I'm 18, a poly student. Not long ago I finally went to seek help, saw a psychiatrist and he diagnosed me with dysthymia, more specifically, double depression. This has been affecting me for years...and I have social anxiety as well. I skipped classes because I couldn't handle the thought of having to meet a class of people, and there's the fear that I would be called up to answer a question in class so I didn't go..and when I was asked, I began to perspire.That fear is horrible..I would just stone in class. It's as good as not going, because I cannot listen and absorb anything...
It's just so damn hard to get things going...I've tried, thrown myself outside of my comfort zone to tackle my social phobia but it just keeps on coming back...I'm on antidepressants, supposed to go for talk theraphy too but as it's not subsidised I can't afford it. & no one in my family knows about my condition, because I already tried telling but no one believed me. Only led to quarrels. Family situation is screwed anyway, I give up on this relationship. I'm not close to anyone of them.
It's not because I don't want to work hard, why can't anyone believe me..and who can really understand...I'm so tired
I've asked some people what's the point of living. They say it's for their loved ones. Then I think, yes I am grateful that I have a family, I have friends, and people who are kind to me..life is the greatest gift given to us, and we have the responsibility of treasuring it. But what if you don't feel anything actually ...no motivation to strive, haunted by the thought of wasting the life. I've previously posted similar posts in this forum, I've realised. & I think the most useful advice is to 'Don't give a damn,just study hard, work to the top'
life...so damn unfair. Been restricted and robbed of a lot of things because of my condition. & I have no one to turn to. I can't tell my classmates or lecturers because they'll treat me differently..
'I talk to God but the sky is empty' -Sylvia Plath
Okay, my view on my point of living on earth.
I want to be filial to my father, i want to take him on a plane and go to places he never been to.
Life is full of suffering, one of my goal is to make a positive change in people's life. i want to help those in need. i want to tell those people that they are loved. i want to tell them it's worth living. and that my actions can impact life.
You have gone to see the psychiatrist and he diagnosed you with dysthymia, then...?
What else did the tell you?
Specifically, how can you deal with your anxieties.
Tell us.
To want to live and do things for others is a beautiful thing.. I wish I want to, but I can think of no one..maybe I'm just too self-centred from the start
Well..he told me since I have financial problems to pay for appt with psychologist, I should just take the antidepressants for a month to see if it helps..if it doesn't I'll just have to go for therapy sessions. I've searched through the net..talk therapy is a generally better option. Can't rely on meds..also, the anxieties can't just be cured, only by practice and more experience to curb.
I had an even smaller social circle in the past, but I wanted to change last year, as I entered poly. So I joined a sports CCA hoping to make more friends and gain more confidence in dealing people, started out OK but it became too much for me to handle and I left. Then, I also signed up for a camp which lasted 2 weeks but I was most of the time like a mute because I was so mentally exhausted..and people wondered whether if I was feeling well. ..
-.-
So actually. I don't know how to deal with my anxieties. Seriously, they have been with me for as long as I can remember, and even my close ones, my kin believe that it's just part of me. A shy girl. She's always quiet, should speak up more..I hear that often..it's been so long. The counsellors that I went to told me that there's hope...but when?
Originally posted by lexiee:To want to live and do things for others is a beautiful thing.. I wish I want to, but I can think of no one..maybe I'm just too self-centred from the start
Well..he told me since I have financial problems to pay for appt with psychologist, I should just take the antidepressants for a month to see if it helps..if it doesn't I'll just have to go for therapy sessions. I've searched through the net..talk therapy is a generally better option. Can't rely on meds..also, the anxieties can't just be cured, only by practice and more experience to curb.
I had an even smaller social circle in the past, but I wanted to change last year, as I entered poly. So I joined a sports CCA hoping to make more friends and gain more confidence in dealing people, started out OK but it became too much for me to handle and I left. Then, I also signed up for a camp which lasted 2 weeks but I was most of the time like a mute because I was so mentally exhausted..and people wondered whether if I was feeling well. ..
-.-
So actually. I don't know how to deal with my anxieties. Seriously, they have been with me for as long as I can remember, and even my close ones, my kin believe that it's just part of me. A shy girl. She's always quiet, should speak up more..I hear that often..it's been so long. The counsellors that I went to told me that there's hope...but when?
