Depression in Elderly - Other Problems Affect Treatment of Depression in the Elderly

Written by HealthyPlace.com Staff Writer

Other Problems Affect Treatment of Depression in the Elderly

The stigma attached to mental illness and psychiatric treatment is even more powerful among the elderly and is often shared by members of the patient's family, friends, and neighbors. This stigma can keep elderly patients from seeking treatment. In addition, depressed older people may not report their depression because they believe there is no hope for help. This sense of helplessness is a characteristic of the disease itself.

Elderly people may also not be willing to take their medicines because of side effects or cost. In addition, having certain other illnesses at the same time as depression can interfere with the effectiveness of antidepressant medicines.

Alcoholism and abuse of other substances may interfere with effective treatment, and unhappy life events -- including the death of family or friends, poverty, and isolation -- may also affect the patient's motivation to continue with treatment.

Medicines Which Can Cause Depression

All medicines have side effects, but some medicines can cause or worsen depression symptoms. Among the commonly used medicines that can create such problems are:

• Some pain medicines (codeine, darvon)
• Some drugs for high blood pressure (clonidine, reserpine)
• Hormones (estrogen, progesterone, cortisol, prednisone, anabolic steroids)
• Some heart medications (digitalis, propanalol)
• Anticancer agents (cycloserine, tamoxifen, Nolvadex, Velban, Oncovin)
• Some drugs for Parkinson's disease (levadopa, bromocriptine)
• Some drugs for arthritis (indomethacin)
• Some tranquilizers/antianxiety drugs (Valium, Halcion)
• Alcohol

next: Exercise Works in Treating Elderly Depression
~ depression library articles
~ all articles on depression