Aging Gracefully – How To Avoid Age-Related Depression!
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How
It Comes About!
Over time and when not addressed or simply
ignored as “one of those things that happen to people”, it gradually grows and
soon becomes a monster rearing its head in the form of health related
situations like mental issues, disorders and problems.
Mental disorders like depression and the likes
experienced by older adults may differ from those experienced by younger
people, which can make getting an accurate diagnosis or coming into the right
conclusions and eventually treatment quite difficult.
For example, an older person who is depressed
may be more likely to report having physical symptoms like insomnia, aches/headaches
and pains rather than feelings of sadness or worthlessness or unworthiness
which younger people may report as having according to how they are feeling at
that time.
It is also important to note that many physicians
and other health professionals may not provide effective mental-health care
because of their limited training and understanding especially as each case
will be different and may have a bit of a challenge in the diagnosis and
treatment of depression in older and younger people.
Mental
Disorders!
Mental disorders represent a grave threat to
the health and well-being of people especially older adults and citizens and
has also become more pronounced in the younger generation now due to unhealthy
lifestyles.
Older adults and citizens have the highest
rates of suicide in most countries of the world particularly in the United
States and while they represent only 13 percent of the population in the U.S,
individuals within the age bracket of 65 and above, account for 20 percent of
all suicides.
Men within the age of 85 and above are
especially vulnerable with a suicide rate six times greater than that of the
general population. Mental disorders can also negatively affect the ability of
older people to recover from other health problems especially when these health
problems are linked to their state of mind or consciousness at that time.
Heart
attacks are
five times more likely to be fatal for a person who is depressed than for
others who are not but who are in the same age bracket as the person or people
with the depression tendency.
The risk of death for nursing-home residents
with major depression is 60-percent higher than for residents who do not have
this mental disorder and also within the same age bracket.
Being “really down and out” over a period of
time is not a normal part of growing old, but it is a common problem these days
and medical help may be needed. For most people, depression can be treated
successfully with “Talk” therapies, drugs, or other methods of treatment which can
ease the pain of depression and bring about clarity and better understanding.
There
Is No Reason To Suffer!
There are many reasons why depression in older
people is often missed out on or left untreated.
As a person ages, the signs of depression are
much more likely to be dismissed or overlooked as crankiness or grumpiness
especially if that person is known for mood swings and hot tempers.
Depression
Can Be Tricky To Recognize!
Confusion in a person or attention problems
caused by depression can sometimes look like Alzheimer’s disease or other brain
disorders.
Mood swings and changes are also signs of
depression that can be caused by medicines in older people who may take or are
taking medication for high blood pressure or heart disease.
Depression can happen at the same time as
other kinds of chronic diseases and disorders. It can be hard for a doctor to
diagnose depression especially early at the onset but the good news is that
people who are depressed can get better and live a life in balance with the
right treatment.
The occurrence
of Alzheimer’s disease is not a normal development in the aging process.
Alzheimer’s disease is usually characterized
by the following signs and symptoms:
1.
A gradual loss of
memory
2.
A decline in the ability
to perform routine tasks
3.
Disorientation
4.
Difficulty in learning
5.
Loss of language skills
6.
Impaired judgment and ability to plan
7.
Personality changes.
Over time, these changes become so severe that
they may interfere with the individual’s daily functioning and life processes
resulting eventually in death.
While the disease can last from a span of 3 to
20 years after the onset of symptoms and signs, the average duration of the
disease is usually 8 years.
It’s
Age Related!
Alzheimer’s disease affects a lot of people in
their “old age” and most people diagnosed with the disease or disorder are usually
older than 65 years of age. However, it is possible for the disease to occur in
people in their 40s and 50s especially in this generation with their health and
lifestyles.
Recent research has shown links between some
genes and Alzheimer’s disease, but in about 90 percent of these cases, there is
no clear genetic link whatsoever.
Early and careful evaluation is important
because many conditions including some that are treatable or reversible, may
cause dementia-like symptoms.
Treatable medical conditions are numerous and
include conditions such as depression, nutritional deficiencies, adverse drug
interactions and reactions and metabolic changes.
In most instances it just requires a change in
mental attitude which is responsible for the condition occurring in the first
place and may be that simple for a radical and total change to occur and in
most cases is all that is required.
