The 4 Most Common Psychological Disorders In The Elderly
The elderly are one of the populations most vulnerable to psychological disorders.
It is not simply about the physical wear and tear of your body, but this stage of life, in many cases, coincides with moments of crisis to which not everyone is able to adapt well; For example, in certain cases there is more loneliness, death of friends, mourning for the loss of mental agility and healthy appearance, etc.
In this article we will see What are the main common psychological disorders in the elderly? as well as a description of its characteristic symptoms.
The most common psychological disorders in older people
As you reach old age, the risk of developing certain mental disorders increases This does not mean that old age itself comes hand in hand with poor mental health, but that statistically, there is a greater propensity to experience this type of problems firsthand, due to a combination of factors. Let’s see what these relatively common psychological alterations are in the elderly.
1. Depression
Although many people associate old age with sadness, the truth is that those who are most at risk of developing this mood disorder are adults between 25 and 55 years old. However, Since depression is one of the most common disorders, it is also very present among the elderly
This alteration is characterized by the persistence of a low mood for several months in a row, a period in which the feeling of hopelessness and demotivation, sadness, the tendency to avoid social relationships are common, and in many cases, uncontrolled crying attacks.
Anxiety disorders are also very common among older people, at the same level as depression. For example, it is estimated that they are present in approximately 9% of people aged 65 years, in some of their forms: generalized anxiety, panic disorder, agoraphobia, etc In general, these alterations linked to anxiety are more common in women than in men, regardless of age.
These are the main symptoms of each of these alterations:
3. Addictions
Addictions are very common among older people, especially men: More than 1% of people over 60 years of age suffer from them, with alcoholism being the most common problem. It is believed that the sedentary lifestyle and frequent situations of loneliness in this age group favor the development of this dependence. Furthermore, in many cases they do not have support networks to recognize that they have a problem, as they are separated from their families (because their children have become independent and the rest of the family members have died, for example).
4. And regarding neurocognitive disorders: dementia
Dementias are not exactly psychological disorders, since their causes are fundamentally organic and have to do with the degradation of nerve cells in important parts of the central nervous system. However, it is necessary to mention them here because they are very common among the older population. Approximately 7% of people over 60 years old are affected by this type of disease and this prevalence increases rapidly in older people from that point on: it doubles every five years thereafter.
The main symptoms of dementia are sudden changes in mood, incongruence between the mood and what is happening around the person, short-term (at the beginning) and long-term (in the more advanced phases) memory loss, and abulia: lack of motivation and initiative.
Psychological support for older people
In all cases where there is a psychological disorder, it is necessary to have professional help. Psychotherapy has proven effective in treating the main disorders that affect older people, in some cases to bring about the almost complete disappearance of symptoms and in others to mitigate their effects on the patient’s quality of life (as is the case of dementia, which today has no cure).
If you are interested in having a team of professionals with experience in this type of problems and who provide care both in person and in online therapy, You can contact Avance Psychologists, psychotherapy center located in Madrid. You will find the contact information for Avance Psicologías by clicking here.
