Adjusting to Later Life Therapy Essex

As we grow older, our lives change in significant ways. Whether you’re settling into retirement, or dealing with physical health problems that come with the ageing process, substantial life transitions can become a source of worry, stress, or apprehension.

While these feelings are very common, affecting as many as 1 in 5 older people living in the UK, these struggles shouldn’t be considered a normal part of the ageing process, but rather a sign that your mental health is not as resilient as it could be.

If the term mental health is new to you, it simply refers to how you think, feel, and react to situations. It’s something we all have throughout our lives, and is important to look after, just like your physical health.

When we nurture it well, we become more resilient, able to handle the stresses and strains of everyday life, enjoying a more positive, uplifting outlook.

But when your mental wellbeing is poor, you may find it difficult to cope day to day, especially when faced with big life changes.

While getting older is something many look forward to, the significant changes that accompany later stages of life can affect the mental health of even the most well-prepared individuals.

Entering retirement

Many people enjoy what they do, the social bonds they form at work, and the purpose their job gives them. This makes the prospect of retirement daunting for some, especially if they are forced to stop working early.

But even if you have grand plans for what you will do in retirement, or you don’t like your current job, stepping down from a life of work is a big change for anyone, and may leave you feeling lonely, isolated and anxious.

Losing a loved one

Losing a loved one is never easy. In these difficult times, grief can affect our mental health in unique and significant ways, bringing overwhelming feelings of sadness, guilt or hopelessness to the surface.

You might also find that a loss or bereavement is affecting you physically, causing headaches, muscle pains, and restlessness. Over time, these can become a drain on your emotional wellbeing, and leave you feeling low and exhausted.

Living with ongoing health conditions

It’s a well-known fact that as we get older, our bodies tend to become more delicate. This not only leaves us with aches and pains that can erode our emotional wellbeing – they can also become a barrier to our favourite physical activities.

Being forced to change how you live due to an ongoing health issue, especially if it was a sudden transition, can be difficult to process. If your quality of life has suffered in this way, it’s common to experience feelings of depression and anxiety.

Caring for others

Whether it’s a friend, family member or partner, taking the time and energy to care for someone else can be a rewarding yet challenging responsibility.

If you find yourself in this role and are having difficulties managing your daily duties, you may notice that this has become a source of stress and worry in your life.

Being diagnosed with dementia

Sadly, dementia tends to affect individuals 65 and older – a likelihood that only increases with age.

If you have been diagnosed with this condition or are living with its consequences, you might find that your mental health is suffering, as you struggle to concentrate, withdraw from social situations, and strain to find motivation.

On their own, these significant life transitions can be difficult to manage. But when one or more compound at once, your mental wellbeing can suffer. Explore our full range of free treatments for mental health, and face these feelings together with a helpful therapist.

There are a number of reasons why adjusting to later life can take a toll on your mental health. Although we have covered some of the most common scenarios, fundamentally, there are five key factors that impact the mental wellbeing of older adults:

• Discrimination
• Participation in meaningful activities
• Relationships
• Physical health
• Financial security

Through our range of free treatment pathways, such as telephone therapy and face-to-face therapy in Essex, we can help you embrace ageing and the trials associated with it, so you can enjoy all that later life has to offer.

There is no ‘right’ way to feel when adjusting to the changes and challenges of getting older. This can make it difficult to know when to seek help about how you feel.

While this isn’t an all-encompassing list, here are some of the most common indicators that your mental wellbeing may benefit from later life therapy and support.

• You constantly feel overwhelmed
• You struggle to escape feelings of dread
• You are always tense or nervous
• You find yourself gripped by a sense of panic
• Your confidence or self-esteem has taken a knock
• Your mood fluctuates regularly
• You find yourself avoiding social situations where possible
• You have a lack of interest in activities you used to enjoy
• You struggle to see the light in life or have thought about self-harm/suicide

Difficulties adapting to later life do more than affect how you think and feel. Because physical and mental health are so closely linked, you may also experience physiological changes, such as:

• A racing heart, even when resting
• Frequent bouts of nausea or vomiting
• Tingles or numbness across your body
• Greater difficulty remembering things
• A change in your appetite – comfort eating or skipping meals altogether

These symptoms can add to the challenge of an already demanding and overwhelming period in your life, severely restricting what you feel able to do and intensifying your anxiety about ageing.