Much of the illness, disability and death
associated with chronic disease like depression and the likes are avoidable
through known prevention measures.
Key measures include the following:
1.
Practicing a healthy
lifestyle like regular physical activity.
2.
Healthy eating and diet control.
3.
Avoid tobacco and
other strong stimulants.
4.
Early detection is
crucial like screening for breast, cervical and colorectal cancers, and
diabetes.
I
would love to hear from you or your thoughts on this post, please drop us a line.
In closing, i believe the
wisdom below will serve you in life:
“Thank you God, for this
beautiful day today. Help me to always see your love reflected in each and
every moment, no matter how challenging life may be. Remind me to always look
to my heart for the LESSONS and BLESSINGS in life”.
Jean Voice Dart!
These words of Inspirations
from the enlightened ones will serve you even more:
“I wish I could show you
when you are lonely or in darkness, the astonishing light of your own being”.
Hafiz
“Within you is the light of
a thousand suns, within you is unimaginable beauty”.
Robert Adam
“Don’t you know it yet, it
is your light that illuminates the worlds”.
Rumi
“I am the light of the
world. You are the light of the world”.
Jesus
“Your heart is the light of
the world, don’t cover it with your mind”.
Mooji
Taking responsibility and
recognizing that we cause all of our core issues is not a reality for most
people.
Taking responsibility to see
life differently without justification, judgement and blame, rejection or
anxiety, fear or anger would really help you in the long run.
Every condition, disease or disorder is a spiritual
condition that has come up for review and to be dealt with and taken care of.
Once the lesson is truly learnt and absorbed, the conditions or situation
reverses itself and clears out and that’s when we say a healing has occurred
and a miracle has happened.
Every problem preludes a negative thought and mindset so
watch your thoughts and emotions carefully and guard them jealously.
Nothing can stop you if you have the courage, commitment
and the discipline to move through your limitations.
‘Let yourself be drawn by the stronger pull of that which
you truly love’
The purpose of life is to discover who you really are,
know and create yourself and experience yourself as who you really are (not the
body that houses you) as a part of the divine source to give and receive love
and serve all creatures of the divine.
As long as you don’t or you refuse to see yourself as a
victim then life becomes a challenge that you can overcome with commitment and
consistent work and it will pay you back handsomely.
A lesson you avoided in a past life will be forwarded to
the current life until you get the lesson right or understood the reason for
it. Each time the lesson is more intense, than the last experience until you
recognize it.
This is an interactive universe where we all work
together in each other’s lessons and life whether we want it or not or whether
we are aware of it or not.
Our fears always surface when we least expect it and when
it does, its better to face the lesson and conquer it.
You can take back control of your life and drive it the
way you would rather want it to be and have things and have things the way you
want it to be.
It takes taking responsibility for all the wrongs that
have happened in your life because whether you agree or not, you are held
responsible for all your:
1. THOUGHTS
2. WORDS
3. ACTION
Nobody wants to listen to your cry of wolf or denial or
victim mentality and it won’t take you far except you sit still, take stock of
your life and determine and desire to turn it around and that’s where and when
the answers or solutions come in.
If and when you are now truly ready to take back control
and look out for the patterns and lessons in your life to understand the mind
aberrations that are causing your problems and have taken control of your life.
That’s when the creative centers open within and you can
finally have the tools to help you change the course of your life and manifest
your destiny.
To succeed in life, you must refuse to see yourself as a
loser no matter what the prevailing situation or condition might be and you
evaluate what you can do to succeed.
The most important qualities are self-esteem, self-worth
and self-confidence and that you understand that you are entitled to abundance
in your life.
You can do anything you want to and be anything you want
to, provided you believe that it is possible.
Victims do not hold that belief!
So ask yourself – are you a victim?
Sometimes a little help from a Therapist or Mental Health
Consultant like myself and a host of others can help guide you on this journey
into an amazing life that is yours and yours only.
Remember if you have questions or need further
clarification, please contact me on the email and phone numbers listed below:
francherbalandmakeover@gmail.com
+234 9035143577
+234 8026634753
Or chat me up on WhatsApp on:
+234 9035143577
+234 8026634753
You can join us on our Facebook page
and group @francherbal
You can message us on WhatsApp at
https://wa.me/message/QTKUXHPZ3GDJJ1
Or
on twitter @franc-herbal.
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