Do you have any hobbies? Any things you enjoy doing? Maybe you're different. Most people got depressed because they measure their lives by the social norms (social norms >>> must have this that, must be this that, then can be happy). Some are depressed because they expect too much from themselves. Some chose to be depressed (don't ask me why). Some are depressed for no good reason.
So anyway, one way is to know what you enjoy doing, and do something along that path. Like if you like fashion, could you work in a fashion related line?
The last thing you want to do is to be what you think others want you to do... for example, if they say, you're so shy you need to be more outgoing... but that's not how you should be... you should just be you, whichever is most comfortable, if you're shy, then it's ok, you can still live a happy and good life with a small social circle.
Be someone whom when you look in the mirror, you see the real you and you have a clear conscience. Don't be like this conman who claims to be christian and go to church and yet cheat his best friends' money, totally no conscience. When he looks in the mirror, I think he only sees a dog face.
or issit you don't wan schooling hate go classes?
now digital acge a lot of happening stuff outside school.
okayi got solution. if you a aguy your class sure got hot girls. go tackle the hot ones. like that school will be damn fun!
if you a girl okay steady more pun pippi, look for cheeko uncles like me, i lookin forward to be the 45th men in hot news again
Leixee
Firstly remember that there is no cure. You cannot be cured.
But it dosen't mean that you can't do anything about your condition.
You have been conditioned to be the way you are now. You can contition yourself to be the way you want to be. But you can't do it over night, or even in the next few weeks, because your conditioning took place years and years ago. What ever you think of yourself now, do not let it bother you. You are going to be the new you.
The first step, is to stop your mind from thinking about yourself. Blank out your mind. Say to yourself, (telling your mind) " Don't say anything." Stop your mind, for a few seconds, then progress to a minute. Stop your mind from saying anything. You may think about how to fix a broken machine, how to tackle a problem, how to do some work, but you must not say anything about yourself in your mind. Cultivate the habit of not saying anything about yourself in your mind. Keep your mind free and uncluttered with thoughts.
You will then develop a focused mind, focused on what you would like to do, in getting results to that end. And as time goes by, you would be the expert in your field. If you think about yourself, about why this about you and why that about you, you will get nowhere and you will have trithymia.
As for your personality, you will remain the same person as you are, but you will accept yourself as you are. You will be contented, (forget about happiness) you can be happy for a short time only anyway, never permanently happy.
Be an expert in the field of your choosing, and be useful to other people, thats the secret to contentment in life.
Na heres a motivation for you in life...Conquer your dysthymia and help spread the word to everyone whos suffering from the same condition, whether in the past, present or future that it can be conquerable....
Are you at risk of depression?
This is a simple test for the elderly to check if they are at risk of depression.
Tick the answer that best describes how you felt over the past week.
1. Are you basically satisfied with your life? Yes/No
2. Have you dropped many of your activities and interests? Yes/No
3. Do you feel that your life is empty? Yes/No
4. Do you often get bored? Yes/No
5. Are you in good spirits most of the time? Yes/No
6. Are you afraid that something bad is going to happen to you? Yes/No
7. Do you feel happy most of the time? Yes/No
8. Do you often feel helpless? Yes/No
9. Do you prefer to stay home, rather than going out and doing things? Yes/No
10. Do you feel that you have more problems with memory than most? Yes/No
11. Do you think it is wonderful to be alive now? Yes/No
12. Do you feel worthless the way you are now? Yes/No
13. Do you feel full of energy? Yes/No
14. Do you feel that your situation is hopeless? Yes/No
15. Do you think that most people are better off than you are? Yes/No
Total:
Scoring Instructions
Score 1 point for each of the following answers:
1. No 6. Yes 11. No
2. Yes 7. No 12. Yes
3. Yes 8. Yes 13. No
4. Yes 9. Yes 14. Yes
5. No 10. Yes 15. Yes
* If you score 5 or more, you are at risk of depression, according to this abridged “geriatric depression scale” and should go for a comprehensive follow-up assessment.
* A score of 10 or more strongly indicates depression.
Source: http://www.stanford.edu/~yesavage/GDS.html
Old & Depressed
New study finds that living at home with family does not mean elderly people do not feel sad and lonely
Staying holed up at home in old age, even when living with family, could leave a person sad, lonely and even depressed.
