According to a new nationwide poll, the GeneSight psychological state Monitor, about two-thirds (61 per cent) of usa citizens aged 65 or older who have concerns about having depression will does not seek treatment.
It was also found that one in three (33 per cent) seniors who might be suffering from depression believes that they can “snap out” of it on their own.
Dr. Mark Pollack, chief medical officer of Myriad Neuroscience, makers of the GeneSight test said, “The ‘pull yourself up by your bootstraps’ mindset of some seniors and reluctance to talk about mental health are hindering them from getting the help they need – especially now when the pandemic is having an enormous impact on the mental health of older Americans.”
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“People will seek treatment for conditions like heart condition , high vital sign or diabetes. Depression is no different. It is an illness that can and should be treated” he said.
But depression is a condition that needs to be treated: about 61 per cent of respondents who are anxious that they are going through depression would not get treated because “my issues aren’t that bad.” And about four in 10 (39 per cent) of those consumers might imagine they will manage depression without a doctor’s help.
“In my experience, there’s a commonly held view that depression may be a normal a part of ageing; it’s not,” said Dr Parikshit Deshmukh, CEO and medical director of Balanced Wellbeing LLC in Oxford, Florida, which provides psychiatric and psychotherapy services to nursing and assisted living facilities.
Deshmukh said, “I’ve found older adults have a really difficult time admitting that they need depression. When they do acknowledge it, they’re still reluctant to start out treatment for a good sort of reasons.”
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Carmala Walgren, a 74-year-old resident of New York says, depression is still considered to be a taboo among older Americans, despite about one-third of those among the age of 65 are worried that they have depression recognizing that depression has interfered with their relationships and their ability to enjoy activities. “There is such a stigma about depression among people my age.”
“I am proof that you simply don’t need to accept living with depression. Although it may not be easy to find a treatment that helps you with your symptoms without causing side effects, it is certainly worth it.” Walgren’s doctor used information from the results of her GeneSight test, a genetic test that identifies potential gene-drug interactions for depression medications, to assist inform Walgren’s medication selection.
“The GeneSight test made such a difference in my life,” said Walgren. “My doctor has used the test results to seek out medications that helped me.”
