Distinguishing between anxiety and depression?

Hi All (and thanks for all the kind words before!),
I was wondering if anyone here ever has a problem distinguishing between their anxiety and depression? After all these years, you'd think that I could ALWAYS tell the difference, but for the last few days I'm unsure. I find myself feeling weepy and I know that depression and anxiety can cause that. I dwell on negative thoughts, though I try not to. My Mom is 60 yrs. old, and you'd think she was 99, the way i worry that something will happen to her! I feel like a little child that wants to crawl into Mommy's lap and hide...I know that is pathetic... I'm not real thrilled at the idea of going back to the shrink/nurse-practicioner either. I feel like I'm in a box with the lid nailed shut and I can't get out...I don't have much confidence in my doctor/N.P. anymore, but I am on medicaid (I'm on disability for anx/depress.) and don't have a wide choice of options. I keep on trying to wait this episode out. What else can I do afterall? I find that I feel my best on up later into the evening-night. Maybe it's because another day has been gotten thru?
Well, all of you are peaches and I thank you all!
janet

Thank you for your kind words, Lyn!
i am so sorry about your Mom. I've often (like all the time!) wondered how I'd cope with such a loss...I just pray that should it ever come to that, I'll survive and carry on. Mom and I have a "symbiotic" relationship, according to my former therapists. They're right. She depends on me and I depend on her...both of us do so, too much, but it's always been that way since I was just born. What a loooooooong story that would be if I explained, but I won't go into it here. Anyhow, I'm going on 41 and she's only 4 months away from 60. I've always lived at home-never had a romantic relationship so certainly have had no children. I think it's better that i didn't. I might've passed this on to them or I might've been an overly protective Mom to the extreme. Not good. But I love children dearly and they seem to like me. I love my nieces and cousins. Ah, I'm getting way out there with this yakking! Ugh!
Anyhow, I appreciate your comments and I also wish all the best for you!
janet

It seems for me that they both get kind of jumbled into one.  When my anxiety gets bad; I get depressed, and then get really negative and then I stop feeling as anxious when I cry a lot, but then I slip into a deep depression.  So I know what you mean and it's hard to tell the difference sometimes, but neither here nor there, we suffer from both of the disorders (a/p & depression), and sometimes it's hard to get through the day.  I would have to say is just wake up in the morning with a smile on your face and think positive.

I try to stay positive even in the worse of times, when my anxiety/panic is at it's worst, or when I'm extremely depressed.  I know it's hard, but you'll pull through.

We're all here for you.  :)

BTW- I'm always worried about my mother as well, because she still smokes and I wish she would quit for her health, and sometimes I worry that she may develop Alzheimers because her mom had it and then I panic for her health and yeah... well that's A/P for ya LOL

So then I calm down, clear my mind, and just meditate.  (or try to)

Sincerely,

Twiggygal