“With a common condition causing a lot of quality of life impairment and having simple, inexpensive, uncomplicated types of treatment, I think screening is needed,” he added.
Whatever the task force’s final recommendation, the discussion of anxiety in the elderly points to a common but often overlooked mental health problem. “Many of these cases fly under the radar,” said Dr. Andreescu.
This may reflect how symptoms of anxiety may differ in the elderly, whose GPs are often not trained to recognize mental disorders. In addition to serious concerns, seniors often experience insomnia or irritability; they may develop a fear of falling, start hoarding or complain of physical discomforts such as muscle tension, a feeling of suffocation, dizziness or shakiness.
But underdiagnosis also stems from older patients’ reluctance to attribute their problems to mental health problems. “Some people hate being labeled ‘anxious,'” said Dr. Andreescu. “They prefer to call it ‘high stress,’ something that doesn’t indicate psychological weakness.”
And since aging brings with it real sources of anxiety and grief, from falls to bereavement, people can view anxiety as normal, as Mrs. Tilton did.
However, it has serious consequences. “It has an impact on the health of our brains and bodies,” said Dr. Andreescu. Studies have shown links between anxiety and depression cardiovascular diseasewith a strongly increased risk of coronary heart disease, heart failure, heart attack and death. Patients with higher anxiety levels are also more likely to commit substance abuse.
Research also consistently shows that anxiety is linked to cognitive decline and depression Dementia. Dr Andreescu’s neuroimaging studies have found that “anxiety actually shrinks and ages the brain,” she said.