When you hit that strange stretch of life, where the calendar claims you should feel grounded but you don’t, it can feel like someone changed the rules without telling you.

Midlife crisis? Maybe.

But what if it’s something else?

Everyone experiences the highs and lows of everyday life, when euphoric moments of joy can be suddenly eclipsed by darker moments of sadness or despair. Although these peaks and valleys can happen at any time, feeling down without relief may be a sign that something bigger is occurring. It could be a sign of depression. It’s important to know what those signs are in order to get the necessary care in a timely manner, especially for a disorder that is often under-treated in older adults.