Anxiety Disorders in Older Adults
Emotional HealthExcessive worry, fear of falling, health panic, and somatic restlessness in aging seniors.
Senior anxiety causes intense fear and physical tension. Specialized psychiatric treatment focuses on non-sedating options to prevent falls and preserve memory.
- Heart palpitations, trembling, dizziness, and muscle tightness
- Crippling fear of falling leading to refusal to walk independently
- Insomnia, nighttime racing thoughts, and persistent catastrophic worry
- Physical frailty, balance loss, or previous fall trauma
- Chronic medical conditions (COPD, cardiac arrhythmias)
- Early neurodegenerative brain changes
- Frequent panic attacks involving severe chest tightness or hyperventilation
- Refusal to leave the home due to overwhelming fear
- Non-sedating SSRIs / Buspirone prescribed by a geriatric specialist
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) & relaxation breathing
- Medication audit to eliminate anxiety-inducing compounds