Are Old People Depressed? Depression In Older Adults
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Depression can be a serious mental health condition that often affects how you think, feel, and behave. It is also known as clinical depression or major depressive disorder. Many older people may experience depression, which can present differently than it does in younger people. Older adults living with depression may experience higher levels of anhedonia, cognitive changes, and sleeping pattern shifts than younger adults. Medical conditions may contribute to the development of depression in older adults more frequently than in younger adults as well. Therapy can be an effective treatment method for depression, no matter your age, and online therapy can provide a convenient alternative if in-person therapy isn’t available.
What is depression?
Depression is typically classified as a mood disorder, and it usually involves persistent feelings of sadness and an intense loss of interest or ability to take pleasure from the activities you used to enjoy, a symptom often called anhedonia. Depression can affect how you think, act, and feel, often leading to various physical, emotional, and mental complications if left untreated.
Does depression occur more often in older adults?
Details from the CDC indicate that most older adults may not be depressed. Some estimates show that between 1% and 5% of older adults living on their own may experience depression.
However, that rate may rise to 13.5% for people who require home healthcare and approximately 11.5% for hospitalized older adults.
As the CDC explains, “Depression is a true and treatable medical condition, not a normal part of aging. However, older adults are at an increased risk of experiencing depression. Depression is not just having ‘the blues’ or the emotions we feel when grieving the loss of a loved one. It is a true medical condition that is treatable, like diabetes or hypertension.”
What does depression look like in older adults?
In general, the symptoms of depression in older adults, also called geriatric depression, tend to involve the same symptoms as those of other age groups. However, it can be essential to note that depression and other mental health symptoms can look different for everyone.
Symptoms of geriatric depression may include the following:
Feelings of sadness or worthlessness
Irritability
Persistent fatigue
Apathy or inability to care about things
Restlessness
Difficulty concentrating or making decisions
Social withdrawal and isolation
Changes in eating habits
Drastic shifts in sleeping patterns
Physical aches and pains with no apparent cause, such as headaches, muscle tension, or stomachaches
Crying spells
Thoughts of suicide or suicidal actions
How does depression differ in older adults vs. younger adults?
The presentation, symptoms, and effects on mood and behavior caused by depression in older people can differ in various ways compared to younger people.
Older adults tend to react to symptoms in different ways, and depression can also lead to or exacerbate other medical and mental health conditions. Depression is generally less prevalent among older adults, but it can severely affect mood, behavior, and cognitive ability.
Onset and prognosis
More than half of depression diagnoses in older adults may result from an initial onset later in life. According to research published by Cambridge University, older adults with depression often have a poor long-term prognosis because the condition typically has a chronic course with higher relapse rates.
Suicide rates
While recent figures show that suicide rates among older adults are generally declining, they are usually still higher than among younger adults and can be more closely related to depression symptoms. Researchers at the American Psychological Association report that older adults tend to have the highest suicide rates of any age group, especially among men.
Symptoms of depression in older adults
Depression in older adults is often linked to medical comorbidity, but that isn’t always the case. Many older adults experience difficulty falling or staying asleep, which can elevate other symptoms and contribute to physical, mental, and emotional impairment.
Older adults with depressive disorders may be more likely to experience cognitive changes, sleep pattern shifts, and anhedonia (loss of interest) than younger adults.
Risk factors
While the risk factors for depression in older adults normally include the same ones younger people tend to face, some additional considerations may affect people in later life.
Medical conditions often occur more frequently with age, and they can induce depression. In addition, genetics, stress levels, insomnia, social isolation, loneliness, lack of physical activity, functional limitations, and alcohol or substance use disorders can cause or worsen depression symptoms in older adults.
Types of depression
There are several different types of depression that someone may experience, all of which apply to older adults. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:
Subsyndromal depression: This generally refers to depression symptoms that don’t meet the full criteria for major depression or another mood disorder. Subsyndromal depression can escalate to major depression if left untreated.
Persistent depressive disorder (Dysthymia): Dysthymia often consists of low-level depression symptoms that don’t interfere with your life as much as major depression. These symptoms generally must persist for at least two years.
Major depressive disorder: This can be a serious mood disorder involving persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness and a loss of interest.
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD): SAD typically involves depression symptoms tied to seasonal weather changes. SAD episodes often coincide with summer or winter and dissipate when the weather changes again.
Substance or medication-induced depressive disorder: Alcohol, substance use, and certain medications can induce depressive symptoms.
Depressive disorder related to a medical condition: Many medical conditions can cause depression symptoms, and the disorder can be a typical result of living with intense or chronic medical issues.
Treating depression in older adults
Depression is a highly treatable mental health condition for most people. A comprehensive treatment plan generally involves talk therapy, medication, meaningful lifestyle changes, and an evolving set of coping skills that can adapt to your situation.
Psychotherapy
Working with a licensed therapist can help you address your symptoms and the underlying causes with professional support and guidance. Many therapists use cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to help patients identify and reshape harmful or negative thought patterns and behaviors. You can also learn practical coping skills to manage your symptoms and stress, communication skills to explain your feelings and needs to people you're close to, and healthy emotional intelligence and awareness so you recognize and understand how you feel.
Medication
Antidepressant medications may target depression symptoms by addressing the neurochemical imbalances often seen in patients. If you think medication could be an effective addition to your treatment plan, please talk to your doctor or healthcare provider to discuss whether it may be an option for you.
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)
This treatment is generally reserved for adults with severe depression who don’t find symptom relief or reduction with other treatment methods. Electroconvulsive therapy typically utilizes safe, mild electrical impulses to stimulate the brain. ECT is often highly effective at treating major depressive disorder symptoms.
