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Does depression worsen with age?


10 years ago 0 10 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Thank you Samantha.
Was dx in 20s, no hospital like mum and sis as I was in such a healthy working environment.
Over 20s year, I soared and garnered multiple degrees and certifications, was on way to doctorate in 2007, moved to another hospital and disclosed to the WRONG PERSON.
 
Suffered first hospitalization in my 40s, I had NEVER experienced health care such as this....nurses scr4aming at each other, students removed b/o toxic environment etc......so gave this researcher/educator time to learn more about my illness and also spurred me on to go back to my doctorate after being told I needed intelligence testing (the horror stories are unbelievable)
 
My prayers were answered when I became an ambassador for the Mental Health Commission of Canada and the Standard was born.  Am still living the horrors, but this is what keeps me going-I need to keep this from happening to others,
10 years ago 0 3043 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Thank you for sharing this information. 


Samantha, Health Educator
10 years ago 0 10 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Hi all,
 
Just an FYI. Peer reviewed studies (a plethora) have found that actually older folks like myself have less problems with depression.  I am working on my doctorate and doing a lot of research.
 
Some of the theories, the ability to conceptualize problems through experience. In other words, better able to NOT make mountains out of molehills. Also, natural development of better coping skills through experience amongst other theories.
 
I personally hold on to this research. As I said is ALL PEER REVIEWED and from dedicated sites likes EBSCOhost, ProQuest, CINAHL etc, NOT wilikpedia or google:) Gives me hope for the future.....
10 years ago 0 8 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Dear Sadsack The question Ashley asked really struck me: What would we do if tomorrow we are not depressed any more? What would we do different from what we are doing now, what would we do that we are not doing now, what would we not do that we are doing now? Difficult to contemplate not being depressed isn't it? Also, what has depression done for me that is good? I know of at least one thing: When I was younger I used to be quite judgemental. That I have lost, totally. And because of that I have become more accepting, less bombastic and opinionated. I used to think I am just great. And that has changed through the pain and struggle of depression. It doesn't change the depression or make it less harrowing. I think the change is more for other people who have to live with me. Rina
10 years ago 0 1022 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Dearest Sadsack... I am sorry I did not see, until now, your question about depression getting worse with age.  I understand your fear and concern as I've struggled most of my life with depression.  Like Eleveno, it is something that comes and goes for me.  Over the years I've learned to manage it better so that usually, the lows are not as low and don't last nearly as long.  
 
That said, I just spent a month inpatient because I felt like I needed a "reboot" of my system. I had been on the same med regimen for years so my psych team decided to change all of them out with other types.  I feel a lot better having made the changes.  I also needed to detox as I had been using alcohol to self-medicate which, of course in the long term, increased the depression while further complicating everything else.
 
I am a post-menopausal 55 year old.  I understand your concerns about going through "the change" as you age, but for me... it made everything better.  No more hormonal misery. Now that I have my meds reset and the alcohol out of my system I feel pretty good and hopeful about my life and my ability to manage the depression.  Whether inpatient or out... I have found CBT to be very helpful toward empowering me to take responsibility and care for my own wellbeing.  
 
I love the support we get here on the DC and sincerely hope you will return to work through the program and post on the forums. There is hope and a wealth of support and understanding to be found here.  I will try to be more consistent about coming by and checking in to see how folks are doing.  
10 years ago 0 11210 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Hello,

I am so sorry to read this. I can really hear the pain, regret and fear in everything you wrote. It sounds like you have had to fight this with little support also. I can't imagine how hard that much have been for you. I can't tell you that I have all the answers for you but I can tell you that we will be right beside you while you try to figure them out. You are not alone in this. 

Have you tried anything related to CBT? The program here is based on it and many members have reported positive gains from using it. It does take quite a bit of work but the work will pay off. CBT is one of the best known treatment for depression.
 
I know right now it might be hard but try to think about how your life would be different if you woke up tomorrow and were no longer depressed. What would you be doing differently? What would be the first thing you do? I am asking this because I want you to start thinking in behavioural terms - maybe after some discussion we can work on setting a few goals around this if you are feeling ready.
 
If your not quite ready for that then perhaps we can continue to talk about your past. It sounds like there is a lot there. What have you missed in telling us about your past? What else is important for us to know? How were you able to keep fighting this despite all your struggle?
 


Ashley, Health Educator
10 years ago 0 619 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Hi sadsack,
You remember myself when I changed jobs several times due to my depression and read everything that could be read about depression. The fact in my case is that depression comes and go, and I have learned to live it with, with the help of CBT in the worst times and having a regular yoga practice. If depression worsens with time, I do not know, because life is so unpredictable that I think it is difficult to predict what will happen and one have to be careful when reading statistics, each case is different.
10 years ago 0 4 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
I was first diagnosed with depression almost 30 years ago - I was a teenager at the time.  Once the diagnosis was made, my family and therapists then began to suspect that I had probably suffered bouts of depression as a child as well, but it may have been misread as extreme timidity or sensitivity.
Anyway, I've been on and off countless anti-depressant meds over the years. Seems like one will work for a few years, but then it is no longer effective, so I have to try something else. Does anyone else go through this?
I've been hospitalized three times, and have been through hundreds of hours of group and individual therapy.  I have read self-help books. I have learned all that I can learn about depression, and recently stumbled upon a book which said depressive episodes can increase in frequency as one ages. And, once women start menopause, that can be a trigger as well.  I'm in my mid-40s, so this is of great concern to me - if I feel this lousy now, how bad will I feel once I hit menopause?
Depression has had a huge impact on my life. It has cost me relationships (I am single,  never been married). It has prevented me from ever feeling stable enough to have children (which is a constant heartbreak to me now that I am too old). It has caused me to switch jobs several times because of the shame of repeated leaves due to my depression.  Reading that my episodes may become more frequent and perhaps even more severe and/or longer in duration terrifies me.  Is this really how my life is going to continue - just getting by in between depressive episodes, always knowing that the next one is lurking around the corner?
 
sadsack

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