Part of our ageing process is losing our teeth. Though this is an inevitable event when we reach our golden years, it’s still frustrating to think of the hassle and discomfort of being toothless.
Depression and anxiety may be common mental health conditions among seniors, but that doesn’t mean that it’s not a cause for concern, especially when symptoms are becoming frequent. Many older adults experience mid-life crises at the beginning of their senior years. In fact, According to a recent article, it said that about 6 million Americans aged 65 and older go through depression.
Fortunately, there are natural ways to fight depression and anxiety among seniors aside from expensive medicines that cause other side effects. Interested? Read on to learn more about depression and anxiety as well as several natural ways to fight them.
Treating depression and anxiety is crucial not only because it will promote a healthy mentality, but it will also lessen the risk of heart disease, stroke, and other mental health disorders.
The effects of depression and anxiety on young people may be quite different from older people. This is because since seniors are more susceptible to getting chronic illnesses, the presence of depression and anxiety will only trigger these conditions.
Some older adults may only have depression or anxiety disorder, while some may have both. To know if you are going through depression or anxiety, watch out for the following signs and symptoms:
Signs Of Depression Include:
Signs of Anxiety Include:
Note: Symptoms may vary from person to person. If you feel that you have depression or anxiety, talk to your doctor in order to confirm if you have the condition and get the right treatment.
Once you’re already aware that you are going through depression and anxiety, treating it is the next important step. Your doctor may prescribe you some medications to lessen symptoms, but to further help you with your battle, listed below are 10 valuable tips that you can do to fight depression and anxiety.
Exercise
Breathing or relaxation exercises are some of the best exercises to burn off feelings of worry and fear caused by anxiety. Recent research concluded that after careful observation, it was prevalent that regular exercise has significantly reduced the risk of depressive disorders and anxieties.
Additionally, exercise is also proven to increase levels of happy hormones or also known as Dopamine.
Set attainable goals
Setting daily goals will help you stay motivated. This will reduce isolation and feeling of worthlessness. Start by listing realistic goals such as taking out the trash, cleaning the windows, cooking lunch, mopping the floor, etc.
Finishing the listed task will give you a sense of fulfillments and purpose. You won’t even notice that you already forgot the thing you are unnecessarily worrying about.
Reward your efforts
Celebrating every accomplishment no matter how small it is can be helpful to fight off feelings of worthlessness and self-pity. Celebrating it does not necessarily need a cake and confetti, but simply recognizing and remembering it is enough to make you feel better and positive.
Limit alcohol or drugs
Some people consider drugs and alcohol as an escape from the sadness they feel. Unfortunately, not many realize that alcohol and drug addiction will make depression worse.
There is no quick fix for depression and anxiety, so rather than escaping from it temporarily, it would be better to face it head-on and start treating depression by limiting or better yet stopping substance abuse. You can find organizations that might help you with your addiction.
Get enough sleep
Getting some sleep may be difficult for older adults with depression or anxiety. If that’s the case, try drinking milk before bed or scheduling a fixed sleeping time and wake-up time so that your brain will not be confused with your sleeping patterns.
It’s also crucial to aim for 8 hours of sleep daily to make you feel more energized. It will also help reduce depressive symptoms.
Meditate
This is another effective way to ease symptoms of depression and anxiety. There are many meditation exercises out there you can choose from. Some of the most common are yoga exercises and mindfulness-based meditations.
Write a journal
Writing a journal is another way to cope with anxiety, stress, and depression as it helps you express your feelings rather than bottling them up, which will make the condition worse.
In writing a journal, always remember that what you will write is completely up to you. It’s also important to write down both negative and positive emotions. This will help you assess your condition better and be able to express gratitude for the positive things that happened. This guide can help you better understand how journaling helps in managing anxiety and depression.
Aromatherapy
This refers to the use of various aromatic herbs, compounds, and oils to improve mental and overall well-being. In a recent study published at the National Library of Medicine, the researchers concluded that inhaling specific fragrances help reduce anxiety among patients specifically older adults.
There are various aromatherapy procedures that you can choose from. It can be in a form of inhaling, ingestion, or skin application.
Develop a support system
This is another useful way to fight off the symptoms of anxiety and depression. Your support system can be composed of people you trust like close friends, relatives, or family members.
Joining a support group that is going through the same journey as you is also beneficial. It is because it will make you feel less alone in going through your fight against depression or anxiety.
Try out something new/Regain your passion
One of the effects of depression and anxiety is your deterrence from doing the things you were once passionate about. One way to fight off depression is to go against that deterrence and try to regain your passion slowly but surely. For example, If you were once a passionate writer, why not start by doodling a personal quote once a day? Next is to start writing a paragraph or two after a week of doodling.
Another way is to try out a new skill or passion. For example, a crochet demo recently caught your interest, so why not try and learn about it yourself? In this way, you’ll keep your mind distracted from negative thoughts and rather become more productive.
Take Aways
Depression and anxiety should never be taken for granted especially among seniors as they may trigger other chronic conditions that may jeopardize their life.
If you’re a senior and you feel like you have depression and anxiety, try out the tips mentioned above to alleviate the symptoms. It’s also crucial to consult a doctor so that you will be properly assessed and diagnosed. I hope this article helped you gain further knowledge about depression and anxiety as well as some natural ways to fight it off.
Part of our ageing process is losing our teeth. Though this is an inevitable event when we reach our golden years, it’s still frustrating to think of the hassle and discomfort of being toothless.
Getting regular exercise is one of the essential parts of healthy living for the young and old. However, as we age, many changes occur in our body including bone strength, muscle density, and flexibility.
Hearing loss refers to the condition where a person affected gradually loses his/her hearing. The normal hearing threshold of a person is 0-25 dB (decibels). This means that people whose hearing threshold is at more than 25 decibels have hearing loss.