How to Treat Anxiety Disorders in Elderly People
Be able to identify anxiety in the elderly., Start with the primary care physician., Obtain a mental health referral., Recognize how medications affect aging bodies., Consider therapy.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Be able to identify anxiety in the elderly.
Sometimes, it can be hard to distinguish anxiety from ordinary worries that pop up in day-to-day life, or even an elderly person’s usual personality.
In general, serious anxiety may be detected based on the person’s perceived distress and whether their overall functioning is affected.
Symptoms in elderly people may often show up as physical complains like headaches, fatigues, and gastrointestinal problems.
Family and friends may also ask whether an elderly person has been having chest pains, experiencing difficulty eating or sleep, and no longer enjoying their typical interests.
All of these may point to anxiety.The most common anxiety disorder seen in elderly populations is generalized anxiety disorder, or GAD.GAD may be characterized by extreme worry about issues such as health problems, financial concerns, or living arrangements, even when there is little or no cause for worry. -
Step 2: Start with the primary care physician.
Treatment for anxiety in elderly populations should start with a visit to a primary care physician.
In most cases, an elderly person will have already built rapport, or a relationship, with this doctor.
Therefore, the elder may feel more comfortable discussing symptoms and accepting necessary treatment.If you are a family member or friend, it may be helpful to attend a doctor’s appointment with your elderly loved one and share your concerns about anxiety.
Tell the doctor what symptoms you have observed and express your commitment to helping your loved one get the help he or she needs.
Start the conversation by saying "I'm wondering if Mom isn't suffering from anxiety.
I've noticed her complaining about a lot of aches and pains lately.
She also seems to have trouble sleeping."
The doctor may ask various questions to learn more about your loved one’s anxiety symptoms.
If the primary care doctor agrees that the elderly person is experiencing anxiety, he or she will likely provide a referral to a mental health provider like a psychiatrist or psychologist.
Questions your elderly loved one may expect to answer about anxiety include: ”Has something happened recently that causes you to worry or fret?” ”Are you having a hard time putting worries or fears out of your mind?” ”Have you spotted a pattern that causes you to feel anxious (e.g. after going to a doctor or after a thinking about death)?” ”What was on your mind when you noticed that your heart was racing?” ”What are you thinking about when you can’t sleep?”, At the mental health appointment, the provider will discuss treatment options, such as taking medications.
For instance, the most common classes of medications used to treat GAD are antidepressants, benzodiazepines (e.g. anti-anxiety drugs), and buspirone (e.g. another type of anti-anxiety drug).
It’s important to carefully discuss whether medications are right for your elderly loved one and to consider how they will affect someone who is older in age.
The same medications given to younger people may not be effective for individuals with late-life anxiety.
The doctor should consider your loved one's age when prescribing medications to treat anxiety.The doctor will also need to consider any other medications your loved one is taking that may interact with these new meds. , Many doctors may not suggest psychotherapy, but this may be a viable option to include in your loved one's anxiety treatment plan.
In younger age groups, GAD has been shown to be effectively treated with a special type of therapy known as cognitive behavior therapy (CBT).
However, some research suggests that CBT may not be as effective in treating late-life GAD.Still, there are many other therapeutic approaches to consider with your loved one's doctor.
Other forms of therapy shown to be useful in treating anxiety include acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), interpersonal therapy (IPT), eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), and exposure therapy.
The type of anxiety your loved one is experiencing will inform the doctor’s decisions on what type of therapy to try. -
Step 3: Obtain a mental health referral.
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Step 4: Recognize how medications affect aging bodies.
-
Step 5: Consider therapy.
Detailed Guide
Sometimes, it can be hard to distinguish anxiety from ordinary worries that pop up in day-to-day life, or even an elderly person’s usual personality.
In general, serious anxiety may be detected based on the person’s perceived distress and whether their overall functioning is affected.
Symptoms in elderly people may often show up as physical complains like headaches, fatigues, and gastrointestinal problems.
Family and friends may also ask whether an elderly person has been having chest pains, experiencing difficulty eating or sleep, and no longer enjoying their typical interests.
All of these may point to anxiety.The most common anxiety disorder seen in elderly populations is generalized anxiety disorder, or GAD.GAD may be characterized by extreme worry about issues such as health problems, financial concerns, or living arrangements, even when there is little or no cause for worry.
Treatment for anxiety in elderly populations should start with a visit to a primary care physician.
In most cases, an elderly person will have already built rapport, or a relationship, with this doctor.
Therefore, the elder may feel more comfortable discussing symptoms and accepting necessary treatment.If you are a family member or friend, it may be helpful to attend a doctor’s appointment with your elderly loved one and share your concerns about anxiety.
Tell the doctor what symptoms you have observed and express your commitment to helping your loved one get the help he or she needs.
Start the conversation by saying "I'm wondering if Mom isn't suffering from anxiety.
I've noticed her complaining about a lot of aches and pains lately.
She also seems to have trouble sleeping."
The doctor may ask various questions to learn more about your loved one’s anxiety symptoms.
If the primary care doctor agrees that the elderly person is experiencing anxiety, he or she will likely provide a referral to a mental health provider like a psychiatrist or psychologist.
Questions your elderly loved one may expect to answer about anxiety include: ”Has something happened recently that causes you to worry or fret?” ”Are you having a hard time putting worries or fears out of your mind?” ”Have you spotted a pattern that causes you to feel anxious (e.g. after going to a doctor or after a thinking about death)?” ”What was on your mind when you noticed that your heart was racing?” ”What are you thinking about when you can’t sleep?”, At the mental health appointment, the provider will discuss treatment options, such as taking medications.
For instance, the most common classes of medications used to treat GAD are antidepressants, benzodiazepines (e.g. anti-anxiety drugs), and buspirone (e.g. another type of anti-anxiety drug).
It’s important to carefully discuss whether medications are right for your elderly loved one and to consider how they will affect someone who is older in age.
The same medications given to younger people may not be effective for individuals with late-life anxiety.
The doctor should consider your loved one's age when prescribing medications to treat anxiety.The doctor will also need to consider any other medications your loved one is taking that may interact with these new meds. , Many doctors may not suggest psychotherapy, but this may be a viable option to include in your loved one's anxiety treatment plan.
In younger age groups, GAD has been shown to be effectively treated with a special type of therapy known as cognitive behavior therapy (CBT).
However, some research suggests that CBT may not be as effective in treating late-life GAD.Still, there are many other therapeutic approaches to consider with your loved one's doctor.
Other forms of therapy shown to be useful in treating anxiety include acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), interpersonal therapy (IPT), eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), and exposure therapy.
The type of anxiety your loved one is experiencing will inform the doctor’s decisions on what type of therapy to try.
About the Author
Martha Hayes
Creates helpful guides on lifestyle to inspire and educate readers.
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