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How to Recognize and Get Help for Depression
By
Jim Miller
Depression is unfortunately a widespread problem among U.S. seniors,
affecting approximately 15 percent of the 65-and-older population. Here’s
what you should know, along with some tips and resources for screening
and treatments.
Recognizing Depression
Everyone feels sad or gets the blues now and then, but when these feelings linger
more than a few weeks, it may be depression. Depression is a real illness that
affects mood, feelings, behavior and physical health, and contrary to what many
people believe, it’s not a normal part of aging or a personal weakness,
but it is very treatable.
It’s also important to know that depression is not just sadness. In many
seniors it can manifest as apathy, irritability, or problems with memory or concentration
without the depressed mood.
To help you get some insight on the seriousness of your husband’s problem,
here’s a rundown of the warning signs to be vigilant of.
• A persistent feeling of sadness.
• A lost interest in hobbies or activities that were previously enjoyed.
• Feelings of guilt, worthlessness or hopelessness.
• Trouble concentrating, remembering or making decisions.
• Feeling anxious, restless, or irritable.
• Loss of energy or motivation.
• Inability to sleep or sleeping too much.
• Not eating or eating too much.
• Thoughts about dying or suicide.
A good resource for identifying depression is Mental Health America, a national
nonprofit organization that offers a free online depression screening test at
depression-screening.org. This test takes just a few minutes to take and can
help determine the severity of your husband’s problem.
There’s also National Depression Screening Day which is coming up on Oct.
11. Sponsored by Screening for Mental Health, this is a completely free service
that provides depression screenings by mental health professionals at hundreds
of locations across the country. The test takes less than 15 minutes to complete,
and is available to people of all ages. To find a site near you visit helpyourselfhelpothers.org.
Also be aware that Medicare now covers annual depression screenings as part of
their free Welcome to Medicare visit for new beneficiaries, and free annual wellness
visits thereafter.
Get Help
If your husband is suffering from depressive symptoms, he needs to see his doctor
for a medical evaluation to rule out possible medical causes. Some medications,
for example, can produce side effects that mimic depressive symptoms – pain
and sleeping meds are common culprits. It’s also important to distinguish
between depression and dementia which can share some of the same symptoms.
If he’s diagnosed with depression, there are a variety of treatment options
including talk therapy, antidepressant medications or a combination of both.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a particularly effective type of talk therapy
which helps patients recognize and change destructive thinking patterns that
leads to negative feelings. For help finding a therapist who’s trained
in CBT, ask your doctor for a referral, check your local yellow pages under “counseling” or “psychologists,” or
check with the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (abct.org),
or the Academy of Cognitive Therapy (academyofct.org).
Another treatment worth mentioning is a relatively new procedure called transcranial
magnetic stimulation (TMS). This FDA-approved treatment uses a small electromagnet
placed on the scalp right behind the left forehead, and delivers a tiny electric
current to the part of the brain linked to depression. TMS is currently available
in about 420 psychiatrist offices around the country (see neurostartms.com) and
is very effective for older patients.
This page and its contents ©2012
Metropolitan News Company, Inc.
