Age
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It is important when detecting the signs of depression to remember that the age of the depressed person plays a role.
Elderly person?
Some elderly people suddenly seem unable to manage their day-to-day lives. They may come across as senile and in need of sheltered accommodation or a place in a nursing home:
There are many physical symptoms connected with depression in the elderly, including:
- Changes in weight
- Changes in appetite
- Constipation
- Poor sleep
- Reduced energy
- May complain of boredom
- Express a wish to be dead
- Sad or depressed mood
- Losing interest in activities and preferring to stay at home
- They may appear worried/anxious that something bad might happen to them
- They may say they have nothing to look forward to and are pessimistic
There are often changes in the intensity of the illness between morning and evening. It is often termed morning despair and evening solace.
The family should keep an eye out for the recurrence of the symptoms of previous bouts of depression. The depressed person will often repress thoughts of severe illness and thus avoid going to the doctor's, which is exactly what they should do in order to start treatment as soon as possible.
Young person?
Depression in young people often manifests itself in:
- Loneliness
- Isolation, (this may increase the risk of suicide)
- They stop relating to their peers
- They have little energy to keep up at school and their grades may drop
Adult member of the family?
You will often recognize depression in adults because they:
- See the negative side of everything
- View life pessimistically
- Try to behave as though everything is fine
- Derive no pleasure from daily life
- Reproach themselves, even though they try to hide it
- Decrease sexual interest
The following scale is used to assess elderly people for the symptoms of depression: Geriatric Depression Rating Scale.