What can you do to avoid depression as you age?
While there may not be any conclusive methods to avoid developing depression as you age, you can take some preventative measures to reduce your risk.
Maintain healthy sleep hygiene
Establishing and maintaining a healthy sleep schedule can be an excellent tool to benefit your self-care and overall health.
Stay physically active
Physical activity can release beneficial brain chemicals that can counteract the effects of depression. Exercise can also be highly beneficial to your physical and mental health.
Connect with your social network
Staying connected with friends and family can help you avoid social isolation and loneliness, both of which can contribute to whether someone develops depression.
Eat a healthy, balanced diet
Eating a diet balanced with all the vitamins and nutrients your body needs to function properly can help you stay strong and healthy.
When to reach out for help
If your depression symptoms cause you distress, interfere with your ability to function, or linger for more than two weeks, consider speaking to your doctor or a mental health professional about an assessment for depression or another mood disorder. If you’re an older adult dealing with symptoms of depression, it may be worthwhile to visit local primary care facilities. Physicians, therapists, and medical advisors at these healthcare centers can offer compassionate knowledge and support. Also, if you’re at risk of depression, appointments with a therapist may be worthwhile. They can help you to identify risk factors, while offering comprehensive depression treatment and support. Altogether, meeting with a therapist could improve your quality of life as you age.
One convenient way to attend therapy may be online, through a virtual therapy platform like BetterHelp. With flexible appointment formats through phone, video call, or online chat, the support and guidance of a professional can be just a click away. Fitting therapy into your busy schedule can be simple, as there are often session times available outside of typical office hours.
Effectiveness of online therapy for mental health treatment
A 2019 study by the National Institute of Mental Health evaluated the effectiveness of online therapy for treating depression and found that “depression symptom severity was significantly reduced after the use of the multimodal digital psychotherapy intervention.” Online therapy can be a valid option for the treatment of depression in older adults.
Takeaway
At what age are people most depressed?
A 2023 survey by the US Census Bureau reports that around half of adults between the ages of 18–24 report experiencing symptoms of mild to severe depression and/or anxiety. About a third of adults overall reported the same. That means younger people currently seem to be at higher risk of this type of mental illness, though depression can also affect teenagers and older persons. Note that there are methods available to help treat depression regardless of age. The appropriate treatment may depend on the individual and their situation, but it typically takes the form of talk therapy—sometimes in combination with medication such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).
Does old age affect mental health and treatment options?
Aging can affect mental health. One reason is that people may experience a variety of difficult circumstances over the years as they age, which could have the potential to contribute to the development of mental health conditions. Isolation also becomes more of a risk as a person ages, which can lead to mental health challenges—from loneliness to a depressed mood—as well.
Making healthy lifestyle changes is one method that may help reduce one’s risk of developing both mental and physical symptoms of various conditions over time. It could also increase a person’s ability to manage mental health challenges into older adulthood. Examples of these changes could include leaning on social support like friends and family members, exercising regularly, staying mentally active through learning and engaging cognitive faculties in new ways, and eating nutritious foods.
How do old people feel?
Older adults may live with a variety of chronic health conditions (mental and/or physical) depending on their particular circumstances, from physical health concerns like heart disease to mental health concerns like depression. As the National Institute on Mental Health reminds us, mental health is important at every age, and help is available for those who are experiencing challenges in this area.
What are the symptoms of depression in older adults?
Depression can manifest differently in older adults than it may in younger adults or teenagers. For example, older adults may not experience sadness as a primary symptom of depression as other adults might. Instead, they could be more affected by a lack of interest in activities once enjoyed and a kind of numbness in terms of mood and feelings. Note that the way symptoms of depression may manifest or be expressed can vary depending on culture as well, and that older adults of various cultures could be less likely than younger people to express their feelings or ask for help.
Are old people depressed?
Are older people depressed today? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that depression may occur among older adults at a rate of between 1–5%. However, they note that this percentage increases significantly among specific populations, such as older adults who are hospitalized (11.5%) or who require home healthcare (13.5%).
At what age do we tend to feel the least depressed?
Anyone at virtually any age can develop symptoms of depression depending on their life circumstances, past experiences, genetics, overall health and well-being, and other factors. Depression in children under 12 may be the least common; however, children of this age range can still develop clinical depression in some cases, and they could also be at risk for a variety of other mental health conditions depending on their circumstances.
What age is considered old?
Traditionally, a person is considered “elderly” when they reach age 65. This age may apply to various legal or economic contexts. However, a person may or may not feel old at 65 or any other age. Feeling old is generally a subjective measure that can be experienced by people of any age in a number of different ways.
Is 73 considered old?
Although the term “elderly” typically applies to individuals who are 65 years of age and older, that doesn’t mean that any age above that is considered “old.” How old you feel often has more to do with your overall health and the type of lifestyle you engage in.
Why do I feel mentally younger?
Regardless of their actual age, people can mentally feel different ages. For example, a person who has been able to care for and receive professional support for their mental health throughout their life may be more likely to feel younger even as they age. Family history and genetics can also play a role in a person’s particular aging process and any associated challenges.
What is the rate of mental decline in old age?
The rate at which a person declines mentally as they age can vary widely depending on a number of factors. People who are isolated and experiencing chronic loneliness, for example, may be at increased risk for dementia and other mental and physical health problems than someone who has sufficient social support. If you’re concerned about your mental health as you age, speaking with your doctor and/or a mental health professional could be helpful.
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