of work in the workplace, problems in the household and such other matters.
Unlike depression, stress does not result from negative factors such as pessimism and lack of confidence. It is the direct result of overwork and paucity of time. As far as symptoms related to stress are concerned, you may experience sleeplessness, headache, palpitation of the heart, chest pain, stomach upset and the like. It is interesting to note that you may experience some symptoms related to emotion too such as forgetfulness, anxiety, worry and sadness in the case of stress.
What is Depression?
Depression is a kind of change in the mood caused by biochemical imbalance. Depression would show only through mental symptoms unlike in the case of stress where once can notice physical, emotional and behavioral symptoms. This is one of the reasons why both are looked upon alike sometimes. Depression is predominantly a result of lack of confidence, pessimism, and such other negative factors.
You may experience dangerous symptoms in the case of depression. These symptoms include abuse of alcohol or drugs and suicidal thoughts. Forgetfulness, anxiety, worry and sadness are felt in the case of depression too, they all contribute to dangerous results in depression. In short it can be said that the symptoms related to stress would not contribute to dangerous results as in the case of depression.
Some of the wild symptoms of depression are behavioral in nature, and they include eating too little, crying, isolation, anger and abuse of drugs or alcohol. Although these behavioral symptoms are seen in stress too, they do not result in negative results. They are momentary in the case of stress. On the other hand, psychologists have found out that the symptoms in the case of depression usually last very long and hence are considered negative in their impact. This highlights that depression is very much different from stress, and should not be considered as the same. The difference between the two conditions can be summarized as follows.
What is the Difference Between Stress and Depression?
Definitions of Stress and Depression:
Stress: Stress is a kind of tension that arises from our daily dealings with the world.
Depressions: Depression is a kind of change in the mood caused by biochemical imbalance.
Characteristics of Stress and Depression:
Nature of Symptoms:
Stress: Stress would show through physical, emotional and behavioral symptoms.
Depression: Depression would show only through mental symptoms.
Symptoms:
Stress: You may experience sleeplessness, headache, palpitation of the heart, chest pain, stomach upset and the like.
Depression: You may experience dangerous symptoms in the case of depression. These symptoms include abuse of alcohol or drugs and suicidal thoughts.
Causal factors:
Stress: Stress arises from certain factors related to our reactions to daily life such as the pressure of work in the workplace, problems in the household and such other matters.
Depression: Depression is predominantly a result of lack of confidence, pessimism, and such other negative factors.
Image Courtesy:
1.Green Shirt Stress Test By David Sifry (DSCN0991.JPG) [CC BY 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons
2. Depression – loss of loved one By Baker131313 (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