Closed to one in five of 412 elderly people surveyed for a new study showed signs of depression. They were all aged 75 and above, and living at home.
That result in the study by the National University Health System (NUHS) has raised the red flag on old-age depression, given that Singapore is ageing faster than most countries in the world.
Nearly 21 per cent of those over 80 – and 16 per cent of those in their mild to late 70s – indicated that they are sad, lonely or in low spirits in the study by the research team from NUHS’ Department of Psychological Medicine.
Significantly, nine in 10 did not live alone.
Previously studies have shown that those who live alone tend to be more depressed than those who do not.
“What our new study shows is that you might live with others, yet still be alone,” said Associate Professor Rathi Mahendran, who will present the findings at a conference on ageing here on Thursday.
“We need to take heed, given that we’re likely to see a rapid rise in our 80-plus population pretty soon-and most will live with family at home.”
There are now 73,000 people aged 80 and above in Singapore. This is likely to rise to 108,000 by 2020 and to nearly 180,000 by 2030, according to projections by the Institute of Policy Studies.
“Families sometimes take sadness and loneliness for granted in elderly, saying these are a part of growing old,” said Prof Mahendran. “That should not be the case.”
She added that more resources were needed to focus on studying the needs of the “old-old” – those aged 80 and above. Past studies have tended to look at those aged 65-plus.
Her colleague, Associate Professor Kua Ee Heok, who has spent more than three decades studying depression and dementia in the elderly, agreed.
“The big concern is that a rise in elderly depression could cause suicide rates to spike too,” he said.
While suicide rates among the very old here are not readily available, raw numbers indicate an upward trend.
Forty-one people aged 75 and above killed themselves in 2010, the latest year for which data is available, compared to 34 in 2006.
That same year, 14 men aged between 80 and 84 killed themselves, the highest figure for that age group in nearly 20 years. The figure for women in the same age group –eight – was the highest in 12 years.
After reaching one of the highest suicide rates in the world for those 65 and above – at around 50 per 100,000 in 1995 – the rate dipped to about 24 in 2004, rose to 27.6 in 2007, and stabilised.
In 2009, the elderly suicide rate per 100.000 for men was 28.7 and 19 for women. While this is lower than the peaks of the late 1980s and mid-1990s, it is much higher than in countries such as the United States, where suicide rates have hovered around 14 for those aged 65 and above.
Given the rapid increase in the elderly population, it is possible that Singapore’s suicide rates per 100,000 may well remain stable or come down.
But that does not impress Prof Kua. “The point is that suicide is preventable,” he said. “And that’s what we need to focus on.”
He agreed with Prof Mahendran that particular notice needs to be paid to depression in the very old, saying there were two key reasons to do so.
First, unlike dementia, depression can be prevented and treated more effectively.
The prevalence of depression is double that of dementia and it is associated with a host of physical health problems in old age, he said. “Families tend to notice signs of dementia and come forward for treatment ,“ he said. “Not so with depression – and this needs to change.”
Prof Mahendran’s finding on depression are markedly higher than 7 to 7.5 per cent of respondents in a similar age group who showed depression symptoms in a larger study published in 2009.
The key different, she said, is that the earlier study surveyed elderly people in community settings, such as those who attend senior activity or day-care centres, whereas her study was conducted door-to-door in Jurong and Bukit Merah with people at home.
Studies here have shown that older adults who stay employed or retirees who volunteer have better mental health, Prof Kua pointed out. “The key is to talk to people – your family, friends, colleagues or churchmates – and remain engaged.”
Volunteers working with the elderly agree.
Ms Jane Lim, 48 has been running socialisation programmes at the void decks of one-room flats in Bukit Merah, Toa Payoh, Hougang and other places.
Her “Happy Angel Seniors Programme” offers lonely elderly a change to know their neighbours, make friends and remain alert and active.
Encouraged by volunteers, they sing, dance, perform skits and discuss current affairs as part of the programme. There are 400 participants islandwide.
“We try to reach them early, when they are in their 50s and 60s,” said Ms Lim. “If we wait till they’re 80, it might be too late.”
Older people now fitter than before
The 80s may well be the new 60s.
