Mike Serovey’s Health Blog

Depression can attack anyone at just about any age. Many people do not realize that depression can be a big problem for those who are seniors. Surprisingly eighteen percent of Americans who are over the age of sixty-five suffer from some form of depression. Many of these people will have had periods of depression throughout their lives, but for others it will first begin in their senior years. It can happen at any time which means a person in their eighties can have their first depressive episode.  When seniors become depressed it can usually be traced to something major that has affected their lives. If can be the death of a spouse or a disability that makes them dependant on others for the first time in their adult lives.

Understand that feeling depressed after losing a spouse is a reasonable and normal reaction for any person. But it shouldn’t be a long-term feeling. The person must be able to move on. It’s when they cannot that they are suffering from depression and this depression must be treated. For someone older depression can be a health issue in a way that it’s not for a younger person. It can have adverse affects on the senior’s immune system. This can mean that the depressed senior is more likely to become ill and not be able to fight it off. How many times have you heard about someone, married for forty plus years that loses a spouse and shortly after passes away from an illness that didn’t seem serious?

Like most kinds of depression older women are more likely to be affected especially because they are already dealing with all the hormonal changes that they continue to go through. Women have so many things to deal with and usually so many others who rely on them. They too need people to be there to offer them some support.  Sadly women who have lost their spouses or never married are the ones most likely to suffer from episodes of depression as seniors. Depression can surface with seniors who have medical issues to deal with. Common problems of seniors include hip fractures, heart and stroke issues, and slow recoveries. These too can be a cause of depression.

Seniors do not always get the care they should when they are dealing with depression. Too often it is brushed aside as a natural symptom of growing old. People assume its just a grouchy old man’s, or woman’s, attitude. They look at it as a natural passing from old age to senility. None of this is true. A person of any age suffering from depression needs help.  Seniors can be helped the same as anyone else dealing with issues of depression. There are medications for depression and these can be given to seniors with the same success rate as with anyone else as long as you can convince them to take them daily.  Unfortunately seventy percent of seniors are inclined to take their medication only fifty percent of the time.

Depression is a problem that affects approximately sixteen percent of the population at one time throughout their lives. It can have serious negative effects on your health, and there can be many reasons why you may develop a case of it. In this article, we’ll examine some common reasons that people fall victim to clinical depression.

• - Hereditary is largely responsible for the occurrence of depression. Some estimates place approximately forty to seventy percent of all cases of major depression as being cause by heredity.
• - Those who are victim to low self esteem and a low self image are more likely to develop a case of depression. It’s tough for psychologists to determine which comes first, but there is a definite connection between the two.
• - Unfortunately, depression is a type of affliction that affects women more than it does men. Studies place the likelihood of a man of developing a case of depression at approximately twelve percent. Women, on the other hand, are expected to experience bouts of clinical depression throughout their lives at a rate of approximately twenty to twenty five percent. Therefore, being a female puts you at a much greater chance of falling victim to depression.
• - Age is another factor to be considered when assessing one’s likelihood of becoming depressed. Most bouts of depression occur between the ages of twenty and fifty, although there is the possibility of depression developing outside of this age range.
• - Surprisingly, one’s diet can also effect their likelihood of developing depression. Doctors and dietitians have combined studies that have shown that those who do not get enough Omega-3 fatty acids are more likely to be depressed. Omega-3 fatty acids are compounds that are found in several different foods, but are found in concentrated doses in fish.
• - When one lives with someone who is depressed, they are much more likely to become depressed themselves due to the increased anxiety that they face within the home.
• - Traumatic experiences early in life can definitely increase one’s possibility of developing depression later on in life. Abuse, rejection, and neglect can all manifest in depression when not fully resolved.
• - Postpartum depression is another aspect of depression to be considered. Between ten and fifteen percent of all women experience bouts of postpartum depression after a pregnancy. It usually onsets approximately three months post-birth, and it may last for several months before it begins to dissipate.

While there are some aspects of life that can put you at more of a risk for a case of clinical depression and there isn’t a thing that you can do about it, there are some things that you can do within your life to decrease your likelihood of developing depression. It’s no lie that depression affects a large portion of the population, but with proper preventative measures and definite treatments if the problem occurs, it’s easily beatable. If you think that you may be facing an issue with clinical depression, you should speak to a doctor or psychologist as soon as you can before the problems begin to affect your life to a significant degree.

