Whether you realize yourself that something is amiss or you are visiting your physician at the urging of a trusted friend, family member or perhaps caregiver, what to expect when seeking help for elderly depression is most likely on the forefront of your mind. Perhaps no other medical condition is so fraught with stigma and lore as that of depression and thus it is not at all surprising to have been exposed to a plethora of urban legends and other less than believable statements about potential treatment options.
Fortunately, seeking help for elderly depression is much like seeking help for any other ailment that is not readily visible to the naked eye. For example, when you have a wound or broken bone, the damage is usually visible to even the most novice of treating interns and thus very little background information is required. Yet an illness such as Lupus or type 2 diabetes requires a bit more background and will require the doctor to investigate a number of possible avenues prior to successfully and assuredly diagnosing the illness.
The same holds true for depression. It cannot be readily seen with the naked eye and thus it needs to be ferreted out by something akin to a process of elimination. Consider the fact that fatigue which you are experiencing may also be a secondary symptom for other illnesses, and thus your physician wants to make sure that she or he does not treat you for one problem when in truth you are actually suffering from another!
Your doctor's appointment will most likely start with a full physical examination that includes blood work. The doctor will sit down with you and ask you about your symptoms, when they began, for how long you have noticed them, whether or not they appear to change in severity, and if you have ever experienced something like them before in your life. If you have a history of bouts with depression, your doctor will also ask you what treatments have helped you in the past, and which did not seem to do the trick.
Furthermore, your physician will ask about your family's medical history, and may also begin a rudimentary assessment with respect to your memory, any loss thereof, your current frame of mind, and also what your goals are. She or he will answer any and all questions you may have with respect to elderly depression and you will be surprised to learn just how much this information differs from that which you may have overheard at the church social.
Your primary care physician will then most likely refer you to a psychiatrist or perhaps a psychologist. Even though your doctor does have the power to prescribe medication and monitor its effectiveness, there is little reason to not have a specialist do so. Just like you would not take your cherry red Corvette convertible to a Volvo mechanic for a tune up, you should also not consider it odd to have your depression treated by someone who has undergone special training in the field! Instead, if your physician appears unsure how to proceed, ask for the referral yourself. You may be pleasantly surprised to have a psychiatrist refer you to a psychologist for talking therapy rather than prescribe any antidepressants!
