Prayer used for depression
Depressed and anxious seniors turn to complementary or alternative medicine more often than those who are not anxious or depressed, and their first therapy choice is prayer, according to US research.
The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine reports that 34.9% of people over 65 who had symptoms of anxiety or depression used complementary or alternative medicine (CAM), compared to 26.5% of those without mental symptoms.
When praying for health is considered a form of CAM and factored in, the percentage jumps to 81.7% of those with mental symptoms, compared to 64.6% of those without.
A significantly greater proportion of older adults with anxiety or depression, in contrast to those without these conditions, use CAM. These differences are driven by greater use of spiritual practices, relaxation techniques and non-vitamin, non-mineral natural products.
Mental disorders among older adults are under-diagnosed and under-treated, partly because people over 65 don’t believe it is treatable. Older adults frequently report that depressive feelings are a natural part of aging and may not view them as something requiring treatment.
