Undiagnosed Depression
Medical news about undiagnosed Depression:
The following medical news items
are relevant to nondiagnosis of Depression:
Undiagnosed Depression discussion:
Depression: NIMH (Excerpt)
Most people with a depressive illness do not seek treatment,
although the great majority-even those whose depression is extremely
severe-can be helped. Thanks to years of fruitful research, there are now
medications and psychosocial therapies such as cognitive/behavioral,
"talk," or interpersonal that ease the pain of depression.
(Source: excerpt from Depression: NIMH)
Depression: NIMH (Excerpt)
Some people have the mistaken idea that it is normal for the elderly to
feel depressed. On the contrary, most older people feel satisfied with
their lives. Sometimes, though, when depression develops, it may be
dismissed as a normal part of aging. Depression in the elderly,
undiagnosed and untreated, causes needless suffering for the family and
for the individual who could otherwise live a fruitful life. When he or
she does go to the doctor, the symptoms described are usually physical,
for the older person is often reluctant to discuss feelings of
hopelessness, sadness, loss of interest in normally pleasurable
activities, or extremely prolonged grief after a loss.
(Source: excerpt from Depression: NIMH)
Older Adults Depression and Suicide Facts: NIMH (Excerpt)
Depression often co-occurs with
other medical illnesses such as cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes,
and cancer.6
Because many older adults face such physical illnesses as well as various
social and economic difficulties, individual health care professionals
often mistakenly conclude that depression is a normal consequence of these
problems—an attitude often shared by patients themselves.7
These factors conspire to make the illness underdiagnosed and
undertreated. (Source: excerpt from Older Adults Depression and Suicide Facts: NIMH)
Depression A Serious but Treatable Illness - Age Page - Health Information: NIA (Excerpt)
There are many reasons why depression in older people is
often missed or untreated. As a person ages, the signs of depression
are much more likely to be dismissed as crankiness or grumpiness.
Depression can also be tricky to recognize. Confusion or attention
problems caused by depression can sometimes look like Alzheimer's
disease or other brain disorders. Mood changes and signs of
depression can be caused by medicines older people may take for high
blood pressure or heart disease. Depression can happen at the same
time as other chronic diseases. It can be hard for a doctor to
diagnose depression, but the good news is that people who are
depressed can get better with the right treatment. (Source: excerpt from Depression A Serious but Treatable Illness - Age Page - Health Information: NIA)
Depression A Serious but Treatable Illness - Age Page - Health Information: NIA (Excerpt)
Be aware that some
family doctors may not understand about aging and depression. They
may not be interested in these complaints. Or, they may not know
what to do. If your doctor is unable or unwilling to take seriously
your concerns about depression, you may want to consult another
health care provider who can help. (Source: excerpt from Depression A Serious but Treatable Illness - Age Page - Health Information: NIA)
Undiagnosed Causes of Depression
As part of Depression diagnosis, consider whether any
of these underlying medical Depression causes may have been overlooked:
- Depression may be directly related to a significant event in our lives such as losing a loved one, experiencing trauma, or battling a chronic illness. Other caused may involve:
- Pre-menstrual and postnatal hormone changes
- Hormone deficiencies
- More hidden causes »
Undiagnosed Complications of Depression
As part of Depression diagnosis, consider whether any
of these Depression complications may have been overlooked:
Undiagnosed Diseases
Read our premium medical health articles on topics related to
undiagnosed conditions in general, not necessarily specific to Depression:
About undiagnosed conditions:
One possible misdiagnosis
is the failure to correctly diagnose Depression
leading to a person remaining with undiagnosed Depression.
Any condition can potentially be missed and stay undiagnosed.
For a general overview of
diseases that are often undiagnosed,
see Failure to Diagnose
or Under-Diagnosed Diseases.
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» Next page: Misdiagnosis of Underlying Causes of Depression
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