Late Adulthood and Depression
explanatory Essay
1568 words
Late Adulthood and Depression Late adulthood should be a time in a person's life where they feel fulfilled. They can look back on their memories and be happy with the way they have lived their life. Now, too many elderly people are not satisfied and look at this stage as depressing. Most fear death of either a loved one or for themselves. This topic is interesting to me because elderly people should make the best of their last stage of life. This topic discusses about getting older, the life changes that they go through physically, emotionally, and mentally. We should know more about it so that we can help our family and friends get through one of the best, yet toughest part of our mortal life. Depression is defined as "a state of despondency marked by feelings of powerlessness and hopelessness" (Coon, 2001). Some people can mix up depression with just having the blues because of a couple of bad days or even weeks. It is already said that depression affects about one sixth of the population or more (Doris, Ebmeier, Shajahan, 1999). Depression can happen in any age range from birth to death. The cause of depression is still obscure and becoming clear that a number of diverse factors are likely to be implicated, both genetic and environmental. Some causes are leading stressful lives, genetic factors, a previous depressive episode, and the personality trait neuroticism (Doris, et al., 1999). There are many common symptoms in which everybody looks for which is unhappiness and disappointment. Symptoms that are different, pervasive, or interfere with normal function are considered to be pathological. Some symptoms include loss of pleasure in almost all activities, loss of reactivity to usually pleasurable stim... ... middle of paper ... ...ournal of Physical Eduction, Recreation & Dance (JOPERD) "Active Seniors Less Susceptible to Depression" January 2001 Vol 72 i1 p.9 The Lancet "Depressive Illness" by Alan Doris, Klaus Ebmeier, Polash Shajahan October 16, 1999 Vol 354 p 1369 American Family Physician "Does Conjugal Loss Cause Depression in the Elderly?" by Karl E. Miller March 15, 2000 Vol 16 p.1852 The Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) "Recognizing and Treating Depression in the Elderly" by M.J. Friedrich Vol 282 No. 13 October 16, 1999 Modern Maturity "Face the Music and Dance" by Mark Matousek Inverview with Psychologist James Hillman Nov/Dec 1999 issue Geriatrics "Late-life depression: treatment strategies for primary care practice" by Robert N. Butler, Gene Cohen, Myrna I. Lewis, Wanda Simmons-Clemmons, and Trey Sunderland April 1997 Vol 52 No 4 pg 51
In this essay, the author
- Explains that serotonin reuptake inhibitors and tricyclic antidepressants are the main drugs used today.
- Opines that depression is a serious disease that cannot be taken lightly. people should try to prevent death as much as they can.
- Opines that elderly people should make the best of their last stage of life. depression is defined as a state of despondency marked by feelings of powerlessness and hopelessness.
- Explains that men have a harder time adjusting to changes, while women are more apt to have chronic, debilitating conditions, such as arthritis.
- Explains that sedentary living is only one of many possible causes for negative emotional states, but physical activity can play a significant role in reversing them.
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- The Truth about Depressionexplanatory essayThe Truth about Depression Depression: what is it? Is it really something you can control? How much does it really affect someone? Why do people suffer from depression? Several of these questions are brought to the attention of various professionals such as psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, and physicians, but not enough people seek the truth.
In this essay, the author
- Opines that depression is more than a bad day; it could be caused by chemical imbalance, genetics, family history, or trauma.
- Defines depression as an emotional state in which there are extreme feelings of sadness, dejection, lack of worth and emptiness.
- Explains that most symptoms of depression are overlooked, but when one has the opportunity to learn about, or more seriously, when opportunity is forced on the person, the symptoms become much more obvious.
- Explains that depressed people lose interest in food, friends, sex, favorite activities, or any form of pleasure.
- States the dsm-iv states that if five or more of these symptoms exist in one's life for a span exceeding two weeks, this is considered an episode of depression.
- Explains that there are many different causes of 'depression' that range from genetics to family history.
- Explains that neurotransmitters carry impulses between nerve cells. norepinephrine pathways are released from the end terminal of one nerve cell, and pass across a small space called the synaptic cleft, to the receptor.
