Anxious depression.

Abstract

Depression and anxiety often coexist. When they co-occur, both anxiety and depression appear to be more severe. Increased morbidity, poorer acute and long-term outcome, increased suicide risk, and increased treatment resistance are associated with comorbid anxiety and depression. The term anxious depression has taken on newer meaning with the changes in the diagnostic system that allow for concurrent diagnosis of anxiety disorders and major depression. Attention to the subtype of both anxiety and depression could have significant effects on treatment choice by the clinician. The authors review some historical aspects of anxious depression and also highlight some of the advances in differential diagnosis and treatment of coexisting depression and anxiety.