Anxiety In The Elderly

The American Disorders Association of America states that anxiety disorders are the most common mental illnesses in the United States, affecting 40 million adults across the country.Research shows 6.8 million of these adults suffer from an anxiety disorder called generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), which is a condition of chronic worrying.

"A person with generalized anxiety disorder spends, on average, about 40 hours a week worrying, so it's almost like having a full-time job," Eric J. Lenze, M.D., a geriatric psychiatrist at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, said
"They worry about very real things, but the inability to put those worries out of their minds makes the condition disabling." Other anxiety disorders include obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), social anxiety disorder and specific phobias.

Several drugs are used to treat GAD.
Benzodiazepines (Valium, Xanax) acts very quickly, but physical and psychological dependence are common side effects.

These drugs can take weeks to change symptoms and can worsen sleep problems and cause

A recent study examined the effects of antidepressants on GAD in adults over 60. Researchers looked into the effects of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors.

They found after 12 weeks of treatment, 68 percent of patients taking escitalopram (Lexapro) had improved, and only 51 percent of those taking the placebo had improved.