If left untreated, serious depression may lead to death by suicide. If you are a health care provider of an older person, ask how they are feeling during their visits. Research has shown that intervening during primary care visits is highly effective in reducing suicide later in life.5

What is the most serious consequence of untreated depression?

Untreated clinical depression is a serious problem. Untreated depression increases the chance of risky behaviors such as drug or alcohol addiction. It also can ruin relationships, cause problems at work, and make it difficult to overcome serious illnesses.

How does untreated depression affect the brain?

Depression Can Cause Inflammation in the Brain Untreated depression can also inflame the brain. Not everyone who has depression experiences brain inflammation, but if you do, it can lead to severe symptoms like: Confusion, agitation, hallucinations. Seizures.

Does major depressive disorder get worse with age?

Analysis showed that MDD course worsened linearly as the participants aged, with older adults aged 70 years or older exhibiting poorer outcomes compared with young adults aged 18 to 29 years across all indicators: MDD diagnosis (OR = 2.02; 95% CI, 1.18-3.45); chronic symptom course (OR = 3.19; 95% CI, 1.74-5.84); time

How does age play a role in the diagnosis of depression in the elderly patients?

Age greatly affects the way in which depression develops, as well as the rate at which depression appears in individuals. Across the board, research shows that women report depression more often than men, and that depression is more common among the financially and socially disparaged.

Can untreated depression lead to psychosis?

This condition causes you to experience psychotic symptoms plus the sadness and hopelessness associated with depression. This means seeing, hearing, smelling, or believing things that aren’t real. Depressive psychosis is especially dangerous because the delusions can cause people to become suicidal.

What does long-term depression do to the brain?

Recent studies suggest that the increased level of stress associated with depression may raise levels of glucocorticoid. This steroid can have harmful effects on the nervous system, damaging a region of the brain called the hippocampus that is crucial to creating long-term memories.

Can the brain repair itself after depression?

A depressed person’s brain does not function normally, but it can recover, according to a study published in the August 11 issue of Neurology, the American Academy of Neurology’s scientific journal. Researchers measured the brain’s responsiveness using magnetic stimulation over the brain and targeted muscle movement.

Can depression damage your heart?

When you experience depression, anxiety or stress your heart rate and blood pressure rise, there’s reduced blood flow to the heart and your body produces higher levels of cortisol, a stress hormone. Over time, these effects can lead to heart disease.

What happens to the brain during depression?

There’s growing evidence that several parts of the brain shrink in people with depression. Specifically, these areas lose gray matter volume (GMV). That’s tissue with a lot of brain cells. GMV loss seems to be higher in people who have regular or ongoing depression with serious symptoms.

What ages does depression affect the most?

The percentage of adults who experienced any symptoms of depression was highest among those aged 18–29 (21.0%), followed by those aged 45–64 (18.4%) and 65 and over (18.4%), and lastly, by those aged 30–44 (16.8%). Women were more likely than men to experience mild, moderate, or severe symptoms of depression.

Is depression a permanent condition?

While depression can be treated, and symptoms can be alleviated, depression cannot be “cured.” Instead, remission is the goal. There’s no universally accepted definition of remission, as it varies for each person. People may still have symptoms or impaired functioning with remission.

What are the dangers of depression?

Studies show that depression can lead to heart disease, make heart disease worse, and make it more difficult to recover from complications of heart disease. Depression can even increase your risk of having a heart attack.

Why would an elderly patient being treated for depression not improve with medication?

When older people can’t take traditional antidepressant medicines because of side effects or interactions with other medications, when depression is very severe and interferes with basic daily functioning (such as eating, bathing and grooming), or when risk for suicide is especially high, ECT is often a safe and

Which of the following are symptoms of depression in the elderly?

Signs and symptoms of depression in older adults

• Sadness or feelings of despair.
• Unexplained or aggravated aches and pains.
• Loss of interest in socializing or hobbies.
• Weight loss or loss of appetite.
• Feelings of hopelessness or helplessness.
• Lack of motivation and energy.

What is the most serious symptom of depression?

Increased fatigue and sleep problems Part of the reason you might stop doing things you enjoy is because you feel very tired. Depression often comes with a lack of energy and an overwhelming feeling of fatigue, which can be among the most debilitating symptoms of depression. This could lead to excessive sleeping.