A new study of 412 people aged 75 and above has shown that people are fitter than they used to be.
Only one in four people aged over 80 needed help to do one or more things such as feeding, bathing or dressing themselves, or climbing stairs. This is sharply down from the proportion of nearly two-thirds found in a study 15 years ago.
But there is a marked decline in physical and cognitive abilities when a person crosses 80.
For instance, only one in 10 of those in their late 70s could not perform these essential “activities of daily living”, compared to one in four of those aged 80 and above.
Similarly, about 44 per cent of those aged between 75 and 79 were unable to do one or more tasks such as cooking, shopping or making telephone calls. It was 62 per cent for those past 8 years old.
The latest study done by researchers from the Psychological Medicine Department at the National University Health System (NUHS), also found that cognitive impairment climbed from 28 per cent in those in their late 70s to 44 per cent in those aged 80 and above.
Respondents were asked questions like what time it was, where they were and how to spell words like “world” backwards, to gauge their cognition in accordance to an international tool to screen for cognitive disabilities.
While people are living longer and are in relatively better physical shape, more heed should be paid to their mental health and their concerns, says eldercare expert Kalyani Mehta.
“We need more studies that look at the social and economic well-being of older folk, not just health issues – and these concerns, often inter-linked in the minds of the elderly, should be studied together,” said the head of the Gerontology Programme at SIM University .
There was also a need to make older folk “feel valued”, she said. “We should look at increasing opportunities for older folk to volunteer, help their frailer peers and feel valued at the same time,” she said.
Senior citizens like Mr Wee Char Lee, 85, are already leading the way. The retired father of three visits two activity centres for the elderly run by Presbyterian Community Services for three to four hours nearly every day to chat with residents.
“We laugh and joke, we sing, we gossip,” he said. “Companionship makes us forget the worries of the world.”
Mr Wee, who spent 40 years working for a global technology company, takes special care of those who have been touched by tragedy.
A woman in her 60s in his group recently lost her husband to suicide. “She was very very depressed at first, and even had to seek medical help,” he said.
“But these days, being with others her age is making her heal slowly.”
Prime, The Sunday Times, Pg 6, May 6, 2012
Are you the one with the twin problem?
Ya know you gurls have it easy. All you just got to do is to put on some make up - buy some nice clothes - do up yuor hair. All the guys will droll after you.
We guys - we have to work really hard to build a nest. We have to compete with other guys for everything.
Since you suffer from social anxiety - don't try to be what you're not. Based on your quiet personality - you should not take up a PR job/marketing/promoter/mediacorp announcer/publicists/reporter/lawyer. But there are a lot more other things that you can do that you don't have to face people - IT programmer/funeraldirector/mortician.
I guess so... I've been thinking a lot about myself and so I landed up with more and more realisations..you reminded me. I used to control my thoughts and try not to think so much, that was when I had a simpler approach to life and was happy often. Then came this isolation period when I stayed indoors during the holidays that I began to think too much. The new semester started and all the stress started cramping in, anxieties start kicking in and it resulted in an even lousier mood...You know what, I really don't know...skipping classes again, not studying..lousy mood. I want this to stop. Anxiety as well..I want to be normal..to have conversations without feeling restricted, and to really enjoy going out with friends. But who can really understand it actually..can one function with nothing to look forward to? Don't think about myself..ok can. But then about what? A purpose to live..not to live for myself, but I can think of no one else to live for. Everyday.. it's just another passing day. No motivation, get tired so easily..always yawning, letargic. Sleeping all say. Disinterested. So this is really me? No drive.. and I can't tell anyone..it's suffocating..then you'll say I'm not alone, but in actually fact, the reality is that. I also don't want to dwell more on this, but just saying. Who can understand how lonely it is, how much emotionally handicapped I feel I am inside, how empty it is. The worst thing I've experienced, is to feel nothing at all..a zombie, a robot. And it's not only to me, but to others also. The more I think the more miserable I get, I understand that fully that in order to prevent that I shouldn't keep thinking about myself. But it's just so hard to break out of the vicious cycle. That now I can't..too weak. I'm a coward..feel like giving up on my studies but I can't..just hanging there because I have no choice.
Wow you getting stress over your studies. Can't imagine how stress you get when you start working.
