Smart Senior

 

You would think that by the
time we gained senior status that we would have everything figured out.  Not necessarily true. The stresses that you
faced as you worked your way through childhood, youth, and adulthood were only the
tip of the ice berg.   Seniors
are people too and they continue to face stressful situations every day.

 

According to an article in
the Herald (April 26, 2010) by Sharon Salyer, nearly 60 percent of adults 65
and older feel depression is normal.  Stress
and depression go hand in hand, and it isn’t unusual for a senior to feel
overwhelmed.  Seniors face a multitude of
losses. Seniors deal with major stressors such as the loss of a spouse or
friend, loss of health (which includes chronic pain and illness), and the
devastating fear of losing control.

 

In today’s world it is
fashionable to have a therapist, but past generations frowned on seeking help
from mental health professionals.  This
realization has prompted many Senior Service Agencies to offer counseling and
seminars in an effort to encourage clients to look beyond themselves.

 

Stress reduction is probably
the hardest thing to orchestrate.  You
know you have to relax and you know you can’t let things bother you to the
point of paralysis, but it isn’t all that easy. 
Stress is bad for you.  According to Jeffrey Rosensweig, Ph.D. in his
book “Age Smart,” stress not only wears you down but it actually changes your
internal biological systems.  Whoa, that
sounds bad doesn’t it?

 

Stress is something that is
with us all of all of time (mentally, emotionally and physically).  Stress is what drives us to do great things,
but too much stress can cause physical illness.  Some people worry more than others but down
deep we are all plagued by our insecurities. Quick fix articles suggest that
you try taking a deep breath and counting to ten, listening to music, or taking
a yoga class, but sometimes it takes more than that.   Ability
Magazine (January 31, 1998) featured an article by Louis Kopolow on stress
management that went into a little more depth.

 

When stress does occur, he
suggested recognizing it and dealing with it. 
Try this the next time you feel an anxiety attacking looming:

 

·       
Release some of
the tension though physical activity. The body and the mind tend to work
together.

·       
Share your
stress.  It really does help to talk
about your concerns and worries. It could be with a friend, family member,
teacher or a counselor, perhaps even a mental health professional.

·       
Know your
limits.  Learn to accept that you can’t
fix everything.

·       
Take care of
yourself.  Get enough rest and eat well.

·       
Make time for
fun.  Schedule time for work and for
recreation.  You need a break from your
daily routine.

·       
Be a
participant.  Sitting alone is not going
to help; it will just make you feel sorry for yourself.  Get involved in something.  Offer your services to a volunteer
organization.  Help yourself by helping
others.

·       
It’s okay to
cry.

·       
Create a quiet
scene (this is the meditation part).

·       
Avoid self
medication.  Pills might relax you temporarily
but they will not fix what caused the stress in the first place.

 

See,
just as you suspected, it is a full time job. 
Handling stress is a little more complicated than just taking a few deep
breaths and rubbing your forehead, but the whole picture is encouraging. The
first step is recognizing that stress is a bad thing and wanting to do
something about it.