SENIOR LIVING: Mental Health Screening Day October 5th

SENIOR LIVING: Depression and Mental Health Screenings

By Guest Columnist: Neal A. Bowen, PhD of Hidalgo Medical Services

   &nbs= p;        The woman I was talking to – let’s call her “Ellie” - w= as in her early 80s, searching for a physician who would spend time listening to = her – and especially take seriously her list of medications she had troub= le tolerating. She was redirected by a nurse to someone who has the time to listen. Frustrated with the challenges she is facing, she shook her head and said, “getting old isn’t for wimps.” In addition to the accumulated injuries and physical insults of her 8 decades, she was startin= g to despair of feeling good again, and spending days avoiding friends and social events that for many years had been favorite things.

   &nbs= p;        While losing stamina and strength may be expectable (not inevitable) parts of agi= ng, persistent despair, anxiety and sadness are not. Distinguishing the normal sadness or unhappiness that we all experience from depression is sometimes = not as simple as we think. That’s why on October 5, Hidalgo Medical Servi= ces is offering a free National Depression Screening Day Mental Heath Screening event that will teach older adults – and their families – about depression and the ri= sks of suicide and other co-occurring medical problems and give them the opportunity to talk to a health professional about their symptoms.

   &nbs= p;        Why is it important to distinguish normal sadness from depression? Because depression is a serious illness affecting 15 out of every 100 adults over age 65 in the United States. That makes thi= s age group one that is more at risk to develop depression than younger folk. Depression is also one of the main reasons why older Americans are disproportionately likely to commit suicide. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, older = adults who die by suicide—up to 75 percent—have visited a primary care physician within a month of their suicide.

        &= nbsp;   So, what is depression? First of all, it is a treatable me= dical condition that involves feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and a loss of pleasure in usual activities. Some people find that a change in sleep patte= rns – either insomnia or its opposite, hypersomnia, or sleeping too much – is a signal that they are being visited by depression. Similarly, our appetites can get repressed or stimulated. So, either not eating or overeating, losing interest in sex, or being preoccupi= ed with sex (yes, even after age 65) can all be signs of depression.

   &nbs= p;        Another sign that many people report is a loss of interest in hobbies or profession= al activities. This can lead to the kinds of signals that others might see = 211; say family members who visit a relative and notice that, whereas Uncle Paul always used to keep his home “ship shape,” they now find dirty dishes in the sink, and the garden overgrown with weeds. Or friends who pla= yed cards together for years now find that Sandra skips their weekly get-togeth= ers, without even offering a reasonable excuse.=

   &nbs= p;        When friends and family gather their courage to mention these changes, even with concern uppermost in their approach, it could be wise to be prepared to ret= reat with dignity – because irritability is yet another common sign of the presence of depression. In fact, a change in character, with a formerly sociable and pleasant person transformed into one who avoids friends or blo= ws up in response to slight provocations may well be a sign of a person dealing with depression.

   &nbs= p;        Further, when someone is depressed, it can become very difficult to make decisions, = or even keep our attention on something complicated. Thus, reading may have be= en a lifelong passion, but now books and magazine articles lay partially read on coffee tables and nightstands. In severe cases, things that are important, = and once well-managed, like paying the bills, can become overwhelming, and so neglected.

   &nbs= p;        Another area of depression that has been long overlooked is the presence of medical= ly unexplained aches and pains. Brain imaging studies have shown us that emoti= onal pain causes the same areas of the brain to be active as when there is pain caused by cuts, burns and contusions. Simply put – depression can hurt.

   &nbs= p;        Given this picture, small wonder that the Centers for Disease Control rate depres= sion as one of the three diseases with the most dramatic impact on our economy – together with cancer and heart disease.

      Depression can co-occur with other medical illnesses such as cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, anxiety, and Parkinson’s disease. Because many older adults face such physical illnesses as well as various social and economic difficulties, depression is often overlooked. Oftentimes, health care professionals mistakenly conclude that depression is a normal consequence of these co-occurring problems̵= 2;an attitude shared by patients themselves. However, depression is not a normal part of aging.

   &nbs= p;        Unfortunately, because depression can be so debilitating, sometimes family members, medical providers and even the patient themselves mistake depression for the other dreaded “D” word of aging – dementia. Indeed, severe depression can mimic dementia very precisely – with memory that doesn’t work as well as it should, and the person finding it difficul= t to respond to requests from others.

   &nbs= p;        But, here’s where the good news comes in: depression is very frequently responsive to appropriate treatment. In other words, most people who seek h= elp for their depression get relief. Because depression is so common, there are many treatment options available. Medical providers are likely to give a mo= dern antidepressant, with relatively few side effects, to people who present som= e of the symptoms described above. The modern medications tend to work pretty we= ll for most people.

   &nbs= p;        But talk therapy is also demonstrated to be very effective for most people who engage with the therapy. In fact, double blind studies have consistently sh= own that certain forms of talk therapy are just as effective or better than medication at relieving mild to moderate depression. Many studies indicate = that the combination of medication and talk therapy should be standard treatment= . In the presence of severe depression, a combination of medication and talk the= rapy is demonstrably better than either by itself.

   &nbs= p;        In our community, there are several options available for talk therapy, so if = you know you are experiencing the symptoms discussed above, or you are concerned about a family member – don’t hesitate to talk with your primary care provider. Ultimately, that’s what brought “Ellie” to= my attention, and brought her back to enjoying her grandchildren and friends – even though she couldn’t tolerate the medications prescribed = for her.

   &nbs= p;        Take a few minutes on Thursday, National Mental Health Screening Day, to stop by= one of HMS’ tables – at Med Square all day, or outside HMS at 610 N. Bullard around the noon hour, or at the Lordsburg Clinic – to fill ou= t a screen, pick up some literature or simply chat with one of our clinicians. = You can enjoy your life again.

   &nbs= p;        For more information, call 388 1511 in Silver City, or 542 8384 in Lordsburg and ask for the Mental Health Department.