Sometimes, sadness, irritability, anger, paranoia or hostility may dominate the behavior of a depressed person. It is not uncommon for depression to be confused with dementia or mental dysfunction and memory loss. Underlying symptoms of depression often are signalled by health complaints for which there is no medical basis. Many times, older people express emotional distress in terms of bodily symptoms. Physical illness and depression can occur at the same time in an individual, further complicating an accurate diagnosis.
Untreated depression can worsen or complicate a coexisting medical problem.
Family members and friends need to recognize the common signs of depression so professional help, if needed, can be sought. Remember, there is no single sign of depression. An assessment of depression is often dependent on observing a cluster of symptoms. Depression's main features are persistent sadness that may last for two weeks or more, accompanied by changes in the person's usual patterns, behavior or moods. One or more symptoms from the following list often will be observed with sadness, mood or behavioral changes.