DEPRESSION IN OLD AGE AND COPING STRATEGIES

BETWEEN COGNITIVE THEORY AND SPIRITUAL SUPPORT

Abstract

This article analyzes depression in old age as a complex phenomenon that transcends the biological dimension, constituting a biopsychosocial and existential challenge, with significant impacts on quality of life and the subjective well-being of older adults. Drawing on the reflections of Simone de Beauvoir on social invisibility and voluntary death, the text discusses how ageism contributes to the underdiagnosis of the condition, hindering clinical recognition and the implementation of appropriate interventions. From the perspectives of gerontology and cognitive psychology, the mechanisms of resilience and the restructuring of negative schemas are examined, highlighting the role of beliefs, the interpretation of reality, and adaptive processes in the experience of aging. Finally, spiritual support is proposed, grounded in the concept of Religious-Spiritual Coping (RSC) and in the literature of biblical lament, as an effective complementary strategy, especially in coping with psychological and existential suffering. It is considered that spirituality can offer meaning, hope, and symbolic resources to deal with losses and limitations. It is concluded that comprehensive care for older adults requires an intersectoral approach that articulates biological, psychological, social, and spiritual dimensions, promoting a more humanized approach, sensitive to the singularities of aging and committed to the dignity of the elderly person in different life contexts.