Depression in the Elderly

Where have all the flowers gone,
Long time passing,
Where have all the flowers gone,
Long time ago;
Where have all the flowers gone,
Young girls picked them everyone;
When will they ever learn, oh when
Will they ever learn?

A song lamenting war, this is also a song about the cycle of life: birth, growth, creating, remembrance, passing, and renewal.

As we grow older we accumulate a lifetime of memories, good and not so good-sometimes memories of losses, grief and failure.In addition, our minds and bodies grow more susceptible to noxious environments, less flexible, and probably more debilitated. As we pass the age of 65-70, we become increasingly vulnerable to depression - minor depression (dysthymia) to major depression.

About 15-25% of the elderly will experience at least mild to moderate depression during some period in the remainder of their life.Women experience this more (up to twice the rate) than men, although this gender difference is disappearing. Major depression can lead to thoughts or acts of suicide. Older adults commit suicide at a rate of three times that of younger adults and this does not include deaths from not eating, “accidents", medication non-compliance, etc. The good news is almost all depression is imminently treatable successfully. The undeniable fact is, however, only about one in ten of the depressed elderly seek such treatment.

What is depression? It ranges from mild (2-3 symptoms over a week to months) to moderate (2-3 symptoms over 2 years), to significant/severe (5 or more symptoms for weeks to months).

Some causes of depression in the elderly (These may also be causes/precipitants of depression in the younger adult but this listing emphasizes elder adult experiences) are:

• Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) - Characterized as episodic depression associated with the fall or winter months with periods of normal mood during the summer. Sometimes light therapy is helpful as well as antidepressants.
• Depression secondary to prescribed medications. Drugs to treat heart or blood pressure conditions, ulcers, digestive problems, muscle relaxants and steroids for example may cause or precipitate depression. Ask your pharmacist if your medication may cause depressive symptoms.
• Depression secondary to chronic physical illness and/or pain.
• Loss of physical or mental function; significant others, grieving.
• Depression secondary to chronic emotional stress from most any source.
• General types of depression causes that originate within us (genetic predisposition to a medical illness related to changes in brain chemicals that regulate mood) or outside ourselves (stress, trauma, etc.)

If you have a question or need some answers relative to your mood, please talk with a mental health professional, your physician, or a medical care provider. Admitting a problem is halfway home to health.

For more information on this subject, read Symtoms of Depression and take the Geriatric Depression Evaluation Test. Or, search for this topic in The Wellness Center.

Mr. Parvin is a licensed Clinical Social Work Therapist in private practice in Pineville, Louisiana.

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