What are signs of anxiety versus depression?

• A. Anxiety = restlessness, rapid speech; Depression = hopelessness, low energy
• B. Anxiety = hopelessness, fatigue; Depression = rapid speech
• C. Anxiety = slow speech; Depression = hyperactivity
• D. Anxiety = irritability, insomnia; Depression = appetite changes

Answer: (A)

The main idea is distinguishing the typical symptom patterns of anxiety versus depression. Anxiety commonly shows heightened arousal with restlessness and rapid, pressured speech as a person talks quickly and feels on edge. Depression, on the other hand, tends to produce a persistently low mood with reduced energy, leading to hopelessness and fatigue. This clean contrast—arousal signs for anxiety and reduced energy with hopelessness for depression—makes the pairing in the correct choice the best fit. While other symptoms like insomnia or appetite changes can appear in both conditions and signs may overlap, the combination of restlessness and rapid speech for anxiety versus hopelessness and low energy for depression best captures their differentiating patterns.