Signs of depression in older women

What are common symptoms of depression? How do eating disorders impact older women? Is depression a normal part of getting older?

Additionally, the following risk factors for depression are often seen in the elderly: Certain medicines or combination of medicines. Damage to body image (from amputation, cancer surgery , or heart attack ) Family history of major depressive disorder. Living alone, social isolation.

The signs of depression in elderly women are largely derived from circumstances such as facing the demise of their lives, widowhood , financial hardship , physical illness and infirmity , and in some cases distance from family and friends. If you have been experiencing any of the following signs and symptoms for at least two weeks, you may be suffering from depression: Persistent sad , anxious , or empty mood. Feelings of hopelessness or pessimism. Geriatric depression is a mental and emotional disorder affecting older adults. Symptoms of depression in older adults.

The essential feature of a major depressive episode is a period of at least two weeks when the person experiences either depressed mood (most of the day, nearly every day) or loss of interest or pleasure in nearly all activities. According to the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry,. Irritability , restlessness , or having trouble sitting still.

Loss of interest in once pleasurable activities, including sex. Decreased energy or fatigue. An older person may be depressed if, for more than two weeks, he or she has felt sa down or miserable most of the time or has lost interest or pleasure in most of his or her usual activities, and similar to anxiety, has experienced several of the signs and symptoms across at least three of the categories below. Depression in older people.

You don’t care anymore about former hobbies, pastimes, and social activities you used to enjoy. Appetite changes often leading to significant weight loss or weight gain. Changes in your sleep pattern. Learn more from WebMD about how depression in women is treated during various stages of her life.

Find out how to detect these signs and symptoms in your patients. Just keep in mind that all women are different and each will display different signs. No desire to get out of bed.

In teens, symptoms may include sadness, irritability, feeling negative and worthless, anger, poor performance or poor attendance at school,. Elderly patients might also be reluctant to talk about their feelings or fail to understand that physical symptoms can be a sign of depression. For elderly people living independently, isolation can make it difficult to reach out for help. Occasional irritability and moodiness are common as the aging process progresses.

This is usually due to the assorted aches and pains that are felt as the body grows older , as well as possible cognitive issues that can occur gradually among the elderly. More than half of doctor’s visits by the elderly involve complaints of emotional distress.

Twenty percent of suicides in this country are committed by seniors, with the highest success rate belonging to older, white men. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) reports that elderly depression is not only widespread but “a serious public health concern. Recent research suggests that as many as of elders – that’s 6. Americans-suffer from depression, and still more, , report that they suffer from persistent feelings of sadness. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that acts as a messenger to transmit signals within the brain.

Low serotonin levels are well-recognized by the medical community as a primary cause of panic attacks, depression and other signs of anxiety in women.