Treatment Of Geriatric Depression : A Randomized Controlled Trial

Depression is one of the most recurrently investigated psychological disorders within the area of medical R&D (Montorio & Izal, 1996). A number of exhaustive researches have been carried out to study its symptoms and impacts on different patients belonging to different personal and professional attributes and most of these researchers depicted that depression in the elderly people is very frequent and in spite of number of researches in this context, it is often undiagnosed or untreated. To add to this jeopardy, it has also been estimated that only 10% out of the total depressed elderly individuals receive proper diagnosis and treatment (Holroyd et al, 2000). And for that reason, an authentic

The purpose of this research is to review factors that trigger elderly depression states, their physical and mental health conditions,

Thus far, I have learned about the pros and cons to using medication in treatment with clients. In addition, I have seen first hand the benefits of implementing medications in client’s treatment plan. From my understanding, Depression is one of the most prevalent illnesses in the world. Because of this fact it is important that we understand and explore all the implications surrounding the use and efficacy for treatment. In order to treat our clients with the best care possible, we as therapist should be educated on the types of medications for depression, the impact they have on the body, and their efficacy of improving symptoms and overall functioning. In this paper I will explore three articles about antidepressants and their efficacy for treating clients with depression. In addition, I will provide my overall reaction to the studies and the material provided for the efficacy of antidepressants for treating depression.

Depression is a very prevalent mental disorder that many people have in the world. Depression can be termed as consistently depressed mood or loss of interest in activities that result in an impairment in daily functioning. Depression can be characterized by hopelessness, and a pessimistic view of the world. People who suffer with depression should take act immediately in receiving help because they could possibly commit suicide and or poor health outcomes. Many older adults who receive help are more than likely to reduce the severity of depression. Also, older adults that receive help by using evidence based practice from their clinicians

Overall, there is an agreement that patients with minor depressive symptoms should be prescribed a form of psychotherapy. Cognitive behavioral therapy is shown to be favorable over the other types of psychotherapies for depression treatment. However, some bias may exist due to cognitive behavioral therapy being the most studied form of psychotherapy. The evidence shows that cognitive behavioral therapy should be prescribed as a first line treatment. However, the large number of antidepressants prescribed by primary providers demonstrates a disconnect between evidence and practice. After reviewing the most up to date literature and APA guidelines (2013) the consensus is that psychotherapy should be prescribed for outpatients with minor depressive symptoms. Sufficient evidence suggests that cognitive behavioral therapy should be prescribed for all patients with minor depressive symptoms.

Depression affects at least 11 million Americans per year and costs the U.S. economy an estimated 44 billion dollars annually. Comprehensive review of the existing scientific evidence suggests that psychotherapy, particularly cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), is at least as effective as medication in the treatment of depression,

People encounter various challenges in life ranging from diseases, lack of basic essential needs and psychiatric problems among others. This has given rise to various forms of therapies being adopted by specialists whilst offering solutions to depressed individuals. Group therapy has taken a center-stage in the management of depression. Butler et al (2008) in their article titled "Meditation with yoga, group therapy with hypnosis, and psychoeducation for long-term depressed mood: a randomized pilot trial" show that depression and anxiety form part of the well-known conditions named by individuals seeking treatment using therapies and complementary alternatives. Alternative therapies include yoga, qigong, tai chi, mediation, and exercise. They argue that people are increasingly using these therapies. Butler provides information claiming that yoga and exercise are effective therapies with high rates than uncontrolled activities (Butler, et al 2008). The authors also demonstrate that these therapies can be compared to established anxiety treatments and depression treatments such as sertraline, cognitive behavioral therapy, and imipramine.