Haiz nobody can help you in this only you can. Sounds like you need to find some spiritual meaning in life. Some people go to church to find god, some people go to Said Baba to transcendial meditation and some people go to temple to seek solace.
No drive? Go watch Eat, pray love. Maybe you shld take a year off to Bali or some poor place like Goa India.
Originally posted by lexiee:I'm 18, a poly student. Not long ago I finally went to seek help, saw a psychiatrist and he diagnosed me with dysthymia, more specifically, double depression. This has been affecting me for years...and I have social anxiety as well. I skipped classes because I couldn't handle the thought of having to meet a class of people, and there's the fear that I would be called up to answer a question in class so I didn't go..and when I was asked, I began to perspire.That fear is horrible..I would just stone in class. It's as good as not going, because I cannot listen and absorb anything...
It's just so damn hard to get things going...I've tried, thrown myself outside of my comfort zone to tackle my social phobia but it just keeps on coming back...I'm on antidepressants, supposed to go for talk theraphy too but as it's not subsidised I can't afford it. & no one in my family knows about my condition, because I already tried telling but no one believed me. Only led to quarrels. Family situation is screwed anyway, I give up on this relationship. I'm not close to anyone of them.
It's not because I don't want to work hard, why can't anyone believe me..and who can really understand...I'm so tired
I've asked some people what's the point of living. They say it's for their loved ones. Then I think, yes I am grateful that I have a family, I have friends, and people who are kind to me..life is the greatest gift given to us, and we have the responsibility of treasuring it. But what if you don't feel anything actually ...no motivation to strive, haunted by the thought of wasting the life. I've previously posted similar posts in this forum, I've realised. & I think the most useful advice is to 'Don't give a damn,just study hard, work to the top'
life...so damn unfair. Been restricted and robbed of a lot of things because of my condition. & I have no one to turn to. I can't tell my classmates or lecturers because they'll treat me differently..
'I talk to God but the sky is empty' -Sylvia Plath
lucky you.............i got triple depression.........
and double bipolar................
As I read in a book, all the depressed people are the most selfish ones. Go out help some people and stop the drugs.
the thing you might have to do is really to let lose yourself. But having said so, i believe you do not have a large social circle. Even so, TS i would recommend to let lose yourself which eventually may help u feel better.
You can tried to look for counselling service like Academy Of Certified Counsellors where they offered techniques like Art or Music Therapy to help you. If you are interested in becoming counsellors to help other, they have the resources as well : http://www.certifiedcounsellors.org
And remember don't tried to read or watch stupid and tragic manga or show like Naruto the pang sai, that is the root of all depression.
How is manga or Naruto the root of all depression?? Where's the logic in that?
Originally posted by Bio-Hawk:As I read in a book, all the depressed people are the most selfish ones. Go out help some people and stop the drugs.
This..I have to defend all the way, is totally wrong. Depression is caused by chemical imbalance in the brain...chemical imbalance..repeat after me. It's not by selfishness zz fyi I did try to reach out to help others eg. doing community service but it sort of backfired on me, I got even more depressed when my anxiety acted up. o.0 All the depressed people, no no no.
I like what JelloPoop posted. Conquer it and help others get out of it. And raise awareness. Yep
Some days it gets quite bad, like the day I started this thread while other days like today it seems alright. ^^ so okay. Yea...learn to let lose, meet new friends, discover more interests....
Originally posted by M the name:
Are you at risk of depression?
This is a simple test for the elderly to check if they are at risk of depression.
Tick the answer that best describes how you felt over the past week.
1. Are you basically satisfied with your life? Yes/No
2. Have you dropped many of your activities and interests? Yes/No
3. Do you feel that your life is empty? Yes/No
4. Do you often get bored? Yes/No
5. Are you in good spirits most of the time? Yes/No
6. Are you afraid that something bad is going to happen to you? Yes/No
7. Do you feel happy most of the time? Yes/No
8. Do you often feel helpless? Yes/No
9. Do you prefer to stay home, rather than going out and doing things? Yes/No
10. Do you feel that you have more problems with memory than most? Yes/No
11. Do you think it is wonderful to be alive now? Yes/No
12. Do you feel worthless the way you are now? Yes/No
13. Do you feel full of energy? Yes/No
14. Do you feel that your situation is hopeless? Yes/No
15. Do you think that most people are better off than you are? Yes/No
Total:
Scoring Instructions
Score 1 point for each of the following answers:
1. No 6. Yes 11. No
2. Yes 7. No 12. Yes
3. Yes 8. Yes 13. No
4. Yes 9. Yes 14. Yes
5. No 10. Yes 15. Yes
* If you score 5 or more, you are at risk of depression, according to this abridged “geriatric depression scale” and should go for a comprehensive follow-up assessment.
