Some people are extremely surprised that there are so many medical conditions that mimic depression. Recognizing that your senior loved one is suffering from one of these diseases should be the primary step in treating the illness.
How This Affects Senior Citizens
Depression is a common illness that some senior citizens will experience at some point in time or another. However, there are some seniors who deal with repeated episodes of depression.
Major depression in seniors is usually the result from increased isolation, medical problems, retirement, or the death of loved ones. While seniors might not always experience depression, they are more prone to its effects.
7 Medical Conditions that Mimic Depression
In some instances, the problem is not depression, but it is caused by other medical conditions that mimic this mental condition. However, the only way to know for sure is for medical professionals to make a proper diagnosis, which can take a lot of time. Here are 7 medical conditions that mimic depression and their symptoms:
1. Parkinson’s Disease – Parkinson’s disease can mimic depression, because of facial expressions, general apathy, slow and deliberate movements, and overall decline in health.
2. Sleep Apnea and Narcolepsy – All of us have nights where we cannot sleep, but for others, lack of regular sleep becomes a severe problem. The lack of sleep can cause fatigue and a depressed state.
3. Bipolar Disorder – Part of being bipolar is to have a depressive state. So, someone with bipolar disorder could show signs of depression, but depression does not have manic symptoms like bipolar. Also, people with bipolar disorders need different forms of treatment. Most people with depression receive antidepressants, where giving antidepressants to someone who is bipolar can trigger manic depression.
4. Anxiety – Anxiety and depression are two distinctly different disorders, but they have common symptoms that are often overlapping each other. It you continuously feel nervous, fearful, or worried that something dreadful is going to happen, you likely have an anxiety related disorder.
5. Schizophrenia – Schizophrenia can be quite difficult to diagnose, because of the types and levels of the disease. Depressive symptoms, such as social isolation are common during the beginning stages of schizophrenia.
6. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder – People who don’t have low self-esteem, are unable to concentrate, are restless, don’t have the motivation to work or make other activities, feel overwhelmed, and express low energy levels could have ADHD. These symptoms could be confused with some classical depression and anxiety syndrome, too. This is why even if a loved one is diagnosed with depression, it’s a smart idea to get a second medical opinion.
7. Hypothyroidism – The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists suggest that as many as 13 million people suffer from undiagnosed thyroid conditions, and a substantial number of those could be misdiagnosed as other illnesses. The symptoms of fatigue, brain fog, and depressed moods could be misdiagnosed as someone with depression.
Conclusion
Unfortunately, there isn’t a standardized test because there are so many other medical conditions that mimic depression. However, if you have some of the symptoms mentioned in this article on a continuous basis, you should check with your doctor as soon as possible.