- Explains that trauma can be anything as small as breakup in a relationship, loss of parent, traumatic car accident, or even built up stress. other factors such as neglect, abuse, separation from parents, serious illness, and/or divorce can lead to depression in adolescents.
- Explains that when the physical body begins to feel stress, it goes through a series of stages, the first being worry or alarm, followed by resistance, exhaustion, and the fight or flight response.
- Explains that depression is the most widespread, most extensively studied and best understood major psychiatric disorder, but less than 33 percent of depressed people seek treatment.
- Explains that ssris inhibit the reuptake of serotonin into the presynaptic nerve ending and promote neurotransmission.
- Explains that with the right therapy, as many as eight out of ten depressed people can recover from their depression. the most widely used form of therapy is called "talking therapy."
- Explains that there are many misconceptions about depression, yet it is easier today to obtain the facts and disregard the rumors and hearsay about it.
- Cites the american psychiatric association's diagnostic andstatistical manual of mental disorders (4th ed).
1447 wordsRead More - Analysis Of Late Adulthoodexplanatory essayIntroduction Late Adulthood comes with a great number of things, which typically simply build on what was discovered in Adulthood. The ideal remaining relevant in society is in the forefront; while traditional work may end volunteerism picks up (Berger, 2014). Those that have the ability to work do so in order to maintain social relationships fighting the isolation, and loneliness that is a major problem. Speaking with my grandmother she talked about barriers she has faced throughout the aging process to include; coping in retirement, loss of friends, and the idea of becoming frail.
In this essay, the author
- Narrates how they grew close to some of their friends in the neighborhood, but they don't want to leave their home.
- Explains that death is not the only factor that leads to loss of friends; this phenomenon also occurs as people lose the ability to travel as freely as they once could.
- Explains that late adulthood builds on what was discovered in adulthood. the ideal remaining relevant in society is in the forefront while traditional work may end volunteerism picks up.
- Opines that selling avon allows the grandmother to keep her social convoy and status in the community. while her neighborhood isn't transforming into a naturally occurring retirement community, there are some that have stayed.
- Explains that the elderly depend more heavily on others for support, such as a cane, eyeglasses, and hearing aids.
1199 wordsRead More - Diagnosing and Treating Depressioncomparative essayWhen someone says the word depression, it causes a great deal of confusion to American people today. Frequently, depression is used to describe when someone is feeling low, miserable, or having ‘gotten out of bed on the wrong side'. However, doctors use the word in two different ways. They can use it to describe the symptom of low mood, or to refer to a specific illness, Depression. Doctors make a diagnosis of depression after assessing the severity of the low mood, other associated symptoms and the duration of the problem. People who have experienced an episode of depression are at risk of developing another in the future. A small amount of people may experience an incidence of depression as part of a type of bipolar disorder, manic depression, which is characterized by episodes of both low and high dispositions.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that depression is often used to describe someone's low mood, miserable, or having 'gotten out of bed on the wrong side', but doctors use the word in two different ways.
- Explains that depression is very common in the united states, occurring in more than five to ten percent of americans over their lifetime. there are no individual personality types that are more at risk than others.
- Explains that the causes of depression are obscure and unknown to psychologists. heredity is a major factor because it leads to the chemical imbalances of the neurotransmitter, serotonin.
- Explains the symptoms of depression, which are easily identified but not easily distinguished between chronic depression and extreme sadness. severe stress can make you sad or miserable for weeks or months at a time.
- Explains that a doctor can run tests to determine the diagnosis of depression. modern brain scans have shown that some areas of the brain are not working as well as normal.
- Recommends telling an adult if you or a friend has depression symptoms. general practitioners, counselors, psychiatrists and psychotherapists can treat depression.
- Explains that depression is treatable, and that there are many different types of treatment, including medication and talking therapies.
- Explains that there are many forms of psychotherapy, but talking about your problems with a doctor is better than bottle-uping them. psychotherapies are as effective as any medication for mild depression.
