Depression and anxiety disorders are serious medical illnesses that affect around 50 million American adults.
Everyone has times when they're feeling down. For people with the medical condition called depression, feeling very sad or having no interest in activities can last for a long time. Sometimes this happens to people for no obvious reason, even when their lives are going well.
Anxiety disorders can fill people's lives with overwhelming anxiety symptoms and fear. Unlike the slight anxiety caused by a stressful event, like a business presentation or a first date, anxiety disorders are constant and can grow worse with time if not treated. Each anxiety disorder has its own specific symptoms, but what they all have in common is intense, irrational fear and dread.