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Agitated Depression: Things You Need to Know About It
Imagine a person with depression. What do you think about it? The person is sad, has low energy, and is not motivated to do anything. But what about agitated depression ? Imagine a person with sadness but high anxiety who does not want to sit still. The person walks from place to place, talks excessively, and takes hasty actions.
People with agitated depression have brains like race cars, constantly running and are anxious. It is as if the person is sad, but has a lot of energy with anxiety and restlessness.
What is agitation?
In agitation, people experience restlessness, impulsivity, and immediate emotional reactions to ordinary stimuli. It is as if a person does not want to exhibit aggressive behavior, but the agitation makes them do so. Agitation is the feeling of restlessness, but sometimes also suffocation.
For example:
You are teaching and a student drops his/her pencil. Due to agitation, you will show impulsive behavior in the form of aggression and start moving from one place to another. If you try to stop, you will not be able to do so because your thoughts are in a hurry.
What is agitated depression?
In agitated depression, the symptoms are the same, such as sadness and low motivation, but nervousness and hyperactivity are the icing on the cake. Agitated depression throws the individual in two opposite directions.
The mind pulls towards inertia and empty feelings.
The body is drawn to constant movement and pace around corners. The mind wants to rest, and the body is hyperactive, moving and wandering everywhere. The person shows aggression over insignificant things and does not let things go without a fight.
That is why the person’s movements are not logical. They talk excessively and anxiously without any meaningful outcome. In short, when the individual exhibits depression symptoms to physical symptoms due to anxious thoughts, agitated depression becomes an issue.
Symptoms of agitated depression
People with agitated depression have some distinct symptoms that set them apart from typical depression sufferers. Here are the following:
Constant restlessness:
Anxious thoughts make people with agitated depression unable to sit still. They want to move continuously and don’t know why. Continuous leg movement while sitting or shaking the head is an example of agitated depression.
Cruel behavior:
When people are sad and aggressive at the same time and don’t let go of things easily, it’s a potential example of agitated depression. People show frustration over small things and can’t control themselves from doing so.
Hasty thoughts:
In agitated depression, individuals have a multitude of thoughts pulling them in different directions. They cannot concentrate on one thing. For example, if they are reading, they also think about a friend’s birthday party that is in a week.
Sleep difficulties:
Due to high levels of anxiety and restlessness, people with agitated depression struggle to sleep properly. They have disrupted sleep patterns and find themselves wide awake in the middle of the night. Agitated depression can also cause insomnia if left uncontrolled for a prolonged period.
Physical anxiety:
Leg movements, hand rubbing, and teeth grinding are common in agitated depression. Restlessness and anxious thoughts begin to be reflected in the body. As a result, the individual exhibits abnormal bodily actions such as these.
Causes of excited depression
Agitated depression has many triggers. When these triggers are not controlled, agitated depression runs rampant. Here are some basic reasons for it.
Traumatic event:
Any event that the person had not been able to cope with before can cause agitated depression. The person’s stressful event outweighs their coping abilities, and as a result, this anxiety transforms into agitated depression.
Chemical imbalance:
Neurotransmitters in the brain are responsible for our happy and sad moods. The abnormal secretion of these chemicals also causes agitated depression in people.
Medicine:
Certain antidepressants or high doses that are not suitable for the individual due to a history of various illnesses can cause agitated depression. Some people have also reported that when they stop taking antidepressants or anxiety pills, they feel agitation along with symptoms of depression.
Bipolar disorder:
Agitated depression has a weak association with bipolar disorder due to mood swings. People suffering from bipolar disorder are more susceptible to agitated depression. In bipolar disorder, mood swings occur. Due to this condition, when energy drops, people complain of restlessness and anxious thoughts, which indicate symptoms of agitated depression.
Genetics:
Just as physical characteristics last for generations, so does mental illness. If a person’s genetic history includes significant depression and anxiety, they are also at risk for worsening depression.
Prevalence of agitated depression
Agitated depression has not yet been identified as a separate disorder in the DSM-5 because it does not have a precise definition. However, data collected from clinicians gives us a clue about its prevalence.
Studies have shown that people with major depression are at the highest risk of suffering from agitated depression. As victims of major depression, between 7% and 60% of people also exhibit symptoms of irritable depression.
Treatment of agitated depression
Agitated depression is manageable, and both medication and therapy can be helpful. Here are the treatments below:
Drug:
The medications that psychiatrists prescribe help balance the chemicals in the brain that cause overreactivity. As a result, people with agitated depression feel sad or show extreme aggression in everyday situations. Psychiatrists also recommend antidepressants and mood-stabilizing medications to help regulate emotions and maintain calm in agitated depression.
Cognitive behavioral therapy:
CBT is an effective therapy for managing agitated depression. The psychologist redirects the zigzag thought pattern to smooth out the thought process and create positive self-talk. Through therapy, the individual learns to deal with negative thinking in an optimistic way.
Family therapy:
Through family therapy, the support people receive to manage their illness is unparalleled. It becomes easier for an individual to handle daily tasks when the family is aware of how to deal with deviant behaviors in an individual suffering from agitated depression.
Common questions
How is professional help effective in managing agitated depression?
Agitated depression is challenging to deal with when you don’t have professional support. You get confused because of the scattered information you get from different sources.A psychiatrist helps people with agitated depression identify triggers and work on strengths and Weaknesses.
Is agitated depression different from regular depression?
Yes, it is. In regular depression, there is sadness and low motivation. In contrast, agitated depression comes with restlessness, aggression, lack of concentration, and racing thoughts.
Can children or teenagers suffer from agitated depression?
Yes, children can also have agitated depression, but adults are more vulnerable to it. Symptoms can also vary between children and adults.
Can upset depression come back after treatment?
It can easily be triggered if the treatment plan is not followed properly. Even after therapies and medication, the individual must maintain a specific lifestyle to manage agitated depression.
Can agitated depression lead to other mental health problems?
Yes, if it is not controlled. Agitated depression can lead to serious interpersonal conflicts and can affect both personal and professional life. So it is mandatory to visit a doctor.