When a person has been diagnosed as suffering from depression the first step is to find the right antidepressant for them to help rebalance the chemicals that are out of sync. The problem is that there are so many different pills available and the only way to find the right own has always been by trial and error. Sometimes the health care provider is lucky and the first medication tired is successful. But more often than not this is not the case and numerous medications must be tired. Sometimes they fail because they have too many side effects that the patient cannot deal with. Other times it is because the medication simply does not work.  The process can be slow as each new medication is often tried for at least a few weeks at a time. 

That is starting to be a problem of the past as new medical technology has brought about new tests that may save a lot of this wasted time. A relatively new field of study, called pharmacogenomics, it is the study of how an individual’s body metabolizes medications. This type of medication is also known as personalized medicine. These tests can determine how a person’s body will absorb the medications by evaluating certain genes.

This new system of testing genes has had some very positive results. The particular test is called the CYP450 test. It tests the genes that will naturally absorb the medication to see tract signals from the enzymes which will tell the doctors which antidepressants will be absorbed better. Researchers know that every person reacts differently to different combinations of medications.  That is why a testing system like this can prove to be very useful in the long run. Even family members may have different reactions.

The problem with antidepressants can be the rate of absorption. If it is metabolized too quickly then it is through the body and then eliminated too fast and so does not give the patient enough relief.   This way it is unlikely for there to be enough benefit to control the depressive feelings. If the medication is absorbed too slowly there reverse will be true. The medication will remain in the body for longer than it should. It can therefore begin to build up in the body and potentially could cause a problem of toxicity. Or it could cause other problems. Either way medication that could react improperly is not a good idea. That is why this process could make all the difference in the way medication is planned for.

If you are a diagnosed as a depressant and medication is recommended and your health care provider suggests having the CYP450 test you should seriously this option. This test cannot tell which ones will be good for you but will eliminate the ones that will not work. It is only a blood test and the results of that test could save months of poor prescription choices and side effects with little positive results on alleviating the depression.

Someone suffering from a mixed state of depression is someone who has symptoms of both highs and lows at the same time. This condition is also referred to as a dysphoric mania or as agitated depression. This mental illness is usually a symptom of a severe bipolar condition.  An episode of mixed state depression can be very dangerous to the patient as it is literally like being up and down at the same moment. It can have symptoms like crying during a manic event or have thoughts race so fast you can barely grasp them while in a low point.

The depressive suffering a manic state will have a whole range of symptoms including feeling guilty, impulsive and useless. Their appetite and sleep patterns may change. The depressive may fly off in a rage one moment while the next be feeling confused. A mixed state episode is a time when the depressive is most likely to abuse illicit drugs and alcohol. It is also the time during which they may contemplate committing suicide. They may even make the attempt. This is because it is such a difficult phase for the depressive to go through and can often last a week or longer.

Treatment for mixed state depression is also a difficult thing to get right. Normally antidepressants are used but sometimes the antidepressant themselves can cause a mixed state to come on. So there is often a second medication required for the person suffering with this very confusing type of depression.  The second medication can be an anticonvulsant or sometimes lithium is used. Lithium is a very popular mood stabilizer in part because it has an antidepressant component to it as well as the antimanic component.

Another thing to watch for during a mixed state episode is irrational use of money. This can be a big problem when someone goes out and shops until they are exhausted. They will often buy things they do not need and spend money they do not have. This can then result in the realization that they have accumulated huge credit card debt which in turn will cause them more stress leading to more severe episodes of depression. Also watch that this mixed state can have a person believing they can do anything. It is the superhero phase and that too can be very dangerous for the depressive.

One other thing that may worsen a phase of mixed state depression is that some patients will stop taking their medication when they feel better. This can occur during a manic state and then when they slip into the mixed state when they really need medication they are too messed up to remember to start taking it again. Some researchers wonder if mixed state depression is a path between the manic state and the severe state of depression. They worry that this is the body fighting the two states as it gets prepared to slip from one to the other. If so it is a very severe transition.

If you have been suffering from and fighting with the signs of depression for a long time you know how difficult it can be. But perhaps what you don’t know is that there are things that you can do to improve your circumstances yourself.  This is not to say that the symptoms of depression can be alleviated by wishing them away. Nor is it saying that depression symptoms are in the hands of the person suffering from it. Anyone who understands depression knows that it’s caused by a chemical imbalance. It is not something chosen by the sufferer nor is it something that can be easily banished. But there are things that can be done to improve the situation and make living with depression a little easier.