If you’re living with one or more of these symptoms, and it’s affecting how you live, it may be time to get in touch with people who can help.

Some think that depression, stress, nerves and similar mental health problems are just a normal part of getting older. This isn’t true, and you don’t have to live with these unpleasant feelings forever.

If you’re keen to address your emotional challenges and make meaningful strides with your mental health, finding a therapist and talking through your experiences is a good first step towards feeling better.

If you have reservations about therapy, it’s crucial to recognise that this method of treatment can be a powerful path to feeling better.

Seeking therapy and treatment when you are finding it tough to transition into later life can support healthy ageing.

Improve your resilience to future challenges

By attending talking therapy, you can develop practical coping strategies for life that you can use to manage big transitions now and in the future, allowing you to feel positive and confident about what’s ahead.

Address feelings of isolation and loneliness

Talking to a therapist, whether in-person or over the phone, can be an effective way to combat feelings of isolation and loneliness that are all too common in older adults, so you stay social and supported in your senior years.

Improve your physical health

Tackling mental health issues not only improves how you feel emotionally, it also encourages habits that help you stay healthy, reducing the presence of unpleasant symptoms such as headaches, fatigue, heart and digestive problems.

Keep your mind fit and healthy

Regularly talking with a therapist and practising mental health exercises can also be an effective way of exercising your mind in your later years, keeping your brain fit and memory sharp.

At Therapy For You, we can provide tailored mental health support to help you feel better. From ieso mental health treatment, and telephone therapy, to face-to-face sessions and group support, discover the treatment pathway that best suits your preferences.

The time it takes to complete your treatment will depend on your needs, your goals and the pathway to treatment you choose.

While some may experience positive, tangible improvements after just a few therapy sessions, it may take you months to notice an improvement in how you feel.

To give you a clear idea of how long your course may take and the most suitable treatment option for you, our experienced practitioners at Therapy For You are available to discuss your specific circumstances over the phone or online.

We understand that for some older adults, travelling to therapy sessions in person may be difficult or completely out of the question. If this applies to you, we ensure that anyone can access therapy remotely in a variety of ways:

• Speaking over the phone
• Having video calls
• Typed or text therapy through ieso

Every person’s experience in therapy will be different, as your therapist will tailor their approach around your specific feelings, goals and circumstances.

But initially, you can expect an open, confidential discussion with a qualified therapist, who will look to quickly establish a friendly relationship with you. From here, they will listen to you, ask questions, provide guidance, and teach you lifelong techniques based on your struggles with ageing and later-life changes.

Despite over-65s making up just 7% of total NHS referrals, talking therapy has shown to be highly effective in older adults, delivering better results than other age groups. However, other treatment options are available.

For some, medicine such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and tricyclic antidepressants may offer the support they need for their emotional challenges.

For others, self-help may offer a route to feeling better and reducing the presence of stress, anxiety and depression in your day-to-day life. To start making positive strides about later life, consider:

• Talking to people you trust about how you feel
• Getting plenty of rest everyday
• Staying connected with friends and family
• Keeping physically and mentally active where possible
• Maintaining a healthy, balanced diet
• Exploring new hobbies in your spare time

While many of us look forward to ageing gracefully, big changes in later life – even the ones we’re expecting – can be incredibly overwhelming and difficult to manage. While some think these low feelings are a part of growing old, you don’t have to put up with these unhelpful emotions forever.

At Therapy For You, we are your NHS Talking Therapies provider for North East and South East Essex. Through our free, easy-to-access treatment pathways, we can help you adjust to later life and teach you powerful techniques to improve your outlook on the future.

• Attend NHS CBT courses
• Get 1-1 support
• Find group therapy sessions
• Request video therapy
• Start phone therapy
• Access ieso typed therapy

For more information on the types of elderly care and support we can provide, get in touch with one of our qualified therapists today.