Signs and symptoms of depression in the elderly

Do symptoms of depression vary by age? How to help an elderly person with depression? What are the signs of depression in older adults?

Additionally, the following risk factors for depression are often seen in the elderly: Certain medicines or combination of medicines. Damage to body image (from amputation, cancer surgery , or heart attack ) Family history of major depressive disorder. Living alone , social isolation.

Symptoms of depression are the same in any age group. They can include: sadness. It is not a normal part of aging, a sign of weakness, or a character flaw. Many older adults with depression need treatment to feel better.

There are several types of depression. Some people may experience only a single episode within their lifetime, but more often, a person may experience multiple episodes. Being worried and anxious. Lack of energy and motivation in older adults and the elderly.

Inexplicable or aggravated pains and aches can be a sign of depression.

In older adults, many of the symptoms of depression may go overlooked and untreated as they overlap with stressful life events or physical disorders that accompany advancing age. Late-onset depression is a form of depression that is experienced for the first time in a person over the age of 65. Meanwhile, doctors may misidentify the illness.

It’s important to stay educated on the symptoms and signs of elderly depression so you can take a proactive approach to your family’s mental health. Chronic pessimism and hopelessness. The signs are much more varied for seniors than younger individuals, making it tricky to recognize the condition and differentiate it from others. For example, depression can appear as increased tiredness, grumpiness or irritability, all of which are stereotypically associated with the aging process. You’d think it would be easy to detect depression in an older person — after all, many signs of sadness , including tears and lethargy, are visible.

But depression, like many other ailments, often manifests differently in the elderly compared with younger people. Signs and symptoms of anxiety and depression in older people Anxiety in older people. The symptoms of anxiety in older people are sometimes not all.

An older person may be depressed if, for more than two weeks,. Depression in older people. Dementia and depression. Due to stereotypes and social stigma, seniors may not realize that their symptoms are, in fact, clinical depression. Having disturbed sleep, like problem in falling or staying asleep.

Abandoning or losing interest in their hobbies or other pastimes they enjoyed. Losing their appetite or experiencing weight loss.

Physical aches or pain. Fatigue, loss of appetite, sleep problems or loss of interest in sex — not caused by a medical condition or medication. Often wanting to stay at.

According to studies published by the Harvard Medical School, there are quite a few symptoms that are considered somatic. For instance, many people with Parkinson’s disease develop depression. Along with cognitive symptoms, experiencing a depressed moo loss of pleasure in activities, significant weight loss or gain, decrease or increase in appetite, sleeping too much or too little, fatigue, feelings of worthlessness,. Certainly, the multiple losses that seniors frequently face,. Insomnia, loss of appetite, decreased energy, and somatic symptoms such as pain, are more common in older adults presenting with depression compared to younger adults.

If they talk about an emotional component, it could be sadness with irritability, says Dr. Bipolar disorder, simply put, is a mental disorder displayed by periods of depression and periods of mania or elation. Most commonly, people with Bipolar disorder will suffer from weeks or months of depression symptoms , followed by weeks or months of the manic phase.