Depression & Anxiety Specialist

Do neurological disorders cause depression and anxiety?

Many neurological conditions, including strokes, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, traumatic brain injuries, and dementia, can directly cause anxiety and depression. Some of the symptoms associated with depression and anxiety, like fatigue, nausea, dizziness, and headaches, may signal a serious nerve disorder.

It’s also natural to feel depressed or anxious as you face the ongoing challenges of your neurological condition, whether you deal with chronic pain, fatigue, movement disorders, or seizures.

What symptoms develop if I have anxiety?

Everyone feels anxious or worried from time to time, like when you face an exam, or it’s the first day on a new job. This type of normal anxiety serves a valuable role that focuses your energy on the task at hand.

When you have more severe anxiety or an anxiety disorder, your fear doesn’t go away, and your body stays on alert. You may feel dread most of the day, experience intolerable anxiety in certain circumstances, or purposefully avoid situations that cause anxiety.

Many people with anxiety become hypervigilant and develop symptoms such as restlessness, difficulty concentrating, digestive problems, and tremors. 

Depression and anxiety commonly cause physical pain, including:

• Headaches
• Back pain
• Neck pain
• Muscle aches

Ongoing anxiety can lead to a panic attack, which comes on suddenly and causes symptoms like chest pain, difficulty breathing, and dizziness.

What symptoms develop if I have depression?

Depression is more than feeling blue. When you’re depressed, you may have overwhelming feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and worthlessness. Depression causes extreme fatigue and makes you lose interest in the activities you used to enjoy, including spending time with family and friends.

Most people with depression have a hard time concentrating. They also eat more or less than usual, and they either can’t sleep or sleep too much. Severe or long-lasting depression makes people think about dying or suicide.

How do neurologists treat depression and anxiety? 

The team at Complete Neurological Care focuses on treating the whole person, which includes diagnosing and treating depression and anxiety. They first perform a comprehensive exam and neurological testing to identify any neurological conditions.

In addition to treating your neurologic condition, they prescribe medications to help with depression and anxiety. Your provider may also refer you to a trusted mental health professional for counseling, stress management, or other treatments.

Receiving treatment at Complete Neurological Care for the condition that influences your mental state, causing anxiety or depression, is also imperative.

If you have symptoms of anxiety or depression, call Complete Neurological Care, or schedule an appointment online today.