My uncle is 71 years of age now, and he has always been the kind of person to be prone to depression, as is in fact everyone on that side of the family. Another uncle even died of suicide many years back, because he was also depressed. I am all for getting antidepressant medication, if it helps you feel better, but aren't such antidepressants very taxing on the body of an elderly person? What should I know about the side effects of antidepressants in elderly people?