
Depression in Older Men
Depression can strike anyone regardless of age, ethnic background,
socioeconomic status, or gender; however, large-scale research studies have
found that depression is about twice as common in women as in men.
In the United States, researchers estimate that in any given one-year period,
depressive illnesses affect 8.5 percent of women and
nearly 5 percent of men.
But important questions remain to be answered about the causes underlying this
gender difference. For example, is depression truly less common among men, or
are men just less likely than women to recognize, acknowledge, and seek help for
depression?
In focus groups conducted by the National Institute of Mental Health
(NIMH) to assess depression awareness, men described their own symptoms of
depression without realizing that they were depressed. Notably, many were
unaware that "physical" symptoms, such as headaches, digestive
disorders, and chronic pain, can be associated with depression. In addition,
they expressed concern about seeing a mental health professional or going to a
mental health clinic, thinking that people would find out and that this might
have a negative impact on their job security, promotion potential, or health
insurance benefits. They feared that being labeled with a diagnosis of mental
illness would cost them the respect of their family and friends, or their
standing in the community.
Men must cope with several kinds of stress as they
age. If they have been the primary wage earners for their families and
have identified heavily with their jobs, they may feel stress upon
retirement-loss of an important role, loss of self-esteem-that can lead to
depression. Similarly, the loss of friends and family and the onset of
other health problems can trigger depression. Nevertheless, most elderly
people feel satisfied with their lives, and it is not "normal"
for older adults to feel depressed. Depression is an illness that can be effectively treated, thereby
decreasing unnecessary suffering, improving the chances for recovery from
other illnesses, and prolonging productive life.
However, health care professionals may miss depressive
symptoms in older patients, who are often reluctant to discuss feelings of
hopelessness, sadness, loss of interest in normally pleasurable
activities, or extremely prolonged grief after a loss, and who may
complain primarily of physical symptoms.
Also, it may be difficult to discern a co-occurring depressive disorder in
patients who present with other illnesses, such as heart disease, stroke,
or cancer, which in themselves may cause depressive symptoms, or which may
be treated with medications that have side effects resembling depression.
If a depressive illness is diagnosed, treatment with appropriate
medication and/or brief psychotherapy can help older adults manage both
diseases, thus enhancing survival and quality of life.
The importance of identifying and treating depression in older adults is
stressed by the statistics on suicide among the elderly. There is a common
perception that suicide rates are highest among the young; however, it is the
elderly, particularly older white males that have the highest rates. Over 70
percent of older suicide victims have been to their primary care physician
within the month of their death, many with a depressive illness that was not
detected. This has led to research efforts to
determine how to best improve physicians' abilities to detect and treat
depression in older adults.
Approximately 80 percent of older adults with depression
improve when they receive treatment with antidepressant medication,
psychotherapy, or a combination of both. In
addition, research has shown that a combination of psychotherapy and
antidepressant medication is highly effective for reducing recurrences of
depression among older adults. Psychotherapy
alone has been shown to prolong periods of good health free from depression, and
is particularly useful for older patients who cannot or will not take
medication. Improved recognition and treatment of
depression in late life will make those years more enjoyable and fulfilling for
the depressed elderly person, the family, and caregivers.
IMAGES PROVIDED BY:
- MedicineNet
REFERENCES:
Medically reviewed by Robert Bargar, MD; Board Certification in Public Health & General Preventive Medicine August 17, 2017
American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy: "Suicide in the Elderly."
National Institute of Mental Health: "Major Depression Among Adults."
This information has been provided with the kind permission of the National Institute of Mental Health (www.nimh.gov).