Mental disorders are becoming more prevalent in today's society as people add stress and pressure to their daily lives. The elderly population is not eliminated as a candidate for a disorder just because they may be retired. In fact, mental disorders affect 1 in 5 elderly people. One would think that with disorders being rather prevalent in this age group that there would be an abundance of treatment programs, but this is not the case. Because the diagnosis of an individual's mental state is subjective in nature, many troubled people go untreated regularly (summer 1998). Depression in the elderly population is a common occurrence, yet the diagnosis and treatment seem to slip

As the literature remains inconclusive as to the relation between current major treatment modalities and depressive disorder, and given the extremities of the potential dangers of antidepressant medications, it is apparent that there is a need to develop new interventions, which show greater efficacy, safety, and acceptability.

Major depressive disorder affects nearly 15 million of American adults in a given year. (Kessler, Chiu, Demler & Walters, 2005). With the impact it has on the society as well as the well-being of the individual, it must be in the interest of the healthcare to be able to provide patients with the most effective treatment method. Extensive research has been conducted on the efficacy of antidepressant medication and cognitive therapy, the two main treatment methods used for depression today. The discussion has, however, been characterized by conflicting claims, resulting in a debate over what should be used rather than us having definite conclusion of how patients are best helped.

Thank you for your post. Physical therapy plays a role in maintaining a good mental health, and there is no doubt that providing physical therapy treatment sessions positively impacts patients with mental illness. Maintaining a good emotional and mental health is an essential part of our practice, especially for patients who reside in health care facilities for a long-term care (LTC). Those LTC patients may demonstrate a relatively high risk for psychological distress and/or other anxiety symptoms that are more prevalent than depression. Kaur, Masaun and Bhatia (2013) discussed this issue and concluded that physical exercises and activities have shown to have a positive effect in decreasing the levels of anxiety and depression among patients

It also suggests that because Qigong is shown to have positive effects on immune function and other health problems, it could have a positive effect on anxiety related to those issues. Many of the studies reviewed were done on participants over age 50. "A review in 2009 74 of Tai Chi and Qigong in older adults found 36 clinical trials with 3799 participants and concluded that Tai Chi and Qigong practice causes significant improvement in depression and anxiety. " Abbott, Lavretsky ( p.109-119) However, there was one RTC study done that had negative effects on anxiety. This article supports Qigong as an effective treatment for anxiety, but better controlled studies need to be

The purpose of the trial was to see the effects of exercise on depression and neuroendocrine stress hormones such as urinary cortisol and epinephrine. This study consisted of two hundred sixty-six volunteers who were students of a nursing school in Thailand. All the individuals went through a screening test, CES-D, which was a self-report test used to rank common symptoms of depression to determine if participants were within the range of mild to severe. Forty-nine volunteers were chosen and split into two groups: group A (participated in a physical exercise program for eight weeks) and group B (participated in the same daily routine as normal for eight weeks). The trial went on for sixteen weeks and when eight weeks came, the groups would switch. Results showed that when individuals were part of group A, ranking of depressive

I am a chemistry major, and because of that I have taken a lot of chemistry and biology courses at this point. I am going to use my knowledge from these courses to shed a little light on the chemical aspect of Tai Chi! I hae read in many places that Tai Chi is a good method for helping to balance chemicals in the body. In many cases it has been shown to help reduce depression. Depression can result from a number of chemical imbalances. Some common chemicals that interact with our brains and give us the “oh-so-good” feeling are dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, and endorphins. Often these chemicals are in low supply among depressed individuals. However, it is reasonable to say that Tai Chi has the potential to change this.

Mindfulness is “a practice of learning to focus attention on moment-by-moment experience with an attitude of curiosity, openness, and acceptance” (Marchand, 2012). Although the origin of mindfulness resides in the principles and wisdoms of Buddhism, recent research has demonstrated the beneficial effects in a multiple of clinical settings, including major depressive disorder and episodes. Previous research has substantiated that MBCT has broad-spectrum antidepressant and antianxiety effects (Marchand, 2012), and mindfulness-based approaches have been efficaciously applied to manage a wide range of stress-related and health problems (Hofmann, Sawyer, Witt, & Oh, 2010). As mindfulness has rapidly gained attention by clinicians, doctors, and other