Depression is diagnosed when people experience at least two of the following symptoms for most of the day, nearly every day, for at least two weeks.
Low mood
Fatigue or lack of energy
Lack of interest or enjoyment in life
Other signs of depression include:
Decreased or lost appetite
Insomnia
Weight loss
Anger
Irritability
Anxiety
What causes depression in later life?
The triggers for depression in older people are similar to those for younger age groups. They can include a range of factors, such as:
Physical illness and pain
Poverty
Loneliness and isolation
Bereavement
Being a victim of crime
Older people are often faced with more of these life events and daily stresses than younger age groups and this may explain why they have a slightly increased risk of depression. People over the age of 85 are at particular risk.
It is estimated that 20% of older people living in the community show symptoms of depression with the figure rising to 40% for older people living in care homes. There is evidence to suggest that older people are less likely to recover from depression without specialist help, particularly if they are severely depressed.
Depression in later life is often not recognised or addressed by health services. The stigma associated with mental illness may prevent older people from reporting their symptoms to health professionals. When they do report these symptoms, they may be mixed up with the symptoms of other age-related illnesses such as dementia, Alzheimer’s Disease or Parkinson’s Disease.
Many people assume that depression is a natural or inevitable part of growing older, particularly if the symptoms are linked to a medical condition or physical pain, but depression is not inevitable.
Depression is not part and parcel of old age and it is important that it is recognised and treated in the same way as it would be with younger age groups. If depression goes untreated, it can affect people’s ability to keep up with treatment for other conditions, interfere with recovery from physical illnesses, increase physical decline in older people and make it harder for them to function day to day. It is also particularly important to address depression in older people given its link to suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts.
Suicide in later life
The suicide rate in the UK is highest in the older population, particularly in older men. As with younger people, suicide in later life can be the end result of a complex mix of different factors, but the most important psychiatric risk factor of suicide in older people is depression. Research has found that over half of older people who take their own lives were experiencing depression at the time of death. Other risk factors of suicide in later life include:
Gender and age – men over the age of 75 have the highest suicide rate amongst all groups
Marital status - for men, being single, divorced or widowed is a risk factor
Physical pain or illness
Living alone and social isolation
Feelings of hopelessness or guilt
Alcohol or substance abuse
Previous suicide attempts
Warning signs
The signs that depression might be leading to suicidal thoughts or intentions vary, but they may include the following:
Experiencing or expecting a personal loss or bereavement
Feelings of failure, hopelessness or worthlessness
Feeling and becoming withdrawn and isolated
Lack of self-care, such as poor grooming or eating badly
Building up supplies of medication or equipment which could be used for suicide
Suddenly making changes to wills, taking out life insurance or giving things away
Stopping medical routines, such as medications or special diets
Talking about suicide
Risk-taking behaviour
Who can help?
Research suggests that two thirds of suicidal older people will let other people know how they are feeling before they attempt suicide. If you are trying to help someone who is depressed or someone who has spoken about taking their own life or has shown some of the warning signs above, it is important that you take their remarks seriously. Have an open discussion and encourage them to talk about their feelings.
Try to persuade them to seek help as early as possible. A GP can arrange for them to receive some professional help, such as medication or talking therapies. Some GPs may not be well equipped to recognise depression in older people so encouraging the person to be open and honest about their depressive symptoms with their GP should help.
The Samaritans offer 24 hour emotional support for people who are feeling low or suicidal on 08457 90 90 90. Calls are charged at local rate and are anonymous. You can also email jo@samaritans.org
Visit http://www.in2town.co.uk for all the latest health news and advice
No comments:
Post a Comment