Seniors
anxiety don ’ t typically ask about those issues , said Dr . Jordan Karp , chair of psychiatry at the University of Arizona College of Medicine in Tucson .
When older adults voice concerns , medical providers too often dismiss them as normal , given the challenges of aging , said Dr . Eric Lenze , head of psychiatry at Washington University School of Medicine in St . Louis and the third author of the recent JAMA Psychiatry editorial .
Simple questions can help identify whether an older adult needs to be evaluated for anxiety , he and other experts suggested : Do you have recurrent worries that are hard to control ? Are you having trouble sleeping ? Have you been feeling more irritable , stressed , or nervous ? Are you having trouble with concentration or thinking ? Are you avoiding things you normally like to do because you ’ re wrapped up in your worries ?
Stephen Snyder , 67 , who lives in Zelienople , Pennsylvania , and was diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder in March 2019 , would answer “ yes ” to many of these queries . “ I ’ m a Type A personality and I worry a lot about a lot of things — my family , my finances , the future ,” he told me . “ Also , I ’ ve tended to dwell on things that happened in the past and get all worked up .”
Treatments are effective . Psychotherapy — particularly cognitive behavioral therapy , which helps people address persistent negative thoughts — is generally considered the first line of anxiety treatment in older adults . In an evidence review for the task force , researchers noted that this type of therapy helps reduce anxiety in seniors seen in primary care settings .
Also recommended , Lenze noted , is relaxation therapy , which can involve deep breathing exercises , massage or music therapy , yoga , and progressive muscle relaxation .
Because mental health practitioners , especially those who specialize in seniors ’ mental health , are extremely difficult to find , primary care physicians often recommend medications to ease anxiety . Two categories of drugs — antidepressants known as SSRIs ( selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors ) and SNRIs ( serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors ) — are typically prescribed , and both appear to help to older adults , experts said .
Frequently prescribed to older adults , but to be avoided by them , are benzodiazepines , a class of sedating medications such as Valium , Ativan , Xanax , and Klonopin . The American Geriatrics Society has warned medical providers not to use these in older adults , except when other therapies have failed , because they are addictive and significantly increase the risk of hip fractures , falls and other accidents , and short-term cognitive impairments .
This article was originally published by KFF Health News . Read it here . KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF — the independent source for health policy research , polling , and journalism .
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