Written by Patrick Massey, M.D., Ph.D. An ancient therapy from China – Qigong breathing – may hold great promise for treating depression in the eldery.
Depression is on the rise in the elderly. It is a complicated problem that is most often treated with a number of different antidepressant medications – all of which have significant side effects.
Medications can affect the elderly differently than the younger adult population. Older people taking medications for common medical problems seem to be more susceptible to side effects. This is a serious problem considering that the average Medicare patient is taking seven to nine medications.
I am a great believer that there are often safe and effective approaches that can sidestep the need for many drugs. For depression in the older population, an ancient therapy from China – Qigong breathing – may hold great promise.
A recent article in the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry notes a strong correlation between clinical depression in the elderly and illness. Patients whose physicians and families perceived them to be ill had a higher incidence of depression.
The traditional treatments for depression are medication and psychotherapy. In the elderly, medication is the most common medical approach because it costs less and is generally more effective then psychotherapy.
The authors looked at how other culturally based medical systems address depression. In China, the use of Qigong breathing exercises is commonly used for a variety of medical conditions. The researchers designed an experiment to examine if Qigong breathing can help clinical depression in the elderly.
Qigong is actually two words. Qi (pronounced chi) means “life’s energy” and gong means “to develop.” It is translated as a way to develop your life’s energy.
Qigong is a way of breathing, often synchronized with simple physical movements. It has a meditative quality that is mentally relaxing and refreshing.
In this study, eight elderly patients with clinical depression as well as a history of stroke, Parkinson’s disease or rheumatoid arthritis were taught Qigong breathing forms. They practiced these forms daily for three months.
At the end of that time, without any other medical interventions, seven patients improved significantly. Their physical activity, sleep patterns and depression all improved.
Although the rate of improvement with Qigong was slower than with medication, there were no side effects and it was less expensive. Other benefits included improved physical function, such as greater strength and flexibility.
I prescribe Qigong for many of my patients who have had strokes, or who have Parkinson’s disease or arthritis. For Parkinson’s patients, I have found that it increases balance and decreases depression. It gives the patients confidence that they have the power to improve their conditions.
Do we abandon antidepressants? Of course not. However, the quality of life can be greatly enhanced if we take a more global view in the treatment of depression in the elderly.
