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

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

3. 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.

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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)

7. 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

8. 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?)

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

10. 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

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

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

14. Q & A