Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Elderly Depression - How To Deal With Depression In Older People

By Wayne M. Chase


You probably know the physical benefits associated with exercising: weight loss and minimized risk of weight related health disorder such as diabetes. However the benefits of exercise extend beyond the physical body, for the mind and body are intimately connected and mutually influential; neither works without impacting the other. When you are sad and angry it can affect your body. When you have low blood sugar it can affect your mood.

Not everyone gets depressed after the death of a loved one. It is perfectly normal not to suffer depression as it is to have to deal with it. However, after the death of a loved one, thoughts and attitudes often trigger loneliness and resulting depression, which occurs early in grieving. It features confusion, little motivation, altered self-esteem, lack of meaning, reduced functioning in one's social circle, insomnia, and low energy. If you are depressed, acknowledge it. Describe it in detail, where it hurts, and what it feels like. "What is the message or messages this emotion is delivering to me?" is an important question to address. What do I need to accept? To let go of? The refusal to accept the loss is often a root cause of depression. Depending on what you believe about your depression will lead to choices that either help you manage it, or prolong it.

Talk to your best friend. Remember, the more you isolate yourself--and this is what depression tends to do--the more you will increase emotional and physical stress. Saying how you really feel (especially what you fear and how angry you may be) to someone you are confident of being with, is an excellent antidote for your grief and to deal with depression. And, forgiving yourself and others, will also release depressed feelings.Use a universal treatment for depression: exercise. Physical activity will have an affect on brain chemistry and help in the management of depression. Take 10-15 minute walks, preferably with someone. This will activate your endorphins and affect mood.

Find a symbol of comfort and guidance. Create a symbol that will bring back loving memories of the person who died and/or of your Higher Power who is with you at all times, and will help you through your great loss. Keep the symbol in a place where you will see it often and use it as a cue to think of loving memories--and to accept the new conditions of life.Are deep seated negative beliefs (I can't go on alone, I'm being punished, I'm never going to feel better, I'm worthless, etc.) adding to your depression? Regain your power. Take it back from those beliefs that say you are less and not more. Believe you can get well. Create opposing affirmations and keep repeating them throughout the day.

Start learning to tolerate uncertainty. This can be accomplished by turning toward your spiritual and symbolic beliefs. You will increase your options by letting your spiritual beliefs guide you and strengthen your faith that you will get through this hurtful loss. Know what you can and cannot control. You can control how you deal with major changes; you cannot control what others say and do or what has already happened.

Depression is an unsound mental health condition that spares nobody. Depression can alter a persons actions and can easily be seen by the way he does the things he usually does. It can affect sleeping and eating habits, as well as how he thinks and deals with others. This mental condition is often behind a persons pessimism and sudden loss of self-assurance. A person afflicted by depression isolates himself from his social network.Depression changes a persons social skills and makes it hard for him to relate with other people. The person will eventually develop pessimism and become short-tempered. His hopelessness will become visible by the way he interacts with other people. When this is already happening, one must know on how to deal with depression.

Check your eating habits and whether you have an insufficiency of amino acids. Protein consumption at all three meals can affect neurotransmitters and your energy levels. Reduce carbohydrate (not complex carbs), sugar, alcohol, and fast food consumption, and increase fruits and vegetables. The way you feel physically will add to or detract from depression.Whenever you feel depression creeping back in, immediately ask yourself this key question, "What are my choices here?" If you are burying your feelings and not facing them, depression is a common result.

Refuse to withdraw from life; make connections and express your feelings to a support group or to your best friend. If your depressive symptoms go on for more than a couple of months, be sure to consult a professional counselor. You can get through this darkness and into the light by taking action early (don't wait for it to worsen) to deal with this pervasive emotion.Let's face it. Life can be difficult to cope with at the best of times and we can often go through a variety of different moods, even on a daily basis. We're all familiar with feeling happy and we're all familiar with feeling sad. Of course it goes without saying where we would rather be. Nothing can compare, however, with the sense of depression after a breakup. This can truly be one of the lowest points of your life and can be very difficult to deal with. Sometimes it can feel as if you are on your own and you don't know where to turn.

Also, long-term depression can keep a relationship down. It is difficult for the non-depressed spouse to keep a positive attitude when he/she has to deal with an unhappy, sad or anxious spouse who has been depressed for a long time. Frequently, the spouse of the depressed person will blame himself/herself or interpret the depressed spouse's actions as a rejection.Suggestions,Depressed men may not know they are depressed and may not recognize the signs, and often choose not to talk about the problem. Yet depression can have a derogatory affect on relationships, careers and all areas of life.To help a depressed man, look for signs of depression, such as behavioral changes, and talk to the depressed man in a sympathetic way. Avoid allowing depression to remain in the closet. Give the man in your life, whether it be your husband, father, brother or friend, lots of support and encouragement. Establish communication about your concerns.

If you have been in a very long-term relationship you feel as if you have a significant gap in your life after you break up. It's that empty feeling that can help to fuel depression, but it's important that you be proactive if you're to cut short an extended period of healing. Can you get involved in other pastimes, or interact with different friends or other acquaintances who may not directly remind you of your ex? Maybe it's time for you to take up another hobby or pastime, but any way you look at it, it's important that you try and occupy your time as much as possible.Don't beat yourself up over whatever has happened. If your relationship truly is over, then you should try and part company on good terms and there may well be time for you to foster a good friendship with your ex in the future. There again, after a period of reflection both of you might believe that there is something to be salvaged here and you might find that you are both stronger as a consequence of this traumatic period of your life.Depression can appear to be all-consuming and no matter what you try and do you might not think that you can shake it. Always remember that time heals everything, including depression and the most important thing that you can do is to occupy your time as best you can with positive and nurturing experiences. Remember that everything is fixable and that if you maintain as positive an outlook as you can, then strength will carry you through this.




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