Depression Learning

Top 10 Signs of Depression in Senior Citizens.

Senior Citizens and the elderly seem to be taken for granted that their mental health is fine. Probably because they live so long everyone believes all must be well with them, when in fact many seniors suffer from a depressive disorder. Here are the top 10 warning signs that a senior Citizen may be suffering from some form of depression.

Fatigue in the elderly is normal to a point. However if someone who is normally very active suddenly becomes tired and uninterested in normal activities, this may be a sign of a depressive disorder.

A loss of appetite is another sign of depression in the elderly .They may skip meals or just have a loss of appetite for no medical reason

the lack of personal hygiene is another possible sign of a depressive disorder. Not bothering to clean or change your clothes is a sign of a lack of self esteem which is a classic sign of depression.

Elderly people tend to be on a lot of prescription medication. If a senior all the sudden stops, taking their medication, it may be a sign that they are giving up, and don’t find it necessary to keep taking it.

Sleeping habits change dramatically. They may stop sleeping at night; therefore have a difficult time staying awake during the day. People who suffer from depression use a lot of energy just dealing with their condition, and tend to have many sleeping issues. They may feel tired all the time and yet be unable to actually sleep.

It’s very common for elderly people to experience aches and pains and they should be examined by a doctor to determine the cause. It’s expected for them to have pain at their age but unexplained pain may be a sign of a depressive disorder. If a doctor cant explain the pain its possible the senior citizen is depressed causing them pains that cant be explained, except for possible depression

Like in all depressed people, alcohol and drug abuse is a major sign of depression. The Person may be trying to mask his depression by self medicating themselves, only making their possible mental depression, worse. Seniors who rarely drink and all the sudden start drinking a lot more often, should be watched. This is not a normal thing to do after this long of living. This may well be a depressive disorder causing this behavior,

A lack of interest in normal activities they usually like is another sign of a depressed senior. Non depressed people tend to keep their same hobbies for a lifetime. But when someone develops a depressive disorder, they sometimes lose interest in things they normally like to do. This is true with senior citizens as well. They may tire easier but they shouldn’t lose interest, so depression may be a possibility.

If an elderly person appears to be basically sad all the time with no reason, this may also be a sign of a depressive disorder.

one harder sign to detect is the lack of optimism in life. A senior citizen, who is usually optimistic but suddenly seems the opposite, may be suffering forma form of depression.

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