When talking about seniors, we often focus on physical health. Yet, mental health remains a significant area as well.
Mental health challenges can also be under-recognized, especially in seniors. For example, some of the symptoms may occur at the same time as other health problems or may be viewed as a side effect of medication.
Many seniors will also be resistant to the topic of mental health. This is partly a generational difference, especially as mental illness has only recently become such a common topic.
Today, we’re going to talk about one specific area – anxiety, along with the complexities that go with it.
What is Anxiety?
We are all anxious from time-to-time. It’s simply a natural part of life. Anxiety can also be productive, especially when there are significant changes occurring.
But, when that anxiety becomes disruptive and starts to have a negative impact on life, it can be considered a mental disorder. There are multiple individual types of anxiety disorder, which come with their own set of symptoms and challenges.
Some of the most significant ones are as follows:
- Acute Stress Disorder: Significant anxiety and changes to behavior that occur within a month after a significant trauma.
- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): Similar to Acute Stress Disorder, except that the symptoms persist in the long-term. PTSD can include challenges like flashbacks and a difficulty distinguishing present from past.
- Panic Attacks: Characterized by an unpredictable and intense sense of fear. Panic attacks are often accompanied by physical symptoms, like a very rapid heartbeat and change in body temperature. Some people find that they are almost frozen in place during a panic attack, while others seek out small and dark places.
- Social Anxiety: Anxiety that is focused on being around other people. It is often associated with how the person is viewed or with crowds.
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder: A pattern of anxiety or worrying about everyday challenges and events.
Regardless of the type, anxiety is mostly associated with excessive worrying. This is often very difficult for the person to stop, even if they know that the concern is irrational.
Some people will also experience the physical symptoms of an anxiety disorder, even if they’re not consciously thinking or worrying about the topic at hand.
These patterns are due to the biochemical nature of an anxiety condition. The problem isn’t that a person is worrying too much, and the condition cannot be resolved by simply worrying less.
Responding to Anxiety
Anxiety is something to be taken seriously, especially when it is debilitating. It’s easy to brush the idea off and think it is nothing more than a person worrying too much.
However, anxiety can restrict what your family member is able to do. It also makes life horrible. For example, anxiety creates a sense of living in fear, which is never an appealing experience.
The best answer for anxiety is to look for professional help.
I don’t necessarily mean medication here. Medication can help in some cases, but many people find that they get more out of therapy and education.
For example, understanding the root causes of the fear is a key tool in combating it. Behavioral changes can also help, especially ones that help to break the cycle of anxiety. This is particularly true for panic attacks.
Professional help is critical for understanding what is happening and why. You can research some areas yourself, but you may struggle to apply some of the principles.
One challenge is that mental illness is very individualistic. People with the same diagnosis will often have very different symptoms, behaviors and underlying issues. As a result, effective treatment measures will vary from person-to-person as well.
Dealing with Panic Attacks
Panic attacks can be terrifying, both for the person experiencing them and those on the outside. In fact, a panic attack can often look and feel like a heart attack.
In some cases, they may just happen once or twice in a person’s lifetime. Other people experience them much more regularly.
Some key ways to assist include the following:
- Help the person to get to a place that is safe and quiet – ideally one where they can sit or lie down. Small and dark places are often particularly effective. However, the best location will depend on the person.
- Be gentle and calm.
- Assure them that they are safe and that it will pass.
- Help them to slow down their breathing, such as by inhaling and exhaling slowly with them.
- Use imagery to remind them of safe environments. Gentle music may also help.
- Some people may find physical touch to be helpful, especially if they are comforted by touch. But, pay close attention to the individual. Some people will feel suffocated by touch and that can make the panic attack worse.
For people who experience regular panic attacks, a long-term strategy is to not be afraid of them. Being afraid of a panic attack creates a feedback loop that prolongs any panic attacks and can increase their likelihood.
Not being afraid is easier said than done, but it can help to focus on them as simply a biological quirk or to use the idea that ‘if it happens it happens’.
If a person is experiencing regular panic attacks, seeking professional help is normally a good idea. This may help to reveal underlying reasons or additional strategies to pursue.
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