You must learn to pace yourself. There are many things that you’re quite capable of doing but trying to overdo it will never help you to succeed. Avoid taking on too much responsibility. This could doom you to failure. Depressives doubt their abilities too much and so getting things done is much harder for them. Learn that and learn how to deal with it. For example, if you have a big project to complete do not try to do it all at once. Break it down into smaller pieces. That way as you accomplish and complete different pieces you will feel good about how you’re progressing. Never set yourself up to fail. If you cannot do something you are asked to simply explain that. The feeling of anxiety and hopelessness that you will have otherwise will be way more than you can handle. Honesty is important for you and your employer, spouse or teacher. They will understand.

Do not isolate yourself. This is easy to say and not nearly as easy to do. But when you are dealing with depression being with others is actually much better for you. It keeps you involved in the world around you and prevents you from trying to sleep your way through the difficult days.  If there are things you like to do, do them. Go to see a movie, or a sports event. Go clubbing with friends.  Getting out and doing things you enjoy will make your days, or nights, better and will give you thing to look forward to. This is a positive step.

Avoid making decisions that have huge impact on your life when you are in a low phase. This can be disastrous since all things will seem skewed when having a depressive episode. Do not agree to get married or contemplate getting divorced during an episode. Don’t change jobs. One bad day at work, or a few bad days, does not mean that the job you have had for five years needs changing.

Try to understand that your depression causes you to think negatively about everything. You need to recognize that so you can recognize the good things in your life that seem bad at the moment from the things that really do need to be changed.

There are many people suffering from depression disorders who fail to recognize the symptoms and sometimes it takes being informed by a trusted friend or family member that you are exhibiting the signs of depression. Additionally, many of those suffering depression do not seek professional psychotherapy help whether die to embarrassment, the perceived notion they cannot realistically help or the idea they cannot afford a professional.

However, one of the first steps in getting over depression is the recognition of the symptoms of depression and understanding that a problem may exist. For minor situational based depression, that is depression caused by a major life changing situation, you can learn how to help yourself through this brief period.

Depression can make person feel worthless and helpless and sometimes exhausted which they often attribute to overwork or stress. They often feel worthless and added together can increase negativity about themselves. What is important is to realize that there negative emotions are not real and do not accurately define the reality of the situation. As treatment progresses, whether self-help treatment or professional care, the negative emotions will fade.

First, you must set realistic goals of things you want to accomplish. If your goals are too lofty, more than likely you will fail to meet them, adding to your frustration and the feeling of inadequacy. Break your goals down into manageable piece that you know you can achieve to help build your self-confidence and, resultantly, your self esteem. Remember that the best way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time, and set your goals and desired time frame to meet them within reason.

Try to be with other people when possible and share your burden of depression. A close friend or family member can do wonders for your recovery, provided they know how you feel. They may even be able to offer support and give an objective opinion concerning certain situations in which you feel inadequate. They can also offer advice on whether your goals are too high to realistically reach them and may be able to offer advice on how best to go about succeeding.

Become active, perhaps in small steps, in activities you enjoyed prior to the onset of depression. If you are thinking about starting an exercise program, however it may be wise to consult a doctor to determine your fitness and ability to do this without additional risks. If you have never exercised in the past and have lived a sedentary life, starting out slow and easy is probably a healthier way to begin.

Do not expect depression to suddenly disappear. Most of the time it will take time to get over whatever even caused the depression. Do not make any life-changing decisions such as getting married or divorced while depressed. Since you are viewing situations in a negative aspect, the decisions will be based on those negative emotions instead on being based on facts. It Is not advisable to move or change jobs while depressed as those type of decisions may only serve to exacerbate your depression.

More articles on depression can be found at http://www.mikeserovey.net and at http://4everyonegoodhealth.com/depression_basic_php/index.php.

It seems that all too often people do not take seriously the fact that others have difficulties in their lives that can lead to a depressive episode. The difficulties can be caused by loss, illness, divorce or even birth. But whatever the cause of a person’s depression it must be treated seriously and with compassion.  Those who are HIV positive are too often assumed to be depressed because of the diagnosis. It is assumed that anyone learning that they have this life threatening illness would naturally become depressed. But the fact is that is not necessarily true and depression in the AIDS sufferer must be looked at as a separate problem to be fair to the patient. A good and observant physician should recognize this.

