Feeling blue and down in the dumps once in a while is quite common. But when this depression starts to overtake your day to day life and hinders normal functioning, then it is time to seek professional help. Depression is medically described as a combination of various negative emotions like sadness, lack of self-worth, lack of self-confidence and discouragement.
Shocking Facts about Elderly and Depression
Your 65th birthday seems to be the tipping point with regard to depression. Statistics reveal that around 6 million or more of elderly folks, 65 years of age or beyond, are suffering from depression. Sadly, only 10 % of the total cases actually receive proper medical treatment. [1] The reasons for delay or denial of treatment to elderly folks could be numerous. First of all depression symptoms could be mistaken for a variety of other common health disorders in this age group. Secondly many seniors may exhibit symptoms of depression differently than the general population.
Depression can worsen the outcome of other health disorders that are concurrently present in the elderly like heart troubles and also increases the chances of dying from illness.
National Institute of Mental Health has branded elderly depression as a major public health concern, since elderly depression in folks aged between 80 and 84, carry double risk of ending in suicide.
Symptoms and Signs of Elderly Depression
- Problems associated with many functions like recalling facts to memory, decision making, concentrating, and focusing
- Increased amount of fatigue and a general lack of energy and stamina
- Constant feeling of guilt or worthlessness
- Sense of abandonment or not being needed by loved ones
- Irritability, temper issues and restless behavior
- Diminished libido or problems in sexual life like erectile dysfunction or frigidity.
- Eating disorders
- Inordinate weight gain or weight loss
- Sleep disorders
- Persistent feelings of gloom and sadness.
- Attempts at suicide or talking about suicidal plans
- Multiple pains, aches and discomforts all over the body.
- Gender- Females are more prone to elderly depression than males
- Marital Status- Risk shoots up if the status is single, divorced, widower/ widow.
- Presence of other serious illnesses like heart disease, cancer, diabetes, dementia etc
- Recent death of spouse or children.
- History of substance abuse, family history of depression or history of suicidal attempts
- Recent emotional strain like having to undergo surgery, amputation etc
- Loneliness and social withdrawal
- Side effect of certain medications
Conditions That Increase Risk of Elderly Depression
- Gender- Females are more prone to elderly depression than males
- Marital Status- Risk shoots up if the status is single, divorced, widower/ widow.
- Presence of other serious illnesses like heart disease, cancer, diabetes, dementia etc
- Recent death of spouse or children.
- History of substance abuse, family history of depression or history of suicidal attempts
- Recent emotional strain like having to undergo surgery, amputation etc
- Loneliness and social withdrawal
- Side effect of certain medications
Treatment of Elderly Depression
There are different types of treatment available to tackle the problem of elderly depression. Each of the methods may be used either singly or in combination with the others according to relevance of each case.
- Medications
Anti-depressive medications are quite helpful in many cases. But medications can prove to be dangerous due to interaction with other medications that the patient is already consuming for some other health disorder like heart troubles or hypertension.
- Psychotherapy
This is preferred by many elderly patients and their medical providers because of the convenience of treatment without resorting to risky medications.
- Electroconvulsive Therapy
This therapy is also used as an alternative to medications
Social Stigma Associated With Elderly Depression
Despite tremendous advancements in medical science and management of diseases, there is a lot of stigma associated with mental disorders in general. This stigma is comparatively more when the patient is a senior. The fear of becoming a social outcast can be so huge that it may force the elderly folks to avoid seeking medical attention or divulging about their symptoms to loved ones. Nothing can be more dangerous than leaving depression untreated or uncared for due to inherent suicidal tendencies in such cases.
Prevention is better than cure. Seniors should be encouraged to lead an active social life and intermingle actively amongst family and community members. Social interaction can go a long way in avoiding many cases of depression and emotional troubles resulting from loneliness.
References:
[1] http://www.webmd.com/depression/guide/depression-elderly
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