Adventuring Without Anxiety
Later in Life

“Ilse Telesmanich, 90, sprained her ankle hiking in South Africa last August. She tried to keep going on the three-week trip, she said, hobbled as she was, … I got very good at hopping on one foot the last time I sprained it,” reports The New York Times.

Feats like this can amaze young people and inspire older adults. If you are someone who loves adventures in the great outdoors, this is a great example that shows age does not have to stand in the way of enjoying an active life. Everyone may not be like Ilse Telesmanich, but the adventuring spirit doesn’t have to be forgotten because you’re getting older.

Despite having led an active life when younger and having the desire to maintain it, this pace may not be as easy to keep as an older adult, especially with anxiety.

Anxiety: The Silent Giant

Anxiety is a silent giant, says Dr. Keri-Leigh Cassidy of MedScape. It is an emotional condition that was once thought to be a common issue reserved for younger people or that its risks decline with age. Studies are showing that this isn’t so. Anxiety affects 10 to 20 percent of older adults, and is “twice as common as dementia (8%) and four to eight times more prevalent than major depressive disorder (1-3%).”

Later-life anxiety is considered “silent” because it is often undiagnosed. This is because symptoms are frequently missed as they can overlap with symptoms of other medical concerns. Many older adults, their families and doctors can be confused, thinking anxiety symptoms are side effects of medical conditions, medications or a changed behavior.

Dr. Cassidy also says that the underlying aspect of anxiety includes “hypervigilance to threat, seeing oneself as vulnerable, and perceiving the demands of life as exceeding the available resources to cope.” Anxiety can be powerful, though knowledge is power. The more you know about anxiety, the easier it may be to spot anxiety and overcome it.

Anxiety Can Feel Incapacitating

Anxiety can leave you feeling dependent on others, restricting your ability to perform activities on your own. It can lower your desire to treat medical conditions, thereby increasing the possibility of hospital or residential care admission. It can impair your memory, potentially resulting in poor self-perception, increase social withdrawal, and therefore, decrease your overall quality of life. All of this can stand in the way of an active life.

Anxiety can similarly put you at a greater risk for depression, says the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam. They say that “48% of older persons with primary major depressive disorder (MDD) also had a comorbid anxiety disorder, whereas approximately one-fourth of those with anxiety disorders also had MDD (major depressive disorder).” Without diagnosis and treatment, anxiety usually worsens, particularly when it is comorbid (occurring with another disorder).

The co-occurrence of anxiety and depression can lead to the persistence and worsening of symptoms. If there is also degeneration of memory it is only natural that negative emotions will be experienced which can lead to more functional impairment. All of these symptoms can lead to medical difficulties creating a poorer overall prognosis and outcome, and even substance abuse.

The Symptoms You Should Not Dismiss

Early diagnosis and treatment is important. More than pursuing an active lifestyle, a healthy mind and emotions can give you a rewarding quality of life beyond retirement. This entails knowing and recognizing the signs and symptoms of anxiety. For instance, not dismissing excessive worrying, it may be an early sign that you need help. The lesson is: don’t ignore unusual feelings or thoughts.

According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), older adults with Generalized Anxiety Disorder can experience extreme and persistent worry, even when there is no specific cause for concern. Other symptoms include restlessness, being easily exhausted, difficulty focusing, muscle tension, insomnia, and increased or pronounced irritability.

Recapturing Adventure with Counseling

Getting older can bring about changes in your body, but it does not have to deter you from engaging in what you used to enjoy when you were younger. Travel made it possible for so many to “live life to the fullest.” To recapture your sense of adventure, however, you must stop anxiety from hindering your spirit.

You can do it! Let the story about Ilse Telesmanich, and others like her, inspire you to embark on an adventure of your own.

One of the best ways you can do this is with the help of a licensed therapist independently contracted with Carolina Counseling Services – Pittsboro, NC. With treatment, you can say goodbye to anxiety and rekindle your enthusiasm once again, one adventure at a time. Call CCS – Pittsboro, NC today to schedule your first appointment!