Retirement does not always equal a life of leisure. As most Americans dream of the golden years ahead, many senior citizens have a difficult time adjusting to a slower pace and less responsibility. Symptoms of clinical depression often accompany other illnesses common later in life, such as Parkinson’s disease, heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.

As you grow older, you face significant life changes that can put you at risk for depression. Causes and risk factors that contribute to depression in older adults and the elderly include:

• Health problems – Illness and disability; chronic or severe pain; cognitive decline; damage to body image due to surgery or disease.
• Loneliness and isolation – Living alone; a dwindling social circle due to deaths or relocation; decreased mobility due to illness or loss of driving privileges.
• Reduced sense of purpose – Feelings of purposelessness or loss of identity due to retirement or physical limitations on activities.
• Fears – Fear of death or dying; anxiety over financial problems or health issues.
• Recent bereavement – The death of friends, family members, and pets; the loss of a spouse or partner.”

But the stigmas associated with mental illness often prevent seniors from seeking treatment, and without treatment, depression can lead to destructive behavior and thoughts of suicide. Comprising only 12% of the U.S. population, individuals aged 65 and older account for 16% of all suicide deaths, with white males being particularly vulnerable. National Depression Screening Day (NDSD) gives people access to an anonymous validated, screening questionnaire and provides referral information for treatment. Visit www.HelpYourSelfHelpOthers.org to find a local organization offering depression and anxiety screenings or take a free, anonymous screening online today.

Today is National Depression Screening Day.

For more information, click here.