Introduction
The issue of depression among older adults is a significant challenge affecting the majority of people. In the US, approximately 6 million people above the age of 65 experience a persistent depressed mood (“WebMD,” n.d.). In most cases, the mental condition is attributed to their clinical condition. Generally, the facet of depression in this population group is difficult to comprehend since most individuals perceive it as part of their aging process. Therefore, a good number of older people may not seek relevant medical attention, leaving them to suffer from mental illness.
Various factors, including consistent medication, social isolation, physical health issues, loss and grief, and substance abuse, can easily facilitate the feeling of sadness in older adults. When the problem of depression is not managed properly, the victims may experience suicidal thoughts, lack of concentration, and other behavioral changes. Proper assessment of possible causes of depression among the aging population is necessary to enable effective formulation and application of management practices to reduce the impact of the challenge among individuals.
Causes of Depression in Older Adults
In most cases, older adults are subjected to an array of medications following different illnesses affecting their health. The consumption of multiple medicines impacts their general body systems and thus may result in depression. For instance, older people suffering from chronic disorders may opt to take opioid drugs to enable them to manage the agony. In such cases, the side effects of the medication can include severe depression.
Social Isolation
Social isolation is a fundamental factor contributing to the issue of depression among older adults in several ways. First, as people age, their sense of purpose declines, leading to limited social connection. This aspect of reduced interaction can potentially make older adults perceive their lives as meaningless, drawing them into depression.
Similarly, when the aging population retires from their employment, their circle of friends tends to reduce significantly, leaving them without proper social support. This facet is more likely to create feelings of loneliness among individuals, resulting in depression. Lastly, older people who feel isolated cannot easily engage in physical events (Muhammad & Meher, 2021). Therefore, the individuals fall into depression, which affects their social engagement.
Physical Health Issues
Physical health issues such as chronic disease contribute significantly to depression in older adults. For example, when individuals are suffering from conditions including diabetes, the effort and focus of managing the problem that encompasses continuous medical appointments and rapid changes in living standards can easily subject people to sadness. In addition, cases of disorder that can result in a disability like a stroke are common among aging people. When persons become disabled, they become more dependent on their family members for support, which can make them hopeless, therefore leading them into a depressed life.
Loss and Grief
When older people lose their loved ones, especially children, providing them with the necessary support, they are more likely to feel sad and confused. The facet of grief and the encounters awaiting them instantly trigger several thoughts on how they will cope with life without the individuals responsible. In such situations, the loss contributes immensely to depression. When such older people fail to receive the necessary support, their mental state might deteriorate to severe levels.
Substance Abuse
Most adults are serial users of different illegal drugs. When such substances are taken into the body, the majority have the capacity to influence chemical imbalance, especially in the human brain, leading to a shift in general mood. Such a condition can potentially cause severe depression among people.
In addition, consistent usage of drugs may cause a significant financial strain as the individual strives to acquire some of the substances. The financial stress associated with the need to consume such drugs can easily subject an older person to sadness. Lastly, when older individuals opt not to abuse substances, they might experience high cases of anxiety, leading to a miserable life.
Common Symptoms of Depression
Even though depression is a multifaceted mental condition, it displays a number of symptoms that make it easier for the victims to realize it. Some of the common signs include feeling confused, tiredness, less attentiveness, suicidal thoughts, high irritability, change in weight, reduced appetite, hopelessness, failure to enjoy events, and many more. The mentioned aspects give a clear indication that an individual is suffering from sadness and requires immediate attention.
Impacts of Depression on Older Adults
Depression has significant effects that affect the well-being of older adults. First, when individuals feel sad, they are more likely to avoid interacting with other people. This aspect creates an element of isolation since the victim prefers being alone rather than associating with the public. In other words, depressed persons are less likely to engage in social activities (Muhammad & Meher, 2021). Therefore, they remained in a state of isolation, which decreased their quality of life.
In addition, depression affects the physical health of older adults. For instance, when such individuals are depressed, their immune system declines, which leaves them vulnerable to disease attacks. Further, the stress associated with sadness can facilitate heart conditions that are harmful to the person’s health. Furthermore, when living in despair, it can be challenging to effectively manage other health-related diseases. Therefore, the health status of such older adults may deteriorate significantly, putting their lives in danger.
Furthermore, when older adults are depressed, the majority may opt for other measures, such as substance abuse, to overcome and reduce the feeling. For instance, victims may decide to consume alcohol to enable them to avoid the pain associated with sadness. Involvement in such practices can easily increase the chances of older adults using drugs, which can negatively affect their health. By resorting to such desperate measures, the individuals may become addicted to illegal drugs, which are harmful to their overall well-being.
Lastly, depression facilitates financial stress among older adults. In most cases, when individuals are sad, they look for alternative ways of managing the condition, which normally involves acquiring drugs to suppress the feelings. This facet leaves the persons straining to meet their needs as a large portion of their money is directed towards securing the substances. Apart from buying drugs, sometimes older adults spend their cash to gain access to psychotherapy services.
Solutions to Depression in Older Adults
In order to manage the impacts of depression, older adults can use antidepressant drugs to help them relieve sadness. For example, victims may opt to take selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as escitalopram, sertraline, fluoxetine, and citalopram. In addition, other effective antidepressants include mirtazapine, bupropion, and trazodone (Silverberg & Panenka, 2019). Even though the medications are effective, some may pose serious side effects to older people. Therefore, it is important for the individual to seek advice from physicians before consuming the mentioned antidepressants.
Undertaking Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy has proven to be an effective way of managing and treating the impacts of depression in older adults. According to WebMD (n.d.), psychotherapy is capable of addressing an array of consequences of depression in older people. The approach involves receiving the necessary help from close friends and family members.
The victim may engage in self-help groups to build their self-esteem, which is vital in enabling them to overcome the challenge (Owens-Gary et al., 2019). The treatment method is most effective for older adults who are not able to take antidepressants due to their side effects. It is appropriate for people whose sadness is contributed by major life stresses such as the loss of loved ones and chronic health conditions.
Conclusion
In general, depression in older people is a significant challenge that requires proper management. Following the age of such individuals, most people view the condition as part of the aging process, making them ignore management practices. Several factors, including social isolation, substance abuse, consistent medication, and loss of loved ones, contribute to the growing cases of sadness in older adults. The mentioned facets leave the individuals highly susceptible to thoughts and feelings that subject them to depression.
It is vital to observe possible signs of unhappiness to seek immediate intervention. When the issue is not managed in time, the victim may have a poor quality of life. Some of the best approaches that can be used to treat and reduce the consequences of depression in older people include the use of antidepressants and psychotherapy. However, the latter is associated with potential side effects, making the former the most effective method.
References
Muhammad, T., & Meher, T. (2021). Association of late-life depression with cognitive impairment: Evidence from a cross-sectional study among older adults in India. BMC Geriatrics, 21(1), 364. Web.
Owens-Gary, M. D., Zhang, X., Jawanda, S., Bullard, K. M., Allweiss, P., & Smith, B. D. (2019). The importance of addressing depression and diabetes distress in adults with type 2 diabetes. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 34(2), 320-324. Web.
Silverberg, N. D., & Panenka, W. J. (2019). Antidepressants for depression after concussion and traumatic brain injury are still best practice. BMC Psychiatry, 19, 1-3.
WebMD. (n.d.). Depression in older people: Symptoms, causes, treatments. WebMD. Web.