Senior anxiety: How do you manage new on-set anxiety as you age?

@aczatx47131

Thank you for this great article….it’s good here…🙏pvctom

You are very welcome!

Since I was six years old, I've awakened anxious and deeply depressed. So much so that I've wanted my life to be over every day for the sixty years that I can remember. I was diagnosed with major depressive disorder, and treatment-resistant was added a few years ago. The horrible feelings have never really left me, even during my best life.

About a year ago, I came to believe that the numerous medications I was taking were at least part of the problem. After titrating too fast and ending up in the hospital in January, my provider and I started over. I am once again down to three meds at much lower levels from seven in June of last year.

My mind has cleared, and I have been able to identify the source of the suicidal feelings I've had for so long. I experienced a great deal of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse when I was a child. I thought I had moved past this. But medicating a problem is not the same as working through and making peace with the trauma.

As the medications have decreased and I have not added any additional distractions, my feelings are hitting me like a tidal wave. With my therapist's help, I am working through the effects of the horrible things that happened to me. I have hope for the first time.

Every time I pick at the scab and address the wound, I feel a little lighter. My morning suffering is decreasing. It hurts like hell, and I still want to die most mornings, but I feel for the first time I might be able to heal.

For me, anxiety and dreed come in two flavors: organic (trauma-induced) and inorganic (medication-induced). Organic responds to a low dose of .25 Lorzapam; inorganic does not.

For me, I have come to believe that suffering from anxiety and dread is what makes me want to kill myself. Oddly, I have anxiety about having anxiety. The root cause of organic anxiety, again, for me, is unresolved trauma.

The brain and body remember even if I try not to.

May you live in good health and peace all the days of your life.

Thank you for your very nice reply and sentiments…and may the same be for you…. I feel this is a good place to be….very nice people with different health issues come here for help, advice and comfort from mentors and just all of us..🙏pvctom

Hi Tom: I am so sorry you are having a hard time. My suggestion: do at least one productive thing per day, no matter what...even if it is doing a household chore or taking a walk around the block. Keeping busy, learning new things, and staying socially connected are ways to offset anxiety. Social connection is integral. And, one way to cultivate social connections is to take an in-person class or to join a zoom support group. I have recently enrolled in an emeritus college class (free!) which will offer me the opportunity to make friends with like minded people while stimulating my brain. Getting older is definitely scary. I say throw caution to the wind and "go for it!" The first step is always the hardest. Find things that spark your curiosity and will bring you joy. Get involved. Once you get started, you will be looking forward to whatever it is you've chosen. Just my 2 cents!

@equanimous

Thanks 😊 for your reply and your support and your emeritus college class….my only way to get over the morning terror is to do exactly what you’re describing…I’m at the mall now..ready to do my daily walk to reach my goal of 7500-8000 steps..every night I will record a 20 minute guitar jam using a looper pedal as a 2nd guitar background while I run through the modal scale I’m going for…it’s always fun…it used to irritate my late drummer, but I’m a Grateful Dead fan of their famous dark star jam…but it’s wonderful to still be able to play…I sincerely thank you for your reply and admire your determination to deal with your medical issues and keep going at it…and your 2 cents is worth a million 💰
🙏pvctom

Rock on, Tom! The class I signed up for is a gospel choir. I, too, am a musician. Bassist and singer. I currently am in two bands who are performing around the L.A. area. All this, despite my age! I am So glad to hear you are doing your music! Maybe now is the time to put together a jam session?? As they say in Field of Dreams..."Build it and they will come." Carpe Diem!

Absolutely 💯…so cool to know a person who plays in two performing bands…THAT must really keep you busy…!!! Definitely a positive… thanks 🙏 and keep on singing 🎶 and playing 🙏pvctom

Hello to all,

Just wanted to say our doctor follow up appointments went ok this Thursday and Friday..my wife ‘s arm is healing ❤️‍🩹 and both of our skin cancers did not require Moh’s …surgery for present…I’m still doing the driving and choirs and that’s good…I’ve looked into the links for morning anxiety and am doing pretty much what is suggested…I am looking into a free college online course in Music Theory with Emeritus college…and perhaps I can learn something new…and that would be very refreshing…I have been counting my blessings and realizing there are worlds out there that I never thought possible…I am giving AA meetings a rest for a few days…the constant drilling of the 12 steps and turning everything over and all is well … sometimes I just can’t swing with it…”I mentioned that I had not drank in over 4 decades and that the idea of a drink just does not enter into my life today” was I suppose was accepted, but I felt funny after the meeting…anyway, a short break is needed…I am grateful for everything I have today…and so sad for those folks who have little…May all that come here have a peaceful ☺️ weekend and safe travels 🙏pvctom

Tom, I think you are fantastic for posting and asking for information on this! I want to suggest that you remember that your anxiety/fear is not very realistic. It is not really fully true that you need to fear being alone, for example. Many people do well on their own and even enjoy it. I am not saying that you are being silly, because anxiety is a formidable enemy and you are dealing with it as well as possible. But it is not realistic to feel so much fear. I find that this thought helps me in my efforts to calm the fears. Best wishes!