- Explains that many companies give out information for free because the patient’s treatment is the top priority. other resources include the depression and bipolar support alliance, national alliance for research on schizophrenia and depression, and the national mental health association
- Recommends calling the yellow ribbon suicide prevention program, the national depressive & manic-depressive association, and the d/art depression awareness, recognition and treatment hotline.
1203 wordsRead More - Optimizing the Later Years of Lifeopinion essayOptimizing the Later Years of Life Elements of Successful Aging One might say that it is impossible to define successful aging in one word. This is because there are numerous components to an enhanced quality of life that leads to successful aging. Individuals who age successfully are healthy, energetic people who lead active lives. More specifically, by staying healthy, fit, and engaged with life, these people grow old to contribute to society, which enables them to remain socially involved with other people creating a life filled with utmost satisfaction. Unfortunately, when one nears the age of 30, their physical and mental capabilities begin to decline.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that it is impossible to define successful aging in one word, because there are numerous components to an enhanced quality of life that lead to success.
- Explains that the risk of diseases and sicknesses increases with age, but can be prevented or detected at any early stage and thereupon, cured.
- Explains the benefits of moderate exercise, such as walking, jogging, dancing, hiking, and swimming.
- Opines that one should avoid being socially isolated by remaining involved in life in two ways: interacting with people and contributing to society in some meaningful way.
- Concludes that there are various elements to successfully age, such as avoiding diseases and disabilities, participating in physical and mental exercise, and socially interacting.
- Describes diener e. and chan m.y. (2011). happy people live longer: subjective well-being contributes to health and longevity.
845 wordsRead More - Depression And Mental Disordersexplanatory essayDepression is one of the most widespread mental disorders globally, affecting more that 350 million people of all ages. It is characterized by disturbed sleep, loss of appetite, sadness, poor concentration and feelings of guilt. There are various types of depression which are long lasting, and other types which are constantly reoccurring (World Health Organisation , 2012). Severe symptoms of depression that inhibit the ability to work, sleep and eat is categorised as major depression, this form of depression can occur once in a lifetime, however in some circumstances it may occur more often. Persistent depressive disorder can last up to 2 years; symptoms may resemble major depression along with episodes of less severe symptoms. Psychotic depression is a form of severe depression when a person begins to hallucinate and have delusions. Postpartum depression is experienced by women after birth, physical and hormonal changes can lead to depression. Seasonal affective depression (SAD) usually occurs during winter due to less sunlight. Another major type of depression is bipolar disorder which is categorized as changes in mood, for instance extreme high moods to extreme low moods (National Institute of Mental Health, 2011). The prevalence of depression was analysed in 8449 individuals aged between 15 and 40, results showed that depression was commonly found in white males and females than in black and Mexican male and females (Stephanie et al, 2005).
In this essay, the author
- Explains that depression is one of the most widespread mental disorders globally, affecting more than 350 million people of all ages.
- Describes the physiological symptoms of depression, anorexia, constipation, changes in menstrual cycle, disturbed sleep, and social symptoms.
- Explains that in a study carried out in 2003 on 873 individuals interviews were taken to see the frequency of causes in depression.
- Explains that depression can be treated with antidepressants, which are widely prescribed to relieve mood and anxiety disorders. reuptake inhibitors block neurotransmitters from entering the brain.
- Explains the effects of antidepressants on the brains serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine neurotransmitter receptors.
- Explains that tricyclic antidepressants (tcas) were one of the first drugs to be discovered for the treatment of depression, and were commonly used due to their mode of action.
- Explains that tca's and snri’s both act in a similar way by disabling the serotonin transporter (sert) and nonadrenaline transporters (nat).
- Explains that tca’s inhibit neurotransmitter transport systems located in the brain. serotonin and alpha-adrenergic receptors are antagonised, as are h1 and h2 histamines. cognitive impairments, dry mouth, constipation, blurred vision.
- Explains that tca's have a low affinity to bind to opioid receptors, sodium channels, and voltage-gated calcium channels.
- Explains that selective serotonine reuptake inhibitors (ssris) are safer, yet effective as older antidepressants such as tca's.
- Explains that ssri's have a secondary pharmacological mode of action which causes the inhibition of noradrenaline reuptake and dopamine, antagonism of the serotonin 5ht2c and muscarinic cholinergic.
