Managing Lifelong Mental Health as a Senior

Hello @georgette12 and welcome to Mayo Connect. You have joined a wonderful online community of folks who are interested in health topics and sharing information about what has helped and encouraged them. Please feel free to share with us as to what brought you to Mayo Connect. Is there a specific health issue you or a family member/freind is dealing with? All of us came to Mayo Connect as a result of some health-related issue and we have found support and help along the journey. We look forward to getting to know you! Best wishes. Teresa

welcome

Thank you for your warm welcome. I am also following the forum on mental health. I am a senior with a history of migraines and mental issues that i think are both genetic and also a result of consistent trauma since childhood. To deal with all of this, i have spent my entire adult life studying different traditional and holistic methodologies from different cultures. Alas, i have reached this advanced age with the only conclusion i keep ending up with. Nothing works. I am speaking only for myself of course. I am very aware that many people have found healing in their lives, from both physical and mental conditions. I am just not one of them. When i stumbled on this site, i was impressed with its message. Shared experiences and caring people can help heal all of us. Blessings.

Hi Georgette12,
I add my welcome to Kanaaz's. Thank you for the lovely comments about the tone and message of the Connect community. We are indeed proud of the supportive and informative nature of the conversations.

Also thank you for telling us a bit more about yourself. I think you bring a great topic of discussion to the Mental Health group. With your permission, I'd like to change the title of this discussion. "Managing Life-Long Mental Health as a Senior" Or perhaps you have a better suggestion. I open to ideas.

Colleen, thanks so much for your kind letter. I think you have a good idea in terms of discussing managing mental health issues as a senior, after a lifelong challenge with this disease. This issue can be further complicated as we age because many people do have memory loss and other symptoms of aging, and it is very difficult to tell the difference between life-long anxiety or depression and other mental health issues.......and age-related symptoms or conditions. Am i feeling depressed because i cannot do the things i used to do, or am i depressed because i do not have chronic depression under control.

My question would be: i have been barely able to manage my mental health issues since a child...and now, at 72, i am dealing with the recent suicide of my eldest son, and my youngest son who is suffering from psychosis and refuses treatment. He has disappeared from my life because he hears voices that tell him to cut all ties with his mother. I am sharing this information because i know there are many people who suffer from "traumatic grief" with complications, and PTSD and other mental health issues. So....how do you manage trauma, and its myriad symptoms, while maintaining good mental health. Along with the natural anxiety and challenges of aging. Blessings.

@georgette12 Thanks for sharing with us your needs at this time. I'm sure that other members will begin to respond to you soon. In the meantime, keep writing your thoughts, you do that so well. Your transparency is refreshing and will touch others as they relate to your thoughts and feelings. Teresa

Great topic to start, Georgette.
You wrote:
"discussing managing mental health issues as a senior, after a lifelong challenge with this disease. This issue can be further complicated as we age because many people do have memory loss and other symptoms of aging, and it is very difficult to tell the difference between life-long anxiety or depression and other mental health issues.......and age-related symptoms or conditions. Am i feeling depressed because i cannot do the things i used to do, or am i depressed because i do not have chronic depression under control?"

I'm tagging @overwhelmed @johnjames @jimhd @amberpep and @lesbatts on this discussion as I believe they will value insights or reflections to offer.

Well-as we have been told-depression is a major prat of Parkinson's, it's beyond hard and most people won't understand, we have to try and find those good friends that will help us just by being there at times and holding are hand, saying a prayer together- non- judgemental for sure, AS was said above the depression is hard to keep at bay- it's not always possible and we shouldn't beat our self's up because of it. Memory loss many times is anxiety and trying to hard- which I was told by the Michael J,.Fox Foundation Research center. I have PTSD from 3 wars, and that causes PTSD along with the Parkinson's- sometimes it's a little scary because of the unknown and when is depression going to hit again- that dark cloud that makes our head feel like it in a dark hole. I have been dealing with depression for the past 11 years- Boy I hurt for all of us and the pain of depression -which is real. we need each other to support and pray together on line or in person someday. I real feel in my spirit the pain of the writer and the allfull pain of depression. Please hang -in and find a real friend, one that's always aviliable and loving and kind. in my Prayers. JJAMES

I'm sorry for the loss of your sons. I have attempted suicide, and I know the terrible pain it would cause for my wife and children. Knowing that keeps me from further attempts.

I don't know how long depression has been affecting me, but in 2003, my doctor prescribed my first antidepressant, and in 2005, I crashed. I was overdosing, wanting to die, and was deeply depressed.

I don't think I'd be able to handle all that you are. You have a source of strength. Maybe you could tell us what keeps you going. We all have our own coping resources, and it helps to find new ways to cope.

I have a support team, and each member helps me in different ways. God is at the top of the list, my wife, my service dog, church, and a few friends. I hope to start seeing a therapist again in February. The last one moved more than a year ago. They don't stay here very long, because they can make so much more money in bigger cities. The town I live in is just under 10,000. The challenge has been finding a therapist who takes Medicare.

Well, I have to get a shower and get to bed so I can get up early for my appointment with the pain specialist tomorrow. Blessings to you.

Jim

georgette I was impressed on how you went out of the box of treatments to find a way to deal with your illnesses. I to am a student of finding anyway to resolve emotional and physical ailments. I take suppliments for medical issues and have gone to acupuncturists for also was ails me and chiropracters. The latter has worked by the acupuncturists have not. The suppliments have work and continue to do so . Even if my doctors turn their noses down to it. But as they said if it doesn't hurt than continue. I am glad that you found this group where talking about what ever you want to get put you in touch with people like yourself and can share many stories. And like me have found the conversations enlisting and helpful. So keep up the fight and open up to connect and hopefully you will find it helpful.