Test Your Mental Health a Year Into the Pandemic

• Are you still having fun (all things considered)?

You may have never heard the term "anhedonia," but you've probably heard of its definition: an inability to feel pleasure. Anhedonia is a big red flag, says Rosmarin, and a classic symptom of major depression. Also, one study of adults older than 60 found that those with anhedonia were five times as likely to develop dementia. The year 2020 sucked the joy out of many things, but if you or a loved one quits doing something — for a month or more — that was once cherished, you need to find out why.

• How do you judge your reaction to stress?

"If I interpret my stress reaction as, Oh, I'm a weak person — something's wrong with me, that's going to make life a heck of a lot worse," Rosmarin says.

• Why are you here?

"This is less religion and more about understanding that there's ultimate meaning," Rosmarin says. "For some, just the idea of having meaning and purpose helps them get through the most difficult times. Are there still dreams and hopes and wishes that you have yet to fulfill? How can you get there?"

There are certain times when being older is a solid advantage. And from a mental-health perspective, the past year has borne that out. A study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last summer found that people age 65 and older reported significantly lower rates of anxiety, depression or stress-related disorder during the pandemic than those younger than 65. For example, people ages 45 through 64 showed anxiety rates of about 16 percent, but those older than 65 showed rates of just 6 percent. Still, it's been a stressful year, and it can't hurt to check in with yourself.

Step 5: Test Your Fitness