- Explains that ssris are associated with sexual side effects, and a study on 119 depressed patients suggests that 17-41% of patients will be affected.
- Explains that serotonin-noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors (snris) are a new type of antidepressant drug used to treat depression.
- Compares the efficacy and tolerability of milnacipran and fluvoxamine in a study carried out in 2001 on 113 patients suffering from moderate to severe depression.
- Explains that antidepressants differ in terms of their side effects, but no one is seen superior. depression treatment is divided into three stages: acute, continuation, and maintenance treatment.
- Compares the cost and effectiveness of tcas and ssris in a study that included 327 depression patients. the cost per patient was £762 and £875 respectively.
- Explains that depression is a common and treatable disease worldwide. many antidepressants work by raising levels of monoamine neurotransmitters in the synapse.
2129 wordsRead More - Depression: It's More Than Just Being Sad.explanatory essayThis essay is about the different types of depression and how it can affect a person’s life. I accessed a couple different websites to do my research for this essay. The first one is “Depression Fact Sheet: Depression Statistics and Depression Causes”, which I used primarily to get the statistics on depression. This was co-written by two people who work in the field of psychology, Dr. Bob Murray, a widely published psychologist who is an expert in emotional health and optimal relationships; and Alicia Fortinberry, a psychotherapist, health writer and executive coach. The second is a very informative article in Medical News Today by Christian Nordqvist called “What is depression? What causes depression?” This is where I got most of the facts about the different forms of depression, as well as from my textbook, Psychology: A Journey by Dennis Coon and John O. Mitterer.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that they accessed a couple of different websites to do their research for this essay. the first one is "depression fact sheet: depression statistics and depression causes" and the second is an informative article in medical news today.
- Explains that depression affects 18.8 million americans who are 18 years of age and older in any given year. it is a disease that inhibits the ability to feel emotion.
- Explains that before the 19th century, clinical depression was called "melancholia" by hippocrates, who is known as the "father of western medicine".
- Explains that there are many forms of clinical depression, including major depressive disorder and dysthymic disorder.
- Explains that dysthymia is also known as chronic depression. the symptoms are not as severe as with major depression, but they might find it difficult to function well.
- Explains that seasonal affective disorder is a kind of depression that many people get during the fall and winter months, especially far north of the equator.
- Explains that there are many other forms of depression, but these are only some of the most common. if one recognizes that they have the symptoms, they might be cured.
- Cites coon, mitterer, and vandeventer as s of depression fact sheet: depression statistics and depression causes.
848 wordsRead More - Depression Essaycomparative essayDepression plagues over about 121 million people worldwide suffer from some form of depression. On average 1 out of every 10 people in the U.S. suffer from Depression. Depression is a state of low mood and aversion to activity that can affect a person's thoughts, behavior, feelings and sense of well-being (www). Depression is unbiased in whom it chooses to plague. Anyone and everyone can become a victim of depression, including children. And twice as many women have been reported to be affected than men. In order to defeat depression, we must first begin to understand it. Depression is more than a feeling, it is a disease.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that depression plagues over 121 million people worldwide and 1 out of every 10 people in the u.s. suffer from depression.
- Explains that depression comes in nine forms, including major depression, dysthymia, seasonal affective disorder, psychotic depression and situational depression.
- Explains that untreated depression can lead to missed days at work, slacking in everyday responsibilities, and more frequent use of medical resources unnecessarily.
- Advises that one should become as knowledgeable as possible about depression and build a support system with family and trusted friends.
- Explains that depression is a serious mental illness and can unknowingly appear in any of our lives at any given time. there are many on-line groups and forums for depression sufferers.
665 wordsRead More - Depression And Anxiety Essayexplanatory essayThe World Health Organization estimates that there are over 350 million people in world who struggle with depression. It is also the leading cause of disability worldwide. Similar to anxiety, depression effects people of all races, ages, and genders however it has been shown that women are more likely to be effected than men. Depression is growing problem. Specifically in America, approximately 17% of adults will suffer through a season of depression at some time in their lives. This rate has been increasing since 1915 and the trend shows that it will continue to do
In this essay, the author
- Explains that depression and anxiety are two of the most prominent and often discussed struggles in our current culture.
