Is It Anxiety, Depression, or Both? (And Does It Even Matter?)
You're tired all the time. But your mind won't stop racing.
You don't feel like doing anything. But you also can't relax.
Some days you're wound so tight you can barely breathe. Other days you feel flat, empty, like you're just going through the motions.
You've tried to figure out what's wrong. Is this anxiety? Depression? Burnout? Something else entirely? You've probably taken a few online quizzes. Maybe you've googled your symptoms more times than you'd like to admit.
And you're still not sure what to call it.
Here's the thing: you don't need to have it figured out before you seek help. In fact, trying to diagnose yourself can sometimes get in the way of actually feeling better.
Can You Have Anxiety and Depression at the Same Time?
Yes—and it's incredibly common. Research suggests that more than half of people who experience one will also experience the other. They're not opposite ends of a spectrum. They often show up together, sometimes taking turns and sometimes blending into each other.
This is confusing because we tend to think of anxiety as "too much" (too much worry, too much energy, too much alertness) and depression as "not enough" (not enough motivation, not enough joy, not enough energy). How can you have both at once?
But if you've lived it, you know. You can feel completely exhausted and still lie awake at 2 a.m. with your thoughts spinning. You can dread everything on your calendar while also feeling too flat to care about anything. You can be running on empty and still feel like your nervous system is on high alert.
If that sounds familiar, you're not imagining things. And you're definitely not alone.
What Does It Feel Like When Anxiety and Depression Overlap?
It often feels like being stuck—exhausted but unable to rest, unmotivated but unable to stop worrying. The combination can be particularly draining because you're dealing with two things at once, and they sometimes feed each other.
Some people describe it as:
• Feeling wired and tired at the same time
• Having no motivation but constant dread
• Wanting to withdraw but fearing what people will think
• Being too exhausted to do anything but too anxious to relax
• Feeling numb and overwhelmed in the same breath
The overlap can also make it harder to recognize what you're dealing with. If you think of depression as lying in bed all day and anxiety as panic attacks, you might not see yourself in either picture—even when you're struggling significantly.
Why Is It So Hard to Tell the Difference Between Anxiety & Depression?
Because anxiety and depression share a lot of symptoms. Sleep problems, difficulty concentrating, irritability, fatigue, changes in appetite—these show up in both. The line between them isn't always clear, even to professionals.
There's also the way they interact. Anxiety that goes on long enough can lead to depression—you get worn down from constantly being on edge. And depression can trigger anxiety—when you're already struggling, the fear of falling further behind or letting people down can become overwhelming.
For high-functioning people especially, both can be easy to hide. You might look completely fine at work, manage your responsibilities, even seem "put together" to everyone around you. But internally? You're exhausted, worried, and wondering how long you can keep this up.
Does It Actually Matter What I Call It?
Not as much as you might think. What matters is that you're struggling—and that you get the right support. You don't need a perfect label to start feeling better.
Labels can be helpful. For some people, having a name for what they're experiencing brings relief. It helps them feel less alone, gives them language to explain their experience, and can point toward treatment options.
But labels can also become a barrier. Some people spend so much time trying to figure out whether they "qualify" for anxiety or depression that they delay getting help. They think, "Maybe it's not bad enough" or "I don't fit the textbook definition, so maybe I'm just being dramatic."
Here's what I want you to know: if you're struggling, you deserve support. Period. You don't have to earn it by meeting certain criteria or proving that your symptoms are "serious enough."
What Actually Helps When You're Dealing With Both?
Therapy that addresses the whole picture—not just symptoms, but the underlying patterns driving them. Good therapy doesn't just treat "anxiety" or "depression" as separate problems. It helps you understand what's happening beneath the surface.
Often, anxiety and depression share common roots. They might both trace back to early experiences that shaped how you see yourself and the world. They might be connected to patterns of perfectionism, people-pleasing, or self-criticism that have been running in the background for years.
When therapy helps you understand those deeper patterns, both the anxiety and depression often start to shift. Not because you're treating two separate problems, but because you're addressing the source.
Approaches like insight-oriented therapy, Internal Family Systems, and EMDR can be particularly helpful because they go beyond symptom management. They help you understand yourself more deeply and create the conditions for real, lasting change.
When Should I Get Help From a Counselor?
Now is a fine time. You don't have to wait until things get worse or until you've figured out exactly what's wrong.
If you're:
• Tired of feeling this way
• Struggling to enjoy things you used to enjoy
• Worried more than you'd like to be
• Finding it hard to be present with the people you care about
• Wondering if this is just how life is supposed to feel
...those are all good enough reasons to reach out. You don't need a crisis. You don't need a diagnosis. You just need to want something different.
Therapy for Anxiety and Depression in Lee's Summit, Missouri
At Aspire Counseling, we work with adults who are tired of feeling stuck between anxious and exhausted. You don't have to have it all figured out before you call. Our therapists will meet you where you are and help you understand what's actually going on—not just slap a label on it.
Our Lee's Summit office is located near I-470, just minutes from downtown Lee's Summit, Blue Springs, Independence, Grandview, and the greater Kansas City area. We also offer online therapy throughout Missouri.
If you're ready to feel like yourself again—or maybe discover who that even is—we're here.
Call: (816) 287-1116
Or: Fill out our online contact form
About the Author
Jessica Oliver, LCSW, is the founder and Clinical Director of Aspire Counseling, with offices in Lee's Summit and Columbia, Missouri. Since founding the practice in 2017, she has worked with countless adults who came in unsure whether they were dealing with anxiety, depression, or something else entirely—and left understanding themselves in a whole new way.
