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Understanding more about Robin William’s Late – Life Depression

Posted by: Bon Heur  in Daily Health Tips, Featured August 13, 2014     

Robin William’s media representative,  Mara Buxbaum told CNN that he’s been dealing with severe depression lately, though an investigation into the cause, manner and circumstances of the death is currently underway by the Investigations and Coroner Divisions of the Sheriff’s Office.

Let’s try to understand more about this illness, it’s cause, symptoms and possible treatments available for all.

Depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest. Also called major depression, major depressive disorder or clinical depression, it affects how you feel, think and behave and can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems. You may have trouble doing normal day-to-day activities, and depression may make you feel as if life isn’t worth living.  A depressive disorder is a syndrome (group of symptoms) that reflects a sad, blue mood exceeding normal sadness or grief.

What psychologists call “clinical depression” is a persistent, sad mood lasting two weeks or longer, sometimes accompanied by lack of sleep or other symptoms (see box below). In cases of clinical depression people are impaired in their ability to function at work, at home or in social relationships. Such people are unlikely to cheer themselves up or pull themselves out of the depression without some sort of assistance.

With Robin’s claimed cause of death on the other hand, Late onset depression or late-life depression is defined as an episode of clinical depression occurring after the age of 60 in an individual who previously had never experienced clinical depression. Important aspects of late-life depression – such as how it is experienced and changes over time, its underlying causes, its treatment and likely outcome – seem to be different from those aspects of earlier onset or chronic depression. Late-life depression is often not diagnosed because older adults and health care professionals may incorrectly think the depressive symptoms are part of the normal ageing process.

Causes:

The exact changes in brain chemistry and function that cause either late life or earlier-onset depression are unknown. It is known, however, that brain changes can be triggered by the stresses of certain life events such:

1.  Illness
2.  Childbirth
3.  Death of a loved one
4.  Life transitions (such as retirement)
5.  Interpersonal conflicts
6.  Social isolation

Risk factors

1.  History of depression
2. Chronic medical illness
3.  Gender –  female mostly
4.  Being single or divorced
5.  Brain disease
6.  Alcohol abuse
7.  Use of certain medications
8.  Stressful life events.

Symptoms

For major depression, you may experience a sad or depressed mood, or an inability to feel pleasure, plus five or more of the following symptoms, for at least a two-week period:
•Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, helplessness, or hopelessness
•Loss of interest or pleasure in usual activities, including sex
•Difficulty concentrating and complaints of poor memory
•Insomnia or oversleeping
•Appetite changes, which may include weight gain or loss
•Fatigue, lack of energy
•Thoughts of suicide or death
•Slow speech; slow movements

Treatment

Treatment is effective in about 80% of identified cases, when treatment is provided. Effective management requires a biopsychosocial approach, combining pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy. Therapy generally results in improved quality of life, enhanced functional capacity, possible improvement in medical health status, increased longevity, and lower health care costs. Improvement should be evident as early as two weeks after the start of therapy, but full therapeutic effects may require several months of treatment. Psychotherapy and medication are the two primary treatment approaches.  Therapy for older patients should be continued for longer periods than are typically used in younger patients.


http://www.healthdigezt.com/understanding-more-about-robin-williams-late-life-depression/