* A score of 10 or more strongly indicates depression.
Source: http://www.stanford.edu/~yesavage/GDS.html
Old & Depressed
New study finds that living at home with family does not mean elderly people do not feel sad and lonely
Staying holed up at home in old age, even when living with family, could leave a person sad, lonely and even depressed.
Closed to one in five of 412 elderly people surveyed for a new study showed signs of depression. They were all aged 75 and above, and living at home.
That result in the study by the National University Health System (NUHS) has raised the red flag on old-age depression, given that Singapore is ageing faster than most countries in the world.
Nearly 21 per cent of those over 80 – and 16 per cent of those in their mild to late 70s – indicated that they are sad, lonely or in low spirits in the study by the research team from NUHS’ Department of Psychological Medicine.
Significantly, nine in 10 did not live alone.
Previously studies have shown that those who live alone tend to be more depressed than those who do not.
“What our new study shows is that you might live with others, yet still be alone,” said Associate Professor Rathi Mahendran, who will present the findings at a conference on ageing here on Thursday.
“We need to take heed, given that we’re likely to see a rapid rise in our 80-plus population pretty soon-and most will live with family at home.”
There are now 73,000 people aged 80 and above in Singapore. This is likely to rise to 108,000 by 2020 and to nearly 180,000 by 2030, according to projections by the Institute of Policy Studies.
“Families sometimes take sadness and loneliness for granted in elderly, saying these are a part of growing old,” said Prof Mahendran. “That should not be the case.”
She added that more resources were needed to focus on studying the needs of the “old-old” – those aged 80 and above. Past studies have tended to look at those aged 65-plus.
Her colleague, Associate Professor Kua Ee Heok, who has spent more than three decades studying depression and dementia in the elderly, agreed.
“The big concern is that a rise in elderly depression could cause suicide rates to spike too,” he said.
While suicide rates among the very old here are not readily available, raw numbers indicate an upward trend.
Forty-one people aged 75 and above killed themselves in 2010, the latest year for which data is available, compared to 34 in 2006.
That same year, 14 men aged between 80 and 84 killed themselves, the highest figure for that age group in nearly 20 years. The figure for women in the same age group –eight – was the highest in 12 years.
After reaching one of the highest suicide rates in the world for those 65 and above – at around 50 per 100,000 in 1995 – the rate dipped to about 24 in 2004, rose to 27.6 in 2007, and stabilised.
In 2009, the elderly suicide rate per 100.000 for men was 28.7 and 19 for women. While this is lower than the peaks of the late 1980s and mid-1990s, it is much higher than in countries such as the United States, where suicide rates have hovered around 14 for those aged 65 and above.
Given the rapid increase in the elderly population, it is possible that Singapore’s suicide rates per 100,000 may well remain stable or come down.
But that does not impress Prof Kua. “The point is that suicide is preventable,” he said. “And that’s what we need to focus on.”
He agreed with Prof Mahendran that particular notice needs to be paid to depression in the very old, saying there were two key reasons to do so.
First, unlike dementia, depression can be prevented and treated more effectively.
The prevalence of depression is double that of dementia and it is associated with a host of physical health problems in old age, he said. “Families tend to notice signs of dementia and come forward for treatment ,“ he said. “Not so with depression – and this needs to change.”
Prof Mahendran’s finding on depression are markedly higher than 7 to 7.5 per cent of respondents in a similar age group who showed depression symptoms in a larger study published in 2009.
The key different, she said, is that the earlier study surveyed elderly people in community settings, such as those who attend senior activity or day-care centres, whereas her study was conducted door-to-door in Jurong and Bukit Merah with people at home.
