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Growing Old and Mental Health
January 25, 2020
Post updated 8th March 2023
How does growing old impact your mental health? Fisayomi Aturamu explores this topic in detail below:
Good health cuts across all spheres of life.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
Mental health is, therefore, just as important as the physical.
We think of Depression, Anxiety, Schizophrenia and other such conditions when the term ‘mental health’ is used.
But mental health is more than the absence of mental disorders.
To be in good mental health, you have a state of well-being where you’re aware of your own abilities, can cope with the usual stresses of life, work productively and fruitfully, and are able to make a positive contribution to your community.
Ageing is a normal phenomenon that most of us will experience.
However, everyone adapts to ageing differently.
Many people cope quite well, surrounding themselves with family and friends and engaging activity as they age that result in fulfilment and peace of mind.
But quite a lot of people don’t.
In addition to the physical changes that occur in the body due to the process of ageing, there are also changes to one’s mental state.
Ageing could have a significant impact on your mental health due to some of the life changes that you experience.
So you should realise that not only physical changes that happen with ageing. Other things contribute.
Add one’s own life experiences, environment and genetics: these all contribute to developing mental health conditions like depression, dementia and anxiety.
Nevertheless, there are some factors that may contribute to good health, e.g. diet, exercise, genetics, etc.
In a nutshell, physical health affects your mental health and vice versa.
Well, the good news is that there are ways to ensure that the transition to old age does not affect your mental health.
Here are some surprising tips for positive ageing (which can also work for individuals of all ages).
Using these suggestions can help with ageing positively whilst giving individuals a sense of meaning, purpose, belonging and responsibility that would ensure good mental health and overall well-being.
Remember that the choices you make have an effect on your overall well-being. Therefore, whatever your age may be, always endeavour to make healthy choices.
Do you need some help identifying what changes to make in your lifestyle to promote your mental health? Comment below or send us an enquiry. Read more here about Dealing with Anxiety.
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Editing by AskAwayHealth Team
Disclaimer
All AskAwayHealth articles are written by practising Medical Practitioners on a wide range of healthcare conditions to provide evidence-based guidance and to help promote quality healthcare. The advice in our material is not meant to replace the management of your specific condition by a qualified healthcare practitioner.
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