At some point in our lives, we will suffer tremendous stress or may have been going through a lot of transition which could be very hard to keep up. Sadly, these are the moments when depression sets in and seniors are no exception to the rule; in fact, the most vulnerable to depression among all age groups are seniors since mostly their transitions are life-changing and some of them are unexpected by the person himself.

Some of the known factors that contribute to seniors’ stress and depression are:  careers, jobs, forced retirement, lifestyle downgrading, medical bills, health issues, mobility, chronic pain, financial stability, death of a loved-one, caretaking and even inability to drive could all lead to depression and may worsen if left untreated.

The problem with depression is that it became a household name thus people now assume that it’s a common, normal occurrence to a person when it is not. Depression is never normal, no matter what age you are in and it should be treated at once since it can cause other health complications if not. Although depression is not a life-threatening condition during early stages, treatments are highly recommended by healthcare providers since it contributes to low quality of life among seniors. Aside from that, studies have shown that seniors, as compared to younger people, tend to have a hard time bouncing back when depression attacks; even if they do, traces of depression are still apparent especially if they didn’t seek therapy or medical help.

Before introducing any other treatments to a patient suffering from depression, healthcare providers usually go for psychotherapy first and see how it goes from there. Psychotherapy is another term for counseling. In psychotherapy, seniors are encouraged to speak their minds and bring out everything that bothers them at the moment. These are supposedly done with psychotherapists but some support groups perform group therapies free of charge.

Psychotherapy works well against depression especially for older adults. A good therapist will help you identify the root cause of your depression and will also guide you in finding the perfect solution for your problem. Its main goal is to assist you in adjusting to your current lifestyle and help you understand your situation better. Medications can also make you feel good temporarily but it never solves the problem; the sooner you face your demons, the better your chances of winning the battle against anxiety and depression.