Fears and Anxiety
Fears and Anxiety
Some fears are tougher to lick than others. And certainly, people over 60 have plenty to be anxious about, like crime, loss of loved ones, chronic illness, disability, and loneliness. But just as certainly, the vast majority of these fears (unpleasant responses to a real external threat or danger) and anxieties (responses to unreal or imagined danger) can easily be conquered, even at age 60, 70, or 80, experts say.
“It’s important for older people who feel anxious to know that they’re not going crazy and they’re not alone. There are other people who are having these problems. Anxiety can be treated. You don’t have to suffer,” says Shirley Babior, licensed clinical social worker in San Diego and co-author of Overcoming Panic, Anxiety, and Phobias.
Although some people are naturally jittery throughout their lives, aging seems to magnify many fears, says Bernard Vittone, M.D., psychiatrist and director of the National Center for the Treatment of Phobias, Anxiety, and Depression in Washington, D.C. As a person ages, some areas of the brain that regulate anxiety become more sensitive. These changes in the brain combined with life experiences such as accidents, injuries, and the deaths of loved ones make people over 60 prone to an array of frights.
If everything isn’t fine, try these anxiety-relieving tips.
Try This First
Breathe through one nostril. When you feel fearful or anxious, block off one side of your nose with a finger and take 8 to 10 slow, deep breaths through your open nostril, Dr. Vittone suggests. Deep breathing helps you tame your fears. Blocking one nostril forces you to take in air much more slowly so the deep breathing will be more effective. “My patients tell me over and over again that breathing through a single nostril works wonders for decreasing feelings of anxiety,” Dr. Vittone says.
Other Wise Ways
Double-check that threat. Many worries have no basis in reality, notes Dr. Vittone. So before you work yourself up into a panic, ask yourself four questions.
1. What is the worst thing that can happen?
2. How bad is that really?
3. What is the likelihood of it happening to me?
4. How many times has this happened to me or my friends in the past?
“Frequently, older people who ask these questions of themselves discover that they’re worried about something that would simply cause mild embarrassment or something that they’ve never known to happen to anyone,” Dr. Vittone says.
Even if there is a threat, these reality checks can motivate you to take action to reduce the risk. If you’re worried, for instance, about a household fire, you can ask your local fire department for a safety inspection and for advice about how to get out of your home quickly, suggests Dr. Vittone.
Take in the sights and sounds. Whenever you feel anxious, take a moment to focus on your senses. What are you smelling? Hearing? Seeing? Tasting? Touching? If you see a leaf on the sidewalk, for instance, pick it up and exam it carefully. Zeroing in on your senses will keep you in the present moment and prevent you from dwelling on catastrophic thoughts about the future, Dr. Vittone says.
Fill the gaps. Retirement and other events in later life often leave gaps in our lives. Fear will fill those holes unless you find other ways to fill them. So stay active and involved with friends, family, and your community, recommends Dr. Vittone. Be adventurous. Take an exotic trip. Take a ride on a roller coaster with your grandchildren. Take dance lessons. Do and be as much as you can, and there won’t be holes in your life where fear can seep in.
Do the hustle. Daily exercise such as a 15-minute walk around the block, washing the dishes, or just stretching in a chair several times a day can relieve tension, anxiety, and fear, Dr. Vittone says.
| Managing Your Meds Anxiety is a common side effect of more than 150 prescribed and over-the-counter medications. Ironically, among the prime offenders are a class of antianxiety drugs known as benzodiazepines, says George T. Grossberg, M.D., director of geriatric psychiatry at St. Louis University School of Medicine. These drugs, including alprazolam (Xanax), can cause a paradoxical effect in some people that actually worsens anxiety instead of relieving it. If this happens to you, consult your physician. Other medications that may trigger anxiety include: • Diphenhydramine (Benadryl) and over-the-counter cold, flu, and allergy preparations containing dextromethorphan, for example, Comtrex Nighttime • Virtually all decongestants, including those available over-the-counter, like pseudoephedrine (Actifed, Sudafed) • Bronchodilators containing theophylline, such as Slo-bid and Theo-Dur • Steroids, including those used to treat rheumatoid arthritis • Beverages and over-the-counter and prescription medications that contain caffeine, like coffee, stimulants such as Vivarin and No-Doz, diet pills, and pain relievers such as Anacin or Excedrin (Check the labels on these over-the-counter products before buying) |
Exercise stimulates the production of endorphins, your brain’s own morphine-like chemicals, explains Una McCann, M.D., chief of the unit on anxiety disorders at the National Institute of Mental Health in Bethesda, Maryland. “Endorphins fill your entire body with a sense of calm and well-being.”
Dump the second cup. After age 60, as little as one cup of coffee can trigger severe anxiety in some people, Dr. Vittone says. That’s because the brain becomes more caffeine-sensitive as it ages. In fact, caffeine—the active ingredient in coffee, teas, and some sodas—may be the single worst substance that an anxious older person can consume, according to Dr. Vittone. Limit yourself to no more than one eight-ounce cup of caffeinated coffee, tea, or soda a day. If even one cup seems to spark anxiety, make a complete switch to decaffeinated beverages, he says.
Cork the champagne. Alcohol may feel relaxing, but that feeling is deceptive. As you sip it, alcohol numbs your brain’s anxiety centers, so you feel more at ease and less fretful. But as it wears off, alcohol can trigger a rebound effect in your brain, causing you to feel more fearful and anxious than you did before you took your first drink, explains Dr. Vittone. If you imbibe, one or two drinks a day probably won’t aggravate your anxiety, he says. But drinking more than that will. (A drink is defined as one 12-ounce beer, 5-ounce glass of wine, or 1½-ounce shot of liquor.)
