Life is a wonderful one-way journey.
When we were young, we always hoped to grow up quickly. But once upon a time, In middle age, I began to hope that time would slow down. Don’t get old so soon, Because we think of old age as being slow in movement and sluggish in mind. At the end of the day, I had to retire. Then wait for the moment when life falls. Aging brings not only physical deterioration [birth, aging, illness and death], which are the four helpless things in life. Among them, [old] is also a must for more and more people. As one gets older, The decline in body function is inevitable. At the same time, Certain brain functions will also decline, Such as learning ability, calculation speed, short-term memory, logical reasoning ability, We call the integration of these abilities the cognitive function of the brain. The degeneration of cognitive function, It is often believed to be caused by the aging of the body. However, The real reason is not aging itself, But are caused by specific diseases, Stroke, Alzheimer’s, depression and so on. Now, We also have a more humane name for Alzheimer’s disease [dementia]. In today’s increasingly aging society, caring for the elderly is no longer just about their physical condition, but also about their mental health. Unfortunately, depression in the elderly has not received most people’s attention. [Depression in the elderly] has how’s manifestations? Depression in later years can lead to serious consequences, Include recurrent disease and suicide-related deaths. There are still misconceptions about it. Compared with young people, The clinical manifestations of depression are more changeable in the elderly, It is also easily confused with the symptoms of some medical diseases. In addition, Older people are also more willing to tell their physical symptoms than their mental and psychological symptoms. For example, they often do not admit that they are depressed. But will admit sleep disorders, loss of appetite, etc. At the same time, They are also too afraid of suffering from physical diseases. These changes all indicate that elderly depression patients may seek treatment from various doctors repeatedly because they are more concerned about their physical health than the symptoms of depression, thus causing delay in the treatment of depression. What factors are related to the occurrence of [elderly depression]? Like most chronic diseases, there is no single risk factor that can explain the cause of depressive disorder, but biological and sociological factors play an important role. 1. Depression is born? Usually, the later a disease starts, the less the influence of congenital genetic factors. There are also some elderly people who have suffered from depression when they are young, but they are not treated at that time. As they get older, they may suffer from depression again due to physical discomfort and unsmooth life. 2. Physical diseases are also related to depression? Long-term poor health of the elderly will lead to poor prognosis of depression, Depression also exacerbates the effects of physical diseases. In addition, Degenerative brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, and hypothyroidism, Its clinical symptoms, It may be similar to depression. At the same time, Among the factors associated with aging, Visual and auditory impairments, Decline in recognition, Worries about one’s own health, loss of family dignity and heavy financial burden may all make the elderly more vulnerable to depression. Patients with chronic diseases in the elderly need long-term medication, and some drugs, such as antihypertensive, hormone and chemical treatment, may also lead to depression. 3. Personality traits are closely related to depression? The following personality characteristics are closely related to depression in the elderly. (1) Excessive dependence on others; (2) Accustomed to avoiding challenges and showing helplessness; (3) It is easy to worry and be agitated, even not for specific events; (4) Have perfectionism tendency, hope everything is perfect; (5) In case of difficulties, Can’t ask others well, comfort yourself (6) There are problems getting along with others. 4. Changes in living conditions brought about by getting old are related to depression. For most people, In terms of social environment, Aging can bring profound changes to oneself. Due to the reduction of economic income caused by retirement, Decline in social status, increase in leisure time, isolation from society, They are all potential stressors that may induce depression. In addition, The marital status of the elderly is also a strong influencing factor. Usually, Married people are at lower risk than unmarried people, Divorced and separated people are at the highest risk. 5. Major events in life are related to old age, depression and widowhood. Particularly the accidental death of a spouse, It is a severe blow to the elderly, It can cause crying, grief, anxiety, insomnia and loss of appetite. Although these symptoms may be consistent with the main symptoms of depression, However, these symptoms do not in themselves constitute depression. However, Mourning is still an important risk factor for depression. If the mourning symptoms last for more than 2 months, Older people are at risk of adaptation disorders and severe depressive disorders. Relatively speaking, The effect of mourning on the occurrence of depression is more obvious in the elderly men, This may be because women are more effective in cushioning their pain through intimate relationships. Other events, It also includes acute diseases, sudden homelessness, accidents of family or friends, etc. 6. Aging is closely related to the occurrence of depression in the elderly. With the increase of age, Brain atrophy, white matter loosening and pathological changes, decreased whole brain blood flow, and neuroendocrine function may also affect individuals’ susceptibility to depression. Suffering from [senile depression] requires how treatment? It can be seen that there are many factors that affect depression, and at the same time there are many elderly patients who have not received treatment. No matter whether they are old or not, many people will think that aging, depression or hopelessness are natural processes of aging and cannot or need treatment. There are also many elderly people who do not want to talk about psychological symptoms when seeing a doctor, but only elaborate on physical problems. However, many primary health care personnel cannot recognize the typical symptoms and signs of depression. The elderly in hospitals or those living in nursing institutions for a long time have the highest incidence of depression. However, those elderly patients who lack social support, suffer from advanced diseases and live alone, Suicide is more likely. 1. Treatment requires the support of family and friends. Any effective treatment for depression, All need to be carried out with the cooperation of family members, The family is the doctor’s most important ally in the treatment. Through the family, We can understand the risk signals of patients with severe depression, Moreover, family members can also help the elderly return to society. A strong social support system, Including assistance from the community, support from families and friends, As well as patients’ subjective feeling of support. These can effectively help the elderly suffering from depression. 2. Good physical and mental health is the basis for treatment. Good physical health is a protective factor. Proper solution to the following problems can become a supporting factor: (1) early detection and treatment of physical diseases; (2) Avoid multiple medication; (3) Establishing a fitness plan; (4) to change bad living habits; (5) Correct the sensory defects of vision and hearing as early as possible, Such as treating cataracts, using hearing aids, the elderly’s own complete personality, the ability to build close relationships, positive coping styles with life, Can keep them away from the occurrence of depression. 3. Most importantly: Prompt access to regular treatment after diagnosis and most importantly, If depression is diagnosed, You also need to go to a professional hospital or geriatric clinic for formal treatment. Depression is not the result of lack of willpower, Persuade the patient to [cheer up] or [cheer up, work hard], It will only aggravate the patient’s sense of helplessness and self-guilt. Drugs, psychology and other treatment methods, They are all effective ways to treat senile depression. These treatments should cooperate with each other. Psychiatrists will integrate it into individualized treatment plans as much as possible. 4. Learning to face life and death calmly will inevitably lead to an end. Therefore, everyone should learn how to face life and death. In active life education, It is to spend every day well, especially in old age. [We cannot change the direction of the wind, but we can adjust the sails of our ships.] Most of us cannot predict the end of life, but everyone can plan the second half of life. Adjust the state of mind and make the end of life contented.