Studies here have shown that older adults who stay employed or retirees who volunteer have better mental health, Prof Kua pointed out. “The key is to talk to people – your family, friends, colleagues or churchmates – and remain engaged.”
Volunteers working with the elderly agree.
Ms Jane Lim, 48 has been running socialisation programmes at the void decks of one-room flats in Bukit Merah, Toa Payoh, Hougang and other places.
Her “Happy Angel Seniors Programme” offers lonely elderly a change to know their neighbours, make friends and remain alert and active.
Encouraged by volunteers, they sing, dance, perform skits and discuss current affairs as part of the programme. There are 400 participants islandwide.
“We try to reach them early, when they are in their 50s and 60s,” said Ms Lim. “If we wait till they’re 80, it might be too late.”
Older people now fitter than before
The 80s may well be the new 60s.
A new study of 412 people aged 75 and above has shown that people are fitter than they used to be.
Only one in four people aged over 80 needed help to do one or more things such as feeding, bathing or dressing themselves, or climbing stairs. This is sharply down from the proportion of nearly two-thirds found in a study 15 years ago.
But there is a marked decline in physical and cognitive abilities when a person crosses 80.
For instance, only one in 10 of those in their late 70s could not perform these essential “activities of daily living”, compared to one in four of those aged 80 and above.
Similarly, about 44 per cent of those aged between 75 and 79 were unable to do one or more tasks such as cooking, shopping or making telephone calls. It was 62 per cent for those past 8 years old.
The latest study done by researchers from the Psychological Medicine Department at the National University Health System (NUHS), also found that cognitive impairment climbed from 28 per cent in those in their late 70s to 44 per cent in those aged 80 and above.
Respondents were asked questions like what time it was, where they were and how to spell words like “world” backwards, to gauge their cognition in accordance to an international tool to screen for cognitive disabilities.
While people are living longer and are in relatively better physical shape, more heed should be paid to their mental health and their concerns, says eldercare expert Kalyani Mehta.
“We need more studies that look at the social and economic well-being of older folk, not just health issues – and these concerns, often inter-linked in the minds of the elderly, should be studied together,” said the head of the Gerontology Programme at SIM University .
There was also a need to make older folk “feel valued”, she said. “We should look at increasing opportunities for older folk to volunteer, help their frailer peers and feel valued at the same time,” she said.
Senior citizens like Mr Wee Char Lee, 85, are already leading the way. The retired father of three visits two activity centres for the elderly run by Presbyterian Community Services for three to four hours nearly every day to chat with residents.
“We laugh and joke, we sing, we gossip,” he said. “Companionship makes us forget the worries of the world.”
Mr Wee, who spent 40 years working for a global technology company, takes special care of those who have been touched by tragedy.
A woman in her 60s in his group recently lost her husband to suicide. “She was very very depressed at first, and even had to seek medical help,” he said.
“But these days, being with others her age is making her heal slowly.”
Prime, The Sunday Times, Pg 6, May 6, 2012
i scored 4
some people must have kaypoh -ji sympdrome. he cannot stop talkin, once stop or you don;t tok to them they will hav the side effects of teh syndrome kickin in - they will develop a reaction call 'depression; and will go see doc - doc as long as you pay them they just prescribe some medicine and take your money that's it - so they say - u hav depression. but the root cause i still - the damn fukin 'kapoh-ji' syndrome
I alway feel that those who post long post or cut and paste long post are the depressed peoples.
Another type are those who try so hard to prove themselves even tho nobody give a damn are also kind of depressed peoples.
Originally posted by troublemaker2005:some people must have kaypoh -ji sympdrome. he cannot stop talkin, once stop or you don;t tok to them they will hav the side effects of teh syndrome kickin in - they will develop a reaction call 'depression; and will go see doc - doc as long as you pay them they just prescribe some medicine and take your money that's it - so they say - u hav depression. but the root cause i still - the damn fukin 'kapoh-ji' syndrome
Then those live at Kay Poh road consider as having this syndrome??
Originally posted by angel7030:I alway feel that those who post long post or cut and paste long post are the depressed peoples.
Another type are those who try so hard to prove themselves even tho nobody give a damn are also kind of depressed peoples.
I am depressed?
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It ok to be depress, it part of our human nature and emotion, still Better than being compressed