Stress is an inevitable part of life and each different stage comes with different causes and reactions.
From the pressure of young people to financial worries, careers, family care responsibilities in middle age or loneliness, declining health in old age, stress is always present. But not everyone is aware of the impact of age on the extent and way of dealing with stress, according to Indianexpress.
According to Dr. Munia Bhattacharya, a psychologist at Marengo Asia Hospital (Gurugram, India), middle-aged people are often under great pressure from work, caring for elderly parents and raising children.
However, they tend to develop better stress management skills, through social support or problem-solving techniques.
For the elderly, stress is mainly caused by personal losses, declining health and financial worries.
However, they often have more sophisticated coping mechanisms thanks to life experience and social networks accumulated over time.
Aging affects the ability to manage stress due to changes in hormones (high cortisol) and the nervous system.
However, according to experts, the elderly are often more resilient emotionally. Therefore, understanding age-related psychological changes is important to develop a suitable stress management plan.
Dr. Sonal Anand, a psychiatrist at Wockhardt Mira Road Hospital (India), emphasized that even pregnant women cannot avoid stress, from worries about their health, the fetus to the pressures of giving birth and raising young children.
Sonal Anand recommends that people should proactively seek psychological expert advice when feeling prolonged stress, instead of silently enduring it.
Methods such as deep breathing, journaling, eating scientifically, getting enough sleep, maintaining a positive attitude and maintaining social relationships all help reduce stress effectively.
In addition, participating in community activities and maintaining an active lifestyle is also a way for the elderly to feel more connected and optimistic.
Finally, Dr. Bhattacharya affirmed: "Effective stress management not only improves mental health but also improves the quality of life at all ages".