- Explains that neurotic anxiety is characterized by the "exaggerated feelings of helplessness and dread even when the danger is mild or non-existent."
- Explains that anxiety is a negative mood state characterized by bodily symptoms of physical tension. it does not have an age range, gender, or racial preference and can be seen in animals and humans.
- Explains the physical and psychological effects of anxiety, which can affect a person's ability to be productive and enjoy life.
1171 wordsRead More - What is Clinical Depression?explanatory essayWhat is depression? Depression is an illness that can take over a person’s life---it can take their happiness and their will to live. This illness can effect adults, teenagers, and even kids. “Depression is an equal opportunity disorder---- it can affect anyone of any group, any background, any race, any gender, and any age. It is the great leveler of all groups and can take the greatest and the smallest of us all and reduce us to the pain and nothingness that is depression (Nydegger 1)”. Depression is an emotion most people may feel they have experienced, but little do they know it’s just the basic emotions we feel. It is important to identify the symptoms of depression, the types of depression, who can get them and how they manifest, in other to be able to treatment them.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that significant weight loss when not on a diet, weight gain (more than 5% change in weight in one month), or decrease in appetite can be attributed to failure to gain weight normally.
- Opines that psychomotor retardation or agitation must be observable by others and not just subjective feelings.
- Explains that the typical mood for a person is dominated by dejection, gloominess, cheerlessness, joylessness and unhappiness.
- Opines that depression is a serious and common problem that affects people of all social class and racial group throughout the world. by taking care of our own health and mental well-being needs, we can reach out to others who are dealing with depression or other mental issues.
- Explains rudy v. nydegger's understanding and treating depression: ways to find hope and help.
- Explains that depression is an equal opportunity disorder and can affect anyone, regardless of background, race, gender, or age.
- Explains that to be considered depressed, it is important to pay attention to these symptoms and know that they must cause significant distress in the social, occupational, recreation, and "normal" areas of a person's life.
- Explains the symptoms of atypical depression, which is found in 30-40% of depressed patients.
- Explains that the symptoms in ad are debilitating even though they may not seem as severe as those in mdd. depressed personality disorder (dpd) shows a pervasive pattern of depressive cognitions.
- Explains that the diagnosis of mdd or dd is not assigned if the symptoms can be explained more effectively. psychotherapy is a relatively recent tool in the armamentarium of mental health therapies.
2180 wordsRead More - Mental Health In Late Adulthood Researchanalytical essayC., Penna, M. P., & Hitchcott, P. K. (2014). Mental health in late adulthood: What can preserve it?. Applied Research In Quality Of Life, doi:10.1007/s11482-014-9323-5
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes the role played by sociodemographic factors, lifestyle, and cognitive efficiency in predicting self-rated depressive signs in late adulthood.
- Explains that sardinian participants, especially those from rural areas, showed better cognitive efficiency and self-referent depression measures.
- Explains that positive aging is more evident in sardinia, especially in rural areas, where the maintenance of an adequatesocial status and physical activity help guarantee a positive level of mental health inlater life.
- Analyzes how the article "mental health in late adulthood: what can preserve it?" proves the negative impact of self-rated depressive symptoms on psychological well-being.
- Explains that past research as well as a new study were used to prove this hypothesis. the researchers assigned volunteers to one of two groups: old and old.
- Explains that the city of sassari or of the villages of barbagia, ogliastra or lombardy had to be descendants of people originally from those areas for at least two generations.
- Explains that education level and gender were counterbalanced across both sets of volunteers. participants completed the mini-mental state examination, wechsler adult intelligence, and centre for epidemiological studies of depression scale.
- Explains that age group and residence were significant variables. the interaction between residence and hobbies was not significant but those involved in leisurely activites were significantly less depressed.
- Opines that the researchers did exactly what they said they were going to do, which was to examine socio-demographic and environmental factors, and lifestyle and cognitive efficiency measures in or to try and predict depressive signs in old and very old adults.
719 wordsRead More