David Pargman, Ph.D. Florida State University Stress and anxiety During Aging

Agenda for today Stress/anxiety Clarification & differentiation Person specificity - reactions Stress/anxiety – Extremely powerful forces: good or bad? Management, alleviation, coping, & tolerating

The Aging process Stress and anxiety stimuli change over the years but some are always present. New issues for older persons: Finances, retirement (What to do today?), health and wellness; relationship issues; care of parents. Many of our intricate protective physiological mechanisms weaken. It may be more difficult to manage our responses.

Stress What it is & what it is not? Airline industry – civil engineering issues, cable tensions, bridges, etc. Hanse Selye Homeostasis/imbalance General Adaptation Syndrome 3 stage response: alarm, resistance, exhaustion

Stress Stressor – any demand placed on the body that elicits the GAS Loss of homeostasis: improper balance of cellular chemistry Physical trauma, sex, excessive heat/cold, psychological triggers (fear, threat of harm) Distress versus eustress

Observable stress responses Cardiovascular (pulse, pressure, stroke volume), perspiration, blushing, muscular responses (tremor, contraction), respiratory responses, changes in hormonal production (cortisol) Person specificity Categories of stress stimuli Psychoanalytic (Freud – unconscious conflicts) Learning (subliminal) Sociological (performance; the clock) Personological (personality)

Anxiety – more psychological than stress A form of fear with a high degree of subjectivity; perception of potential harm (physical or psychological), perception of inadequate coping mechanisms Cognitive anxiety - WORRY Difficulties with concentration; Sleep disturbances Somatic anxiety Physiological manifestations: headaches, rapid heart rate, nausea, changes in respiration Often a combination of both cognitive and somatic Fatigue – signs versus symptoms

Stress and Anxiety compared Anxiety more psychological Both are responses to triggers, stimuli (stressors) Their consequences are very similar (physiological activation) Their physiological consequences can be harnessed and employed to enhance performance and behavior (how?)

Anxiety/stress – good or bad? Arousal – optimal level Situation specific Context specific (workplace, home, etc.)

Stress/anxiety, management, alleviation, coping, & tolerating The How? “What can I do about my situation?” controllability “Do I have the personal resources to resolve the stimuli causing the stress/anxiety?” If YES: then implement these resources. Establish a plan. Employ goal setting If NO: DISENGAGE

Cutting loose – disengagement Not so easy Thoughts stopping Reframing Affirmations (self talk; self-counseling) Imagery Rational approaches Self talk

Additional strategies To be acquired (learned) Exercise (feel good biochemistry) **** Yoga (mindfulness) Chemical interventions Relaxation techniques (Jacobson) - breathe control Hypnotherapy Modeling

Q & A pargman@admin.fsu.edu