Behavioral Health

Navigating Depression & Anxiety

Anxiety and depression have a lot in common.

  • Understanding Depression

    Depression is a serious illness that involves the brain’s chemistry. Symptoms range from mild to severe and can vary. If left untreated, depression can rob people of their ability to fully participate in daily activities and even threaten their physical health.

  • Understanding Anxiety

    Anxiety may be as subtle as slight worry and vary to major concerns that can keep you up all night. Anxiety can lead rapid heartbeat, sweating, and an intense “fight or flight” sensation. An estimated 40 million American adults live with anxiety.

Help is Available

Whether or not you are an AZ Blue member, there are resources out there to help you find the right care.
Discover Resources

Depression: Did you know?

•Experiencing occasional sadness and “blue” days does not necessarily mean you will be diagnosed with depression.
•Clinical depression (or “major depressive disorder”) is defined as a mood disorder that causes persistent feelings of sadness and a loss of interest in daily activities.
•If your depressed mood is long-lasting, begins to feel overwhelming, causes physical symptoms, and/or interferes with your normal routine, it’s time to talk to your doctor or a mental health professional.
•Research shows that both genetics (family history) and environmental factors (life experiences, stressors, etc.) play a role in depression.
•Depression is among the most treatable of mental illnesses. Between 80% and 90% percent of people with depression eventually respond well to treatment. Talk therapy, medications, self-help strategies, and other types of clinical help have proven very effective for millions of people diagnosed with depression.

Anxiety: Did you know?

•Nervousness happens to everybody, and can actually be productive in certain situations. When nervousness becomes frequent, feels frightening, and interferes with daily activities, it might be a sign of a clinical anxiety disorder.
• Generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, phobias, and separation anxiety are all types of anxiety disorders.
•People can be diagnosed with more than one type of anxiety disorder.
•Most people who develop anxiety disorders show symptoms by the time they reach the age of 21.
•Research indicates that a family history of anxiety raises a person’s risk for developing an anxiety disorder. In addition, trauma and extreme stress can make someone more vulnerable to anxiety disorders.