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Depression and Aging (Part 1): Why Talk About Depression?

Depression is a mental health disease that can touch any of us at all stages of life.  However, it is particularly prevalent in the elderly, and is in fact the most common psychological disorder late in life.  Depression affects over 6 million older adults.  And yet, in this population, depression is often ignored or overlooked, as its symptoms can be confused with other physical ailments.

In this week’s post — the first of a 3-part series we are doing on depression and aging — we want to discuss  WHY we should talk about depression.  In the following weeks, we will discuss  WHEN to talk about depression, as well as  WHAT you should talk about.

It can be particularly difficult to talk to aging parents about depression, because members of this population often don’t have all the facts about this disease.  They are from a generation that still often holds to these common myths:

  • Depression is not a disease; it is an emotional condition caused by personal weakness
  • Depressed people cry all day
  • There is no cure for depression other than a strong will to “get over it”
  • Depression is to be expected in the elderly

Dispelling these myths is a good reason to talk to aging loved ones about depression if you expect they are at risk.  Here are some other good reasons to talk to them about depression:

  • Depression is a treatable disease.  More than 80% of people who receive treatment experience significant improvement.
  • Depression is much more than a feeling of sadness.  The symptoms can also include nervousness, anxiety, sleep problems, loss of appetite, and physical aches and pains without identifiable cause.
  • Depression is not part of normal aging.
  • Depression can be more isolating and socially debilitating than any other chronic illness.
  • Depression can be deadly.  The rate of suicide among people over 80 is up to 6x the rate of suicide in teenagers or young adults.
  • Depression negatively affects all members of the family.  Other members of the family often find it very difficult to live with a depressed person and soon lose patience and compassion.
  • If not treated, depression can have a profound effect on the physical health of an elderly person by exacerbating all other medical illnesses.  It can increase cognitive impairment and intensify pain and other medical symptoms.  It can also cause a person to neglect necessary medical care.
  • Depression often goes undiagnosed because its symptoms are similar to other medical conditions common in the elderly.  Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and mini-strokes, for example, can cause symptoms that mimic depression, such as lethargy, sleep impairment, difficulty concentrating, self-pity, brooding, pessimism, and loss of appetite.

All of the above reasons can be summed up by this one underlying fact:  unless you talk about the disease of depression with your parents or other loved ones when you see they are at risk, the problem is unlikely to be diagnosed and treated.

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