Health Problems of the Elderly

Coping with Anxiety

Most of us would have had the experience of worrisome thoughts and anxiety. In fact, anxiety is a natural reaction in the face of crisis. It serves to heighten awareness, to speed up action taken to avoid the danger or to handle the difficulty faced, so as to go through the crisis safely. Therefore, anxiety of short-term nature and moderate amount is natural and beneficial. However, if the anxious emotion becomes chronic and is not managed properly, it could lead to anxiety disorder. In that case, not only does one’s daily life become unmanageable, one’s well-being is also at stake. The following provide the common causes of elderly anxiety, describe its symptoms, and suggest some coping strategies for anxiety management.

How common is Anxiety among Elders?
Anxiety in older persons is quite common. Overseas research found that anxiety symptoms were present in 20% of community dwelling elders. Another Asian study found that 26% of Hong Kong elderly showed anxiety symptoms.

Nature of Elderly Anxiety

In general, the nature of anxiety among older persons focuses on three main areas:

1. Health: Study results demonstrated that older adults worried most about health. They are worried that deterioration of physical functioning and illnesses might render them unable to live independently. Some common elderly diseases such as stroke, dementia and depression are associated with anxiety symptoms. In addition, anxiety disorders often appear after serious illnesses like heart disease, stroke, and fracture.
2. Finance: Many elderly worry about retired life and the subsequent change of financial situation. Economic recession in recent years increases their concern about the employment and income of their adult children.
3. Life Stressors: Tasks of grand-parenting and caring of a sick spouse, death of family member and friend, familial conflict, social difficulties and difficulty in adjusting to changing life circumstances all contribute to anxiety and bodily reactions in response to stress.

Anxiety Symptoms

1. Physical aspect: rapid breathing/breathing difficulty, palpitations, dizziness/headache, muscle tension/pain, dry mouth/ dyspepsia, abdominal discomfort, insomnia, lack of appetite.
2. Emotional aspect: Anxious thoughts, irritability, helplessness, guilt feelings and panic.
3. Cognitive aspect: over-alertness/ hypersensitivity, confusion, difficulty in objective thinking and in concentrating.
4. Behavioural aspect: restlessness, avoidance behaviour, tics, using unhealthy stress relieving methods like smoking and drinking.

The more symptoms one has, the more anxious one becomes. Anxiety disorder is probable if the symptoms cause impairment in the individual’s daily functioning.

Strategies for Coping with Anxiety

Prolonged anxiety state is hazardous to health. Here are some suggestions to help relieve stress and to prevent the development of anxiety disorder:

1. Be optimistic and think positively
   Avoid being too subjective, try to stay calm, see things realistically, and not to magnify problems. Take a positive attitude, emphasize on our abilities and strengths; do not derogate ourselves. Accept that life is not perfect. Never set unrealistic goals for oneself or demand excessively from others. Rather than lament what we have lost and become upset by what we may lose, we should hold to the present and treasure what is already in our possession. We have to understand that people will always have different value standards and there is no need to take others’ comments on us too seriously.
2. Manage your problem and talk to others
   If you are annoyed by a problem, handle it positively and directly. Try to communicate openly with the person concerned and discuss to find a solution to the problem. Even if the problem cannot be solved immediately, the sharing of feelings with family and friends can help to alleviate anxiety.
3. Practise healthy life style and learn relaxation skills
   To reduce excessive worry about health, arrange health assessment regularly, comply with drug regime, and attend medical follow-ups. Healthy lifestyle, i.e. balanced diet, adequate sleep, social activity, regular exercise, cultivation of interests, etc. are all helpful in fighting against anxiety. Choose appropriate relaxation methods such as relaxation skills, meditation, listening to music, and reading to ease your mind. Never use incorrect methods like smoking or excessive drinking.
4. To seek help if anxiety persists
   If you continue to feel anxious despite trying the above methods, you should seek professional help immediately. You can call the hotlines below for assistance:
   Hotline of Social Welfare Department: 2343 2255
   Mental Health Hotline of Hospital Authority: 2466 7350

Related Topics

Mental Health

Stress in the Elderly

Depression