Depression in the Elderly - Signs & Symptoms
Now that we’ve gone through some causes of depression in the elderly, it’s time to learn about what we should be looking for! However, first, I want to address something that someone emailed me about; the difference between grief and depression.
Grief is not depression; there is a difference. A grieving person many exhibit and experience depressive symptoms (frequent crying and profound sadness), but that doesn’t mean that they are chronically & full-blown depressed. Grief is a natural and healthy response to major losses and while there is no “set” time for grief’s end, if it doesn’t let up over time, or stops all signs of joy (laughter at jokes, enjoying a hug, appreciating nature, etc), it may be a sign of depression.
Signs & Symptoms of Depression in the Elderly
*sadness (the most obvious symptom, but you must remember to look at the situation, not just the mood)
*fatigue (moreso than normal)
*losing interest or just giving up pastimes that the elderly individual used to find enjoyable
*withdrawal from all social activities or reluctance to be with friends, leave the house, or engage in activities
*loss of appetite and therefore a loss of weight (which could be related to other things, so be sure to look at everything going on in the life of the possibly-depressed person)
*difficulty falling asleep, difficultly staying asleep, difficulty waking up in the morning, or even being overtired during the day time … essentially any sleep disturbance that didn’t used to be there
*loss of self worth - like I mentioned in previous entries, this purposeless life can cause an elderly individual to feel like a burden or like they’re worthless
*increased use of drugs (prescription and non-prescription) or an increased use of alcohol; both can be incredibly dangerous as well as exacerbate depressive symptoms
*being overly fixated on death, having suicidal thoughts or even suicide attempts
[tags]mental and emotional health, depression, elderly depression, signs & symptoms of depression in the elderly[tags]
December 18th, 2007 at 7:38 pm
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December 20th, 2007 at 8:14 am
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