When treating someone with HIV/AIDS who is depressed the treatment must be chosen wisely. It is important to pick something that will not interfere with any of the other medications that are being taken. Antidepressants are something that can be taken by the patient without much worry about being difficult on their bodies.  As well, it would be a good idea to suggest counseling since dealing with too much can make getting through anything much more difficult.  Some of those suffering from depression may choose to go the route of using natural remedies. But it is important that this is discussed with their health care providers first since they must be more careful about what they put in their bodies. For example, St. John’s Wort which has good success as a natural remedy for depressives affects protease inhibitors and this is very bad. It can make the HIV/AIDS virus stronger and more resistant to other drugs. So St. Johns Wort must not be used to treat depression in those with HIV/AIDS.

It is often suggested that treating depression in those with AIDS or HIV should be a managed issue where a combination of health care providers work together to ensure the right care and the right treatment. There are actually physicians who specialize in treating those who are suffering life threatening illnesses who also are suffering an episode of depression. Whichever route the patient chooses they must choose someone who will know the right answers. They do not want to treat one problem only to make the other one worse.

No matter who you are recovering from a depressive episode does not happen quickly. But it will happen with the right treatment. Do not decide that because the HIV or AIDS is difficult to deal with that depression is a natural extension of being ill or that it will not get better. A positive attitude helps with fighting HIV/AIDS. There is unfortunately so much more that can cause depressive episodes aside from the common chemical imbalance of a depressive. This includes the loss of close friends or family who also are lost to AIDS.  Nonetheless if you are depressed do not let your illness prevent you from getting care to ease the symptoms of your depression.

More articles on depression can be found at http://www.mikeserovey.net and at http://4everyonegoodhealth.com/depression_basic_php/index.php.

Eating disorders can be extremely damaging to a person, both mentally and physically. Those with eating disorders such as bulimia often face problems with low self esteem and a poor self image, and it can be tough to talk to them about their problem without making them feel even worse about themselves. It’s important to address an issue with an eating disorder, however, since the disorders themselves can be so damaging to ones health that death occurs relatively commonly as a consequence to the lack of nutrition. Not getting enough food can do numerous negative things to the body, and one may develop an irregular heartbeat if the eating disorder has progressed for long enough. In this article, we’ll offer some tips on how to speak to a bulimic about their problem, helping them as much as you can without making them feel ashamed of their condition.

The first thing that you can do to help someone who has a problem with bulimia is to set aside a period of time to speak to them directly. Your talk should be organized to occur in a place that is a comfortable, private setting so that the individual feels safer speaking about their problem. Be sure to avoid any type of distractions when you have your conversation, and turn off the TV, the radio, or anything else that may be hindering the line of communication you are trying to establish. When you are speaking about an eating disorder, you need to approach the subject with caution. One generally recommended practice to engage in is to express your concern that they may be having some problems and provide them with some memories in the recent past about when you were concerned about them. Let them know that many cases of eating disorders are not solvable on a personal level, and that seeking professional help may be one of the only ways to help them out of their disorder. At the very least, you should ask that they speak to a doctor or a counselor about their eating habits so that they can get an educated opinion on what they can do. It’s important not to get confrontational when speaking to the individual; they may feel cornered and go on the defensive, causing your message of compassion to be lost. Never say things like ‘Why can’t you just stop purging?’ These types of statements only cause the individual to feel ashamed, and they are likely already having some problems with depression from the disorder. You should realize that bulimia is not a simple problem and it’s a psychological issue that can be very tough to overcome. Let your friend know that the reason that you are expressing concern is that you are worried that your friend may be unhappy and unhealthy, and that you just want to see the best for them. With any luck, they’ll be able to see that you are truly looking out for their best interests and may seek professional help.

More articles on eating disorders can be found at http://www.mikeserovey.net and at http://4everyonegoodhealth.com/eating_disorder/index.php.

Have you noticed how some people who suffer from depression are unusually creative?  It is like an imbalance of one kind adds to another side of a person. It’s a known fact that many famous people suffered from depression and that the reason these people are considered famous is because of the creative aspects of their lives. This can include composers, writers, artists and even politicians. Many politicians have had to be creative to conquer the problems of their eras. A good politician is able to do this. A mediocre one has solutions but they are things that anyone could come up with, and often do, not creative solutions that solve the problem because they deal with it differently.
 

