Even the most serious depressions usually respond rapidly to the right treatment. But first, depression has to be recognized. Ann had seemed to recover well from the death of her husband 3 years before, but lately she cried about him almost every day. Her daughter arranged for Ann to see a geriatric specialist who diagnosed Ann's condition as depression, not senility. Before long, Ann's memory improved along with her mood.
Pleasure seems a thing of the past.
This type of depression can occur once in a lifetime or, for many people, it can recur several times. People with a major depression need professional treatment. These states of extreme elation and unbounded energy are called mania. This disorder usually starts when people are in their early twenties. Though unusual for this type of depression to start for the first time in later life, it requires medical treatment, whatever the person's age.