A generational divide exists regarding mental health, with younger individuals often being more aware while older adults face stigma. Admitting to mental health challenges is a significant step for some older individuals. Doctors may misdiagnose mental health issues in older patients, attributing their symptoms to normal aging instead. Despite these differences in awareness, research shows that the symptoms of depression in older adults mirror those found in younger generations, indicating that the core experiences of depression remain consistent across age groups.
There are shifts in younger generations and also in older generations. But unfortunately mental health is still very stigmatized for older adults, said Pascal Schlechter.
If a 30-year-old tells you they've stopped going out and are withdrawing, you would ask them, 'Is anything wrong with your mental health? Are you depressed?'. But with an older person, you might say, 'You're fatigued. It's just part of the normal aging process.'
Symptoms of depression are similar across generations, with older adults expressing they felt depressed or that everything was an effort, much like younger patients.
The generational divide regarding mental health awareness exists, yet the understanding of depressive symptoms is consistent between younger and older adults.
Collection
[
|
...
]