What Are the Common Anxiety Disorders in the Elderly?

Are you concerned about your elderly loved one’s anxiety levels? If so, you may want to have them see a doctor or a therapist. Your elderly loved one could have one of the many different anxiety disorders that are common in senior citizens. Unfortunately, many elderly people will hide the fact that they struggle with anxiety. This is just one reason why it is so important that your senior knows they have you and elder care providers by their side to help them through the anxiety issues they are facing.

General Panic Disorder

One of the common anxiety disorders found in the elderly is general panic disorder. The panic attacks generally occur when the senior citizen is under extreme stress or when they have a lot of fear. Many times, senior citizens will have a panic attack before they go into a doctor’s office. Other times the panic may set in when they are dealing with new social situations. If you or an elder care provider notice your elderly loved one having a panic attack, stay with them until they can get through it. Then, encourage them to speak to a doctor or a therapist about this issue.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Some senior citizens have what is called generalized anxiety disorder. Have you or an elderly care provider noticed your elderly loved one getting anxious about things in general? For example, do they get anxious when answering the phone, watching the news, or just for what seems like no reason at all? If this is the case, they may have GAD. This is a common disorder and it can be tough to treat as the medications and other treatments vary so widely. Your elderly loved one will likely need to seek medical assistance and/or therapy to treat the generalized anxiety disorder, especially if it is causing moderate to severe symptoms.

Social Anxiety

Many senior citizens have a social anxiety disorder. What could this mean for your elderly loved one? Well, when your elderly loved one goes into public places, especially ones they aren’t familiar with, or they are around new people, they may develop mild to severe anxiety. The socialization or even just the thought of socializing may cause anxiety for your elderly loved one.

Conclusion

Does your elderly loved one experience any level of anxiety? Do they have panic or anxiety attacks? If you answered yes to either of these questions, be sure they know you are there for them. Once they are ready, you should also encourage them to see their doctor and/or a therapist for treatment and additional support.

If your elderly loved one is having a panic or anxiety attack and they can’t get themselves under control, you may want to take them to the hospital. In emergency situations or if your elderly loved one has other health issues that are being exacerbated by the anxiety, the emergency room personnel might be able to do something else to help them in the moment.

Sources
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5840911/#:~:text=The%20commonest%20anxiety%20disorder%20seen,of%20anxiety%20disorders%20to%20be10.