Congratulations!
That you are reading this means you are mentally healthy. Your mind is on an even keel. You can understand and make clear and sensible decisions; your mind doesn’t seesaw between fantasy and reality.
You can appreciate the colors, sights and sounds around you; feel the warmth of your children’s hands and the smooth skin of their faces as you trace a finger over them. And your heart overflows with joy each time they say, “I love you Dad,” or “I love you, Mom.
They don’t call you senile or be constantly reminded to take your medicines and you can feed yourself. Nobody is hovering over so you won’t fall or get lost around the neighborhood.
And of course, you want to stay that way for as long as you want – to be able to make choices, go places, play your favorite sport or fly a drone or assemble a remote-controlled car.
You can.
There is no limit to what you can do – even in your latter years.
How?
This article will tell you how. It will also get you to speed on the following:
- What is “mental health”
- Mental health risk factors
- Mental health symptoms
What is Mental Health
Mental health is the level of your emotional, psychological and social well-being.
It is manifested on the way you think, feel, and act. Your mental health can be discerned by the way you handle stress, relate with others and make choices, among others.
Contrary to popular belief, mental health, per se, is not age-related. But aging brings about changes that may affect you physically, emotionally and psychologically. And when you fail to cope with these changes, you put your mental health in grave danger.
Mental health is very much underrated. When people talk about “health,” they usually talk about “physical health.” Lost in translation is the fact that no one ca feel physically good if the mind has gone awry – and vice-versa.
Factors that your mental health
Retirement is a time to celebrate. After working for the better part of your life, you an now relax, stay home with family and friends, travel, or engage in a hobby or sport the time has finally come.
It is the time to enjoy to quench your thirst for a stress-free and enjoyable life.
Life, however, does not always follow a script. Some things you did in your carefree days, like karma, will begin to haunt you. Or your current circumstances like loneliness can short circuit your mind.
On top of that, shown below are other age-related issues than can affect your mental health:
- Health conditions like diabetes, heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease
- Chronic pains in the joints, neck, back, shoulders, and nerves
- Side-effects of medication
- Loss of income, relationship, independence, self-worth, or mobility, etc.
- Change in living arrangement, i.e., independent living to a nursing facility
- Social isolation
- Hospitalization
- Anniversaries of traumatic or sorrowful events and experiences
Any of them can affect your mind in negative ways – like it did my brother-in-law. After suffering from COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) for so long, he blew his brains out one early morning more than a year ago.
Yes, mental disorders, if not properly handled, can drive you to the brink of self-destruction.
Symptoms of Mental Health Disorders
Mental health disorders are treatable if detected early – which does not happen in most cases. Most of the time, symptoms are taken as a result of old age. And they might well be. But when you’re old, never do self-diagnoses. So when you feel any of these, talk to your doctor at once.
- Eating or sleeping too much or too little
- Shying away from people and usual activities
- Lethargic or feeling lazy
- Loss of purpose
- Unexplained aches and pains
- Smoking or drinking more than usual
- Crave for harmful drugs
- Being confused, forgetful, edgy, angry, or scared
- Showing episodes of emotional outbursts against family or friends
- Frequent mood swings that affect relationships
- Negative thoughts or recalling old memories
- Hearing voices or believing things that are not true
- Having suicidal thoughts
- Inability to do daily routine tasks
Don’t take them lightly, especially if they start affecting your daily routine.
How to Stay Mentally Healthy in Old Age
Though mental health disorders are not too pervasive among the elderly, they cannot be taken for granted, either. That could be kind of tragic because mental health is something that requires no college degree. Awareness and lots of common sense are all that’s needed.
Here are a few tips to help you out:
1. Prepare for the inevitable changes that come with aging
Being old and retired is a new ball game, and to play it effectively you have to prep yourself for it.
Yes, it’s great not to be waking up in the morning and rush through your routine to get get to the office on time, but with no game plan to cover that slack, all the idle time in your hands will start playing tricks with your mind.
So prepare for your new realities that come with old age such as living off a meager pension, medical bills due to chronic illnesses, beating loneliness and isolation – if you live alone.
Being old is liberating, but freedom will not come in a silver platter, or free. You have to work for it and it comes with a price. While you are free to do things your own way, but age-imposed limitations may need assistance from outside or from somebody.
Make sure all these are covered to allow you to enjoy old age.
2. Talk to someone
Each time I feel a massive build-up in my head, I go out and talk to my younger sister. Not that she can do much about my inner demons, but talking to someone can have surprising results. It lets off steam.
So if you feel like a hamster in a wheel, go out and talk to someone – anyone who can spare an ear. Be a Forrest Gump once in a while and see how good it is for your self-worth and respect.
But!
This is not foolproof. There are some drawbacks that may blow into your face. When you talk to someone, he/she must be:
- close family members or friends
- a specialist, someone who can help you in a professional way
- someone who shares your concerns
- trustworthy and won’t make your mental problems go viral.
Make it conversational. For God’s sake, don’t cry a bucket of tears in front of other people – if you can help it. Keep it simple. Skip the drama and don’t come out as a cry baby.
Listen, too.
A good conversation is a two-way street. Doing a monologue will defeat the purpose. Besides, nobody really wants to know about your problems, but being lent a sympathetic ear is blessing enough.
