Help For Depressed Older People
By Michael Russell
Older people experience a lot of changes in their lives that cause depression. Depression is one of the most common health problems among the elderly. Changes in older people’s physical, personal and financial capacities may contribute to their anxieties and in return, they may end up feeling sad, alone, empty and rejected.
Depression in older individuals is caused by many factors including accumulated lifetime losses and medication. Lifetime losses usually include changes in the standard of living, housing and reduced income. These also include changes in relationships, the loss of a loved one or close family members and in instances where friends and family move away. Even the loss of a pet or important possession contributes to depression. Medication on the other hand is also a common cause of depression among older individuals. Older people oftentimes take a lot of medications such as sedatives, tranquilizers, high blood pressure medicines and anti-inflammatories, all of which can cause depression. Drug interactions can sometimes be dangerous and can produce depression, mental confusion and many other physical problems.
