No one really likes to talk about depression. However, it’s an important topic, especially for seniors because depression in older adults often can go undiagnosed and untreated. Could you be experiencing depression? If so, you are not alone, but you can get help, and you can get better.
Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that as many as 13% of older adults experience depression.[1] Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020, which forced many seniors into isolation and may have claimed the lives of loved ones, the number of seniors with depression has likely risen.
What is Depression?
Depression is a treatable medical condition, like high blood pressure, and it can impact how you feel, think and manage your daily life. Depression is different from normal feelings of sadness or grief when you experience loss. When you have depression, you are likely to struggle for days or weeks because it’s not something you can just “snap out of.” Instead, depression is a real illness, and most people who experience it need treatment to get better.
Possible Causes and Risk Factors
There are many reasons seniors are at risk for depression. Here are some of the most common.
- Medical conditions. Several common senior ailments, such as diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, cancer and Parkinson’s disease, can make you more likely to suffer from depression. Other health issues, such as chronic pain, limited mobility and reduced blood flow, also can be related to depression. [2]
- Medications. Some medications prescribed to treat health conditions common among aging adults may have side effects that lead to or worsen depression symptoms.[3]
- Lack of sleep. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine reports that approximately 10% of American adults struggle to sleep, and lack of sleep is often related to depression.[4] Aging adults may be at higher risk for insomnia due to other health conditions and, therefore, at higher risk for depression.
Five Common Symptoms
The symptoms of depression in aging adults often seem similar to symptoms of other medical conditions, so depression could easily be misdiagnosed. However, if you have any of these symptoms for more than a week or two—or if the symptoms don’t improve with treatment—you may be experiencing depression.
- Feeling hopeless or worthless
The aging process can naturally lead to these feelings from time to time, but if the feelings continue for days or seem to be worsening rather than getting better, that is cause for concern. - Sudden loss of interest in what you used to enjoy
It’s natural to give up activities you can no longer do, such as strenuous yard work, but when you lose interest in activities you like and can still do, you may be experiencing depression. - Unusual irritability
If you’re not prone to being cranky but suddenly find yourself getting angry at things that never used to be a bother, depression could be the source of your uncharacteristic irritation. - Weight loss or weight gain
A few pounds up or down are not unusual, but excessive weight gain or weight loss might indicate over or under-eating as a way to handle depression. - A focus on death or thoughts of suicide
We all know death is inevitable, but thinking about it constantly and/or thinking about making it happen are serious symptoms that require immediate medical care.
Talk to Your Doctor
If there’s a chance you are struggling with depression, remember that it’s nothing to be ashamed of. Talk to your doctor, especially if you are being treated for other health issues.
If you’re uneasy bringing it up, you can get the conversation started by simply saying you haven’t been feeling like yourself. Your physician may be able to help you make simple changes, such as different medications, to improve your mental health and your quality of life.
[1] Alzheimer’s Disease and Healthy Aging; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; https://www.cdc.gov/aging/depression/index.html
[2] Depression and Older Adults; National Institute on Aging; https://www.mhanational.org/depression-older-adults-more-facts#1
[3] Depression and Older Adults; National Institute on Aging; https://www.mhanational.org/depression-older-adults-more-facts#1
[4] Insomnia Awareness Night Sheds Light on Sleeplessness (2021); https://sleepeducation.org/insomnia-awareness-night-sheds-light-sleeplessness/
S7694_21-6326_enewsletter 2021_C Reviewed 07/01/21
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