SENIORS WITH STRESS AND ANXIETY

Stress and anxiety are common among our senior population. Although they have been through a lot in their lives, this causes worry and angst. There are also thoughts of their own mortality and the impact on who they might be leaving behind.

We all experience stress and occasional anxiety. Having intense, excessive and persistent worry and fear about everyday situations is considered an anxiety disorder. Panic attacks are when intense anxiety occurs within minutes. Examples of anxiety disorders include generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder (social phobia), specific phobias, and separation anxiety disorder.

In seniors, depression often goes along with anxiety. Both can affect memory, worsening conditions like dementia or cognitive decline. Many seniors have anxiety related to their declining health, stress of obtaining medical care, and loss of independence and relying on family members. Guilt of burdening their family can lead to withholding health issues or even ignoring serious conditions like cancer, delaying diagnosis, and leading to worsened prognosis.

Common signs of anxiety to watch for include excessive worry or fear, refusing to do routine activities or being overly preoccupied with routine, avoiding social situations, overly concerned about safety, racing heart, shallow breathing, trembling, nausea, sweating, insomnia, muscle tension, feeling weak and shaky, hoarding/collecting, depression, or self-medication with alcohol or other central nervous system depressants.

Treatments: Biofeedback, therapy, counseling, exercise, yoga, interacting with others all are everyday conservative measures that can be implemented right away for mild to moderate types of anxiety. Medications are also helpful, including antidepressants and anti-anxiety ones. These are all available only by prescription. More importantly, consult with your trusted physician or specialists just like many of our patients do with the Hansa Team on a daily basis.

Hansa Medical Groupe has offices at 5250 Old Orchard Road, Suite 300, in Skokie, and in Chicago, 847-920-0902, hansamedicalgroupe.com.