It may come as a surprise, but depression is not a natural part of aging. It’s normal to feel sad once in a while, but if you find that you’ve stopped enjoying things you used to or you have trouble getting up in the morning, it might be more serious. If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Up to 5% of older adults have major depression, and up to 15% have significant symptoms that affect their daily lives.
Depression can change how you think and feel if it lasts a long time. It’s important to remember that depression isn't your fault. It could be caused by a medication you take, prolonged social withdrawal or big life changes such as retirement or the loss of a loved one. If you've been feeling down for several weeks or think you might be depressed, it's a good idea to see a health care professional.
To ease depression symptoms, try adding healthy habits to your daily life. Eating nutrient-dense foods, sleeping well, exercising regularly and staying connected with friends and family can uplift your mood and reduce feelings of isolation.
We believe your mental health is just as important as your physical health. That’s why we’re proud to partner with Magellan Healthcare, Inc.1, a trusted leader in the mental health and substance use disorder industry, to provide behavioral health benefits to our members. Together, we make it easy for you to access the care you need, with thousands of behavioral health providers for you to choose from. We make it convenient, too, with video visits and no referral needed for outpatient therapy with a provider in your network.