In the US, 8% of adults suffer from depression. That's 21 million people, and in the senior population specifically 5% suffer from clinically-diagnosed depression.
When we think of depression, we think of Prozac and long talks with a therapist. But once you take the Prozac and leave the therapist's office, depressive episodes can still happen, and they can hit hard. As far as emotional wellness tools for one's day-to-day, what options does a senior have?
Grounding techniques for depression may be the answer for seniors living in Marion, OH, a quaint community amid sprawling green fields north of Columbus. Let's take a closer look at how calming routines for older adults like these can help.
One of the most common coping strategies for depression is grounding. To put it simply, grounding techniques for depression are when you anchor yourself in something constant, like your physical sensations. It's an effort to pull yourself away from negative, turbulent thoughts.
Imagine a parade float that has detached from its guy-wires and starts to float away into a chaotic wind. Grounding is the equivalent of grabbing the guy-wires and pulling them back down to earth; cementing oneself in the here and now rather than the past and future of your thoughts.
Grounding is a recommended exercise for a wide variety of psychological issues. You may find people using it for run-of-the-mill anxiety or for more serious phenomena like PTHD. Based on that, you can tell it's quite effective when it can alleviate so many issues.
So now that you've got the brass tacks, how does it work in actual practice? Believe it or not, you can learn grounding in a couple of minutes. There are a couple of methods for grounding, but they achieve similar results.
The most common among grounding techniques is immersing yourself in the five senses. Instead of getting carried away by your thoughts, you hyper-focus on each sensation. To give an example, you pay close attention to several things you can hear in your proximity.
With your attention locked onto the various stimuli you get for each sensation, you quickly forget what you were worried about. It's quite similar to meditation. Mindfulness meditation, like grounding, can help aid with mental health.
Another way to ground yourself is by vocalizing things you know to be true, such as personal details about yourself. Many people will say their full legal name, their date of birth, where they're from, and what they do for work. You can create a sort of factual memorized mantra about yourself.
Although these are not physical sensations, they are a sort of mental anchor. They ground you all the same, drawing your attention away from those depressive thoughts. It seems silly, but try it and see if you don't notice a difference.
Think back to that beachside vacation you took a few months ago. Imagine the crash of the waves, the tang of the salt air, and the relaxed atmosphere of people sleeping and playing. If you feel better, that's because you've just grounded yourself.
Again, this is a mental trick that nonetheless serves to ground you. Even though you're imagining something that doesn't exist (sort of like those negative, ultimately non-existent thoughts), it draws your focus away. It's similar to another positive imagination technique, where imagining yourself having achieved your goals improves your well-being.
Now you know what grounding is and how to do it. But the question remains, why pursue this technique in particular? Let's examine a handful of the reasons why it's great for senior mental health support.
As we've mentioned previously, therapy and medication are long-term efforts that may not account for a one-time episode. Everyone with depression knows that it can hit you at random, even when you're having a good day. In those situations, grounding is one of several excellent emotional wellness tools to put in your toolbox.
Depression can be frustrating because you may experience it when it's the least convenient. For example, when you're about to go out with friends for a social event, depression can entice you to stay home instead. Using a grounding technique, however, may help to overcome it.
It's quite common for seniors to have developed poor coping strategies from back when there was a stigma around mental health. Things like drinking or smoking. Bad coping strategies still can provide relief, but the side effects never make them worth it.
Grounding can quickly become a senior's best friend because it's effective and healthy. Grounding won't cause any harm like, say, drinking. So you'll not only get relief from your depression, but you'll also have a reason to cut those bad coping habits.
Seniors (due to being raised in a very different time) may be reticent to admit to mental health problems. As a consequence, they may shy away from effective treatment out of fear of judgment or mental health stigma. Grounding may help here because it's not as overt as other techniques.
Think about it. In a social situation, a senior can surreptitiously do their grounding without anyone around them even noticing. So they get the relief they need and avoid drawing attention they might not want.
This isn't to say that seniors should avoid mental health treatment because of appearances. Rather, it's recognizing the reality of senior mental health treatment. Understanding what prevents them from getting it is the key to treating them.
As far as mindfulness for aging goes, grounding techniques for depression do a wonderful job. The exercises take only a couple of minutes and provide a ton of relief. Seniors may find they're great coping method replacements that work in almost any situation.
DeWolfe Place Assisted Living in Marion, OH, provides a friendly home for seniors where all their amenities are taken care of. Seniors dealing with mental health issues like depression will benefit from helpful staff and a full activity calendar. Reach out to us and find out how DeWolfe can be the ideal location for your loved one.