People of all age groups can become victims of mental health issues at any point in their lives. Psychological problems are not specific to any particular age group. Instead, children, adults, and elderly people are all prone to having them. These problems are also quite prevalent amongst the elderly. However, they are often misdiagnosed and go unnoticed as they are considered to be a part of the regular pattern of growing old.
In Pakistan, especially, the psychological issues of seniors are not given any significance. In this article, we shall dive into the seven most common elderly mental health issues in Pakistan.
Top Elderly Mental Health Issues in Pakistan: Causes & Treatment
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Depression
The most common mental health issue that people across the globe, in general and in Pakistan, in particular, have to deal with is depression. Depression is characterised by a consistent sense of sadness, never-ending gloominess, lack of motivation to go about regular life, and the desire to stay in bed for prolonged periods. Most often than not, it goes underdiagnosed in the elderly. A lot of times, it shows up in the form of fatigue, sleep issues, or withdrawal.
Depression in old age can stem from a variety of reasons, including social isolation as a person grows old, loss of a spouse or a child, retirement, and the idea of being idle that comes with it, and financial insecurities of retirement life.
The most viable way to help elders with depression is first to recognise the problem and then provide them with adequate psychological help. Seniors with mobility issues can get assistance from the online consultation offered by SehatYab.
Community involvement and support from family are also significant in this regard. In Pakistan, seniors who find themselves a ‘valuable’ part of society despite being old can lead a prosperous life.
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Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety disorders are also quite common amongst elders, especially in the Pakistani society. They are categorized by anxiety, sudden panic attacks, and even phobias.
There could be many reasons why the anxiety may trigger, and most often than not, they are related to health worries or isolation. As a person ages, they tend to get affected by prolonged illnesses that mostly include diabetes, heart issues, arthritis, and many others. The constant worry of deteriorating health is a major trigger of anxiety.
Elders are also more emotionally vulnerable than adults. A death in the family or a mishap tends to affect them deeply, leading to anxiety attacks.
Regular sessions with psychologists, Cognitive Behavior Theory and relaction techiques are some ways through which they can cope with this meatal health problem.
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Dementia
Another prominent mental health issue that is specifically related to old age is dementia. As a person ages, their brain cells also age. They are no longer able to retain memory or even make new memories. Hence, the person becomes much more forgetful than other people around them.
As it advances, it can even impact a person’s ability to perform everyday tasks normally.
Dementia is not only related to age. Instead, some people are genetically predisposed to getting this issue and have a higher chance of being diagnosed with it.
To manage these psychological issues, elders require well-supervised routines on a regular basis and cognitive stimulation therapy in some cases.
4. Sleep Disorders
Almost every senior citizen in Pakistan complains of having sleep disorder and being unable to doze off easily. A lot of times, it is the anxiousness and anxiety of a person that doesn’t let him sleep peacefully at night.
For some elder, it could be the side-effects of the abundant of medicines they take on a regular basis for other health issues while for others, it could be owing to a lack of physical activity. Frequent night-time awaking and the circadian rhythm change are also some reasons of sleep disorder.
Sleep disorders normally go un-recognised and un-tredted in Pakistan as most people connect it with the normal process of aging.
This can be managed by establishing a routine in consultation with medical health experts and psychologists. Also, limiting tea consumption and encouraging gentle exercise also helps in bringing sleep back. Elders dealing with depression, grief, or anxiety can get counseling or therapy for their particular health issues.
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Delirium
Delirium is a complex mental health issue that includes a variety of issues including deterioration of mental abilities, leading to confused thinking, diminishing awareness of the environment, and, in extreme cases, hallucinations.
In Pakistan, people don’t have much awareness regarding this mental health issue, despite being fairly common. A lot of times, it is the medical illness, electrolyte imbalances and certain medications that lead to this condition.
However, this mental health issue is reversible provided it is diagnosed early and proper treatment is provided for it.
By conducting on-time mental status examinations, psychologists can help patients not only get diagnosed with this psychological problem but also help them in treating it before it worsens. They also aid the patients manage anxiety, agitation, or paranoia associated with this disease.
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Identity Crisis
This is quite a prevalent mental health issue in Pakistan. It mostly affects people who have had a prosperous career, and as they retire, they are not able to cope with the fact that they are no longer doing anything meaningful.
The loss of social status and a daily routine ends up affecting their idea of self-worth. This doesn’t happen only after one completes the duration of their job and retires. Rather, in joint family systems, when an elder son takes the financial control of the house, fathers tend to have an emotional setback.
By including elders in important family decisions and giving them opportunities to volunteer in various social causes, family members can help elders going through an identity crisis.
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Obsessive Compulsive Behaviors
Obsessive-compulsive behavior, also known as OCD behaviors, is often underreported, misunderstood, and misdiagnosed. Constant unwanted and intrusive thoughts characterise these behaviors that a person can’t get rid of, no matter how much they try. It also involves repetitive behaviors that seem irrational to a normal person.
Elders dealing with OCD in Pakistani society may showcase strange actions like repeating prayers or ablutions several times, constantly washing hands and feet due to fear of contamination, and placing things and belongings in specific ways.
These behaviors go undiagnosed amongst elders because of the typical mindset of attributing them to the regular behavior of aging.
Psychologists at SehatYab can help elders dealing with obsessive-compulsive behavior through Cognitive behavioral therapy and sessions.
