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Managing Lifelong Mental Health as a Senior
Mental Health | Last Active: Oct 23, 2023 | Replies (499)Comment receiving replies
I am having a hard time adjusting to major depression and the problems of senior living. I also have neuropathy which makes it hard for me to walk and impossible to drive. This cuts me off from social activities and leaves me isolated. I am feeling increasingly frustrated and highly agitated and irritable. After a lifetime of depression that was at least partially controllable, now it is just getting worse and nothing works on me. When I do go out with paratransit I get in arguments with others which makes me want to stay home and never go out. I find the local hospitals here in Minnesota to be not worth much in treating depression, just shove out the door to get the next person in. Only Mayo is rated good, but I have no way of getting there since I do not drive and I do not know if my insurance is even accepted there. Is this what senior life is like for the mentally ill? There are no local services for me. I have checked.
Replies to "I am having a hard time adjusting to major depression and the problems of senior living...."
@johnjames. Just a quick note before I go to bed. I also have peripheral neuropathy, often making it painful to walk. I'm thankful for the handicap placard that saves me a few steps. Sometimes I hurt when driving, but living out in the country means I can use cruise control a lot of the time. Prescription Lidocaine cream gives temporary relief sometimes. I surely wished I had something when we drove in October, '15, from Oregon to our daughter's in Boston, via a sister's home in St. Paul, and then on the way home, via my other sister's home near Gettysburg, and our son's in Indianapolis. That was a wonderful trip, but horribly painful. I drove barefoot, with my feet on a pillow, trying to ease the pain. But we have good memories and lots of pictures.
Jim
Do you have or have you had a passion for anything like music, writing, or art? Maybe redirect your mind to something you really like would work.
Hopeful refered me to talk to you. I fractured my hip last August and am still not able to walk without walker or cane. I' m 81
Faith, I'm so sorry to hear you fractured your hip. Take great care of yourself. God bless you.
Thank you. It has been difficult pill to swallow. I am trying to hang In there
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I am so sorry you are having so much trouble. What really helped me was an Serequel. It helped my depression and anxiety plus you get a great nights sleep on it.
I am lucky as I live about an hour from Boston which has the best doctors in the world. I used to go to the Bipolar clinic but I changed doctors so that now I'm only 10 miles from my new doctor. Although Boston was only an hour away it always took at least a couple of hours to get there as the traffic was so bad. Anyway I got the best treatment anyone could get.
I hope somehow you can find the help you need, don't give up, there has got to be a decent doctor somewhere near you.