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Mental health

by Simone McClenaughan | 11 Nov 2013

Forget putting on a brave face, sucking it up, or getting over it; mental health is an important part of your wellbeing, so if you’re feeling blue, there is something you can do about it.

A dark cloud overhead

Between 10 and 15 per cent of people over the age of 65 are thought to experience depression, and around 10 per cent are thought to experience anxiety, but this does not mean that mental illness such as depression goes hand in hand with ageing.

“It doesn’t,” says Sue Gherdovich, the Older Adults Program Leader at beyondblue. “Ageing does not cause depression. But there are a number of risk factors in later life that can lead to depression and anxiety.”

Depression is characterised by a feeling of sadness, misery or feeling very down for at least two weeks. People experiencing depression tend to withdraw from friends, family and people at work, have trouble concentrating, and stop doing the things that they enjoy doing. Often they may be thinking things such as ‘I’m worthless; nothing good ever happens to me; I’m a failure.’

According to beyondblue, they may also feel very tired, burnt out or run down, or experience difficulty sleeping or a change in appetite.

While we all may feel anxious from time to time, anxiety in mental health terms is a prolonged feeling of being anxious. Signs of anxiety include feeling worried on most days for six months, as well as feeling irritable and tired. Other signs include experiencing hot and cold flushes, muscle cramps, a racing heart and poor concentration.

At any age

Depression and anxiety are different for everyone and are sparked by different things. However, there are some common trends within each age group.

50s
“Often in your 50s, you’re experiencing life changes such as menopause, weight changes and children leaving home,” says Psychology Professor Marita McCabe from Deakin University, an expert in mental health for older people. “As a result, feelings of hopelessness, low self-worth and negativity may develop into depression.”

60s
“Retirement is the big thing in your 60s. Many people tend to define themselves in terms of their work and without it, there is a void,” explains Prof McCabe.

70s
“Loss is the major element in your 70s,” says Prof McCabe. “Loss of partners, friends, your own health and even independence.”

80s
“Your 80s is a time where you’re likely to be questioning your life and mortality, and whether you’ve lived the life you wanted,” says Prof McCabe. “This can be distressing and manifest into depression.”

Discovering the problem

While access to mental health services for people with diagnoses in Australia is far from perfect, problems also crop up early in the cycle, with half of Australians affected by depression not recognising the signs, and not realising they need help.

“Being aware of the signs and symptoms – and not brushing them off – is an important part of identifying a problem and getting help,” says Prof McCabe.

“Many people in their 50s and 60s recognise something isn’t quite right and they see their GP, who will help them. But often people in their 70s and 80s try to disguise problems from their doctors because some feel they don’t want to burden their GP. Remember that GPs and psychologists are there to help you.”

Finding treatment

Sometimes, mental health problems can seem insurmountable. “It can be extremely debilitating to deal with a mental health concern,” warns Gherdovich. “It can interfere with your life, work, relationships, health and hobbies.”

However, treatment is out there.

The Better Access initiative, introduced by the government in 2006, provides Medicare rebates for psychology appointments for people with mental health problems.

Your first port of call should be your GP. Your GP will conduct an assessment and, depending on your circumstances, might develop a Mental Health Treatment Plan that will provide access to treatment through the Better Access to Mental Health Care initiative.

Your GP can also refer you to a psychologist as part of the plan.

“Seeing a psychologist is the best start to treatment as they will provide you with skills and strategies to deal with the things that are causing you trouble,” says Prof McCabe.

Alongside that, Prof McCabe and Gherdovich are strong advocates for lifestyle

modification, such as becoming socially engaged with others, embracing regular physical activity, eating a healthy diet, getting fresh air, getting a good amount of quality sleep each night, engaging in hobbies and even trying meditation. All of these things can act as both preventatives and treatments for mental health problems.

There are plenty of options, which means no-one need suffer in silence.

“For some people, medications are also prescribed,” says Prof McCabe. “You don’t have to put up with depression.

There is help available.”