Recent research confirms a 2015 study that found that people with depression had an 83 percent increased risk of developing dementia (compared with people who did not have depression). The new study, which reviewed 34 long-term observational studies that had investigated links between depression or anxiety and cognitive decline, found that people suffering from depression experienced more extensive cognitive decline later in life than those who had not suffered from depression. This research holds a great deal of importance for an aging population that would like to avert dementia, which is not necessarily an inevitable part of aging. Along with preventative measures such as exercising and practicing mindfulness, therapeutic treatment of depression can help stave off cognitive decline.
Depression causes people to lose pleasure from daily life, can complicate other medical conditions, and can even be serious enough to lead to suicide. And for seniors, ignoring sadness or dismissing it as a normal side effect of aging could allow potentially treatable memory issues to progress unchecked. Whether you may face life’s daily stress or a chronic mental illness, we are here for you. We welcome people of all ages and backgrounds.
P.S. According to the 2015 study mentioned above, people who suffered from both depression and type 2 diabetes were at even higher risk of developing dementia.