Depression In Older Persons?

Q.Symptoms Causes Treatments Resources What is clinical depression? Why does depression in the older population go untreated? What are the symptoms of depression in older people?

A.Clinical depression is a biologically-based brain disorder that affects one's thoughts, feelings, behavior, and physical health. It is an "affective disorder," which means that changes in mood occur in the depressed person. Clinical depression does not discriminate -- it can develop in anyone at any age. Depression is a serious medical illness that affects more than 11.6 million Americans, including older persons, in any given year. Of these people, less than one third actually seek treatment for their illness. As the population grows older, untreated depression among senior citizens is becoming a more widespread problem. The depressed older person often mistakes his or her feelings of symptoms for dementia or the normal aging process. Many older people and their families don't recognize the symptoms of depression, aren't aware that it is a medical illness, and don't know how it is treated. Also, many older people think that depression is a character flaw and are worried about being stigmatized, so they blame themselves for their illness and are too ashamed to get help. Others worry that treatment would be too costly. It should be noted, too, that depression is also a side effect of some medications commonly prescribed to older persons, such as medications to treat hypertension. Symptoms in older persons may differ somewhat from symptoms in other populations. Depression in older people is often characterized by memory problems, confusion, social withdrawal, loss of appetite, inability to sleep, irritability, and, in some cases, delusions and hallucinations. Older depressed individuals often have severe feelings of sadness, but these feelings are not acknowledged or openly shown. Thinking that depression is an inevitable sign of aging, many older individuals ignore or deny their symptoms. The commonly believed myth that depression comes naturally with old age is not true. Clinical depression is an illness that needs medical attention just like any other illness. How can clinical depression be distinguished from normal sadness and grief? It's natural to feel grief in the face of major life changes like those so many older people experience, such as leaving a home of many years or losing a loved one. Sadness and grief are perfectly normal temporary reactions to the inevitable losses and hardships of life. Unlike normal sadness, however, clinical depression doesn't go away by itself. It needs to be treated professionally. Any unresolved depression can affect the immune system, which makes the depressed individual more susceptible to other illnesses. This complication is often found in older individuals.

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