Some politicians known to have suffered with depression include Winston Churchill; England’s World War Two savior.  Several presidents of the United States have dealt with depression including Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and, not surprisingly, Richard Nixon.  The late and much loved Princess Diana of Great Britain is known to have fought depression as was Queen Elizabeth the first and Queen Victoria, who went into a several year depressive episode following the death of her husband Albert. Included in this list also are the Emperor Napoleon, Boris Yeltsin and Canadian Prime Minister William Pitt. Some of the great minds of our time like physicist Stephen Hawking, inventor of the television Philo T. Farnsworth and highly successful inventors Thomas Edison, Sir Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin all are depressives as is Bill Wilson founder of the Alcoholics Anonymous program.

The number of talented actresses and actors is a very long one. When watching them in the movies or theaters would you have suspected that Patty Duke, Harrison Ford, John Cleese, Drew Barrymore, Spencer Tracy, Audrey Hepburn, James Garner, or Judy Garland have fought this mental illness?  As has Jim Carey, Winona Ryder, Rod Steiger, Vivian Leigh, Marilyn Monroe and Margot Kidder who has had rather public troubles with her depression. Musicians Ozzie Osborne, Billy Joel, Elton John, Alanis Morissette, Kurt Cobain and John Lennon along with composers Ludwig van Beethoven, Frederic Chopin and Cole Porter are all depressives. So are authors Mary Shelly, Edgar Allan Poe and Charles Dickens as well as artists Michelangelo and Vincent van Gogh.

Would you have guessed that Peanuts creator Charles Schultz, astronaut Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin, designer Yves Saint Laurent or prima ballerina Karen Kain shared this problem? But you may not be surprised to know that billionaire Howard Hughes and writer Ernest Hemmingway both suffered from depression.  This is but a small portion of the talented people who suffer from the daily struggles of depression. They are intelligent and talented people, many of who have made a difference in their lives and the lives of those around them. Never feel like you are the only one who must deal with depression or that being a depressive puts you in a category of undesirables. It seems that it is a pretty impressive group that shares this condition with you.

More articles on depression can be found at http://www.mikeserovey.net and at http://4everyonegoodhealth.com/elderly_depression-noXphp/index.php. You can check out my ebook on depression at http://4everyonegoodhealth.com/Depression/index.html.

Depression affects a startling number of people with figures showing that nearly twenty million Americans deal with this form of mental illness every year.  Virtually half of those live with dysthymia. This is very much like clinical depression but it is considered to have episodes that will last over a longer time period while also having symptoms that are not as devastating. Dysthymia symptoms lasts a minimum of two years.  People who suffer from this type of depression are usually still able to remain employed. They will not become dysfunctional and require hospitalization. Yet, they will still have to deal with the difficulties that being a sufferer of depression will cause in their every day lives.

The common symptoms of dysthymia among adults, over twenty-one being the late onset stage, include changes in appetite. The person can lose their appetite or begin to eat excessively.  Sleep pattern disruption is also a major sign. The dysthymia sufferer will seem to never have enough energy to get anything done; they are always tired. As well, they never seem to feel worthwhile. The self-esteem level is unendingly low and along with a difficulty in concentrating they feel they are never able to succeed at what they try. These feelings may explain why making decisions is another thing that they are not good at. Put all these feelings together and the depressive sinks to an overall belief that all is hopeless.

This form of depression is actually more common among teenagers and young adults below the age twenty-one.   It begins to show up with poor school performance and a withdrawal from the social scene. It can be mistaken for shyness but they are two completely different things.  An inability to get along with family and friends where previously there were not problems is another symptom as are a disruption of sleep patterns. This can be in the form of requiring too much sleep or not getting enough.  The person frequently becomes irritable sometimes even angry for what appears to be no reason.  A part time job may begin to suffer because of these strong emotions not because the person is unable to do the job.

Not unlike most other types of depression dysthymia affects twice as many women as men.   A number of other odd symptoms include the fact that those with dysthymia tend to have noticeably low body temperature. Their hair and nails are frequently brittle and for reasons hard to explain their reflexes are slower than normal.  This may have to do with their thyroid not operating correctly and they should absolutely have themselves checked especially since it is common for seventy five percent of those who are dysthymia sufferers to have other medical issues or another mental illness. However there will be no symptoms of delusions nor is it likely that the person with dysthymia will hallucinate and although they will not likely make eye contact with you they will be able to make their thoughts understood.  Antidepressants should be able to help.

More articles on depression can be found at http://www.mikeserovey.net and at http://4everyonegoodhealth.com/depression_basic_php/index.php. Check out my ebook ebook on depression at http://4everyonegoodhealth.com/Depression/index.html.