3. Ask for help
Or as a Scot would put it, “If you need anything, just holler.”
There is nothing wrong with asking for help. It is not a sign of weakness, but acceptance that things are well over your head. And acceptance is the first path in untangling your knotty mind.
So if the burden becomes so intense your mind is about to explode, ask help from:
- family and friends
- health professionals
- support groups
- online sources or social networks.
4. Have a plan
If my daughter and her hubby (both doctors) go out of town for several days, they make arrangements with a nearby hospital and a fellow doctor to attend to me should I need medical attention.
So far, I never had to avail of such precautionary measures (know on wood). But it is reassuring to know that help is available if needed.
Life is uncertain at best, At your age, each day of life is a blessing. While the life of an elderly is a toss of the dice, you can load the dice in your favor by having a plan.
For example:
- Plan whether you will spend the rest of your days at home or in a care center
- What measures to take in case of health and mobility problems
- Are your finances in order
- Do you have quick access to medical facilities and transport
- Who will take care of you when you no longer can’t?
- Have you made your will or funeral arrangements in case of death?
Never leave these things to chance to prevent chaos for those you leave behind. Having them in place is mentally reassuring.
5. Exercise and get enough sleep
Exercise is important to people regardless of age. It becomes necessary when they hit the 60s and beyond. Not only is it good for physical health but mentally, as well.
Here’s how exercise keeps you mentally healthy:
- boosts self-esteem, raise self-worth and self-confidence
- helps lower blood pressure, strengthens the immune system and many others
- promotes better sleep
- provides a good opportunity to meet other people.
And sleep?
It is often said that the elderly need fewer hours of sleep each day. This is nothing but hokey-pokey. Sleep is as important as food and you should get the full serving of 7 to 8 hours a day. Anything less will result in:
- poor concentration
- bad mood and irritability
- feelings of lethargy
- a weak immune system
6. Have a good diet, drink moderately and stay hydrated
At 71, I always find the word “diet” overused. It is as if I would miss the joys of old age if I don’t eat well. But like it or not, you will if your diet doesn’t support your daily nutritional needs.
A good diet helps you maintain a healthy weight, have the energy to be active, and a hedge against some of the chronic conditions common among the elderly like arthritis, diabetes, various heart conditions.
Without it, you will be like an old car that spends more time in the shop than on the road.
And where food is concerned, what better way to promote better digestion than a drink of wine before or after a good meal. That’s just about it.
Other than aiding digestion, a glass of wine usually sparks good conversation. And moderate consumption of alcohol is good for the heart and the circulatory system. It can protect you against type 2 diabetes and the formation of gallstones.
Beyond that, your heart and liver may suffer. Excessive drinking may cause breast and other types of cancers. It can induce depression, violent behavior, and ruin relationships.
And always stay hydrated. Never take a glass or two during meals as a substitute for water. No, it doesn’t.
Remember that elderly people, due to some physiological changes due to age are prone to be dehydration. And this spells bad for your mental health. Several studies have shown that dehydration has a negative impact on cognitive functions such as memory, focus, and critical thinking.
As a well-watered plant bears beautiful blossoms, a well-hydrated body produces a healthy and vibrant mind.
7. Relax and enjoy life
If there is a time in your life to relax and enjoy life, it is now. The kids are done through college, mortgage payments are done with (presumably), and you have all the time in your life to do whatever you wish to do – travel, write a book, engage in a hobby or your favorite sport.
Reach out to old friends or establish new ones. Don’t withdraw into your shell, but be in the hub of activity, of action and adventure, of laughter and merrymaking. Your brain’s synapses never stop growing and these things are the nutrients for their perpetual growth.
Make your life as stress-free as possible. Stress makes your thinking murky, as a drop of ink does to a cup of water.
8. Be grateful:
No matter how down on your luck you may be, there is always a reason to be grateful. The grass on your neighbor’s yard may not be green but parched arid and overgrown with weeds. Y
You don’t have enough money? Be grateful you are not in a shelter for the homeless?
Suffering from chronic illnesses? Bear in mind that a lot of people your age are on life support or have but a few hours or days to live.
Be grateful that you are walking above the ground while many of your relatives, associates or friends are six feet beneath.
Things are never worse than you think they are. The Dalai Lama said,
“Gratitude is the healthiest of human emotions.”
Other than emotional health, gratitude:
- improves relationships
- is good for physical and emotional health
- enhances empathy and reduces aggressive behavior
- can help you sleep better
- increases self-esteem
- increases mental strength
Being mentally healthy doesn’t mean you won’t suffer the pangs of loneliness or the wretchedness of depression. You may hurt others due to occasional mood swings. But a healthy mind can recognize these as nothing but momentary episodes of emotions stoked by stressful events or circumstances.
Worldwide, about 16% of adults aged 60 and above suffer from a mental disorder. Not a shattering figure but still of serious concern as the population ages. That leaves you with a choice whether to live among the ranks of elderly people living in the darkness of their thoughts or bask in the sunshine of a healthy mind.
And do help others by sharing this modest piece.
Image: https://yourstory.com/2015/12/senior-citizens-startups/
~oOo~
