Is Depression a Normal Part of Aging?
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Last updated: Dec 03, 2011
A
Kenneth Robbins, M.D., is a senior medical editor of Caring.com. He is board certified in psychiatry and internal medicine, has a master's in public...
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No, it's not normal to develop depression as one gets older. Depression is all too common, but it's never normal. Depression is an illness.
The risk of depression does increase as one gets older, however, as other illnesses increase or the ability to function independently decreases. And certain depression triggers are more common with age, such as becoming a caregiver, experiencing empty-nest syndrome, losing a job, or having other financial worries. These conditions can trigger depression in people genetically susceptible to this illness.
