Don’t let anxiety tell you scary stories this spooky season.
We can’t wait to celebrate the upcoming Halloween season with our community and neighbors at Lutheran Life Communities. Despite the excitement, this spooky time of year is an excellent occasion to confront anxieties that haunt our thoughts as we age.
As you might know, anxiety is a complex emotional state characterized by feelings of worry, nervousness or unease about future events. And while it is normal to experience occasional anxiety, persistent or overwhelming anxiety can have detrimental effects on mental and physical well-being, particularly in older adults. Or, at the very least, anxiety tells us to stop, listen and tune into how you’re feeling. After all, some anxiety is simply telling you to act, such as when we’re in unsatisfactory relationships or situations that need to change.
To help bolster your mental wellness this fall, our team at Lutheran life Communities put together some of our preferred anti-anxiety tips and tricks. Here are just a few things to keep in mind as we enter spooky season:
1. Empower Mental Wellness Through Education: Knowledge is a powerful tool in managing anxiety. Learning about the common triggers and symptoms, as well as strategies for prevention and intervention, can help demystify some of the scarier parts of anxiety. Learning how anxiety presents in you (versus others) can help you create an action plan to address it head-on. There are many on-campus resources available to residents at Lutheran Life Communities like resident support groups that discuss the nuts and bolts of anxiety and how to address symptoms. We even have full-time, non-denominational chaplains on campus who are here as a sounding board both for residents and team members.
2. Foster Social Connection: The Beatles said it best—we get by with a little help from our friends. Especially in the cooler months, participation in social activities, community groups and support networks can help combat feelings of loneliness and boost overall well-being. Lutheran Life Communities are a hotbed for social connection, especially in the fall. From special performances from local musicians to resident-run affinity groups and clubs, there’s something for everyone. We think of this like the antidote to sitting alone and watching too much television.
3. Cultivate Healthy Lifestyle Habits: This one might sound obvious, but it bears repeating. Regular exercise, balanced nutrition, adequate sleep and mindfulness practices can all contribute to better mental health outcomes. Incorporating these habits into daily life can help you manage stress and anxiety more effectively. Residents of Lutheran Life Communities find this easy with all the activities available to them. All of our campuses are great for getting your steps in, with beautiful natural scenery and paved walking paths. And jumping back to #2 on the list—even better if you enroll a friend or a chaplain to walk and talk with you!
4. Seek Mental Wellness Support: Remember, seeking professional help is essential for anyone experiencing persistent or severe anxiety symptoms. There’s no need to keep a stiff upper lip and experience vague unhappiness, and there’s no prize for NOT asking for help. Mental health professionals can provide several types of therapy, including counseling, medication management and other evidence-based treatments tailored to each person’s needs. It’s never too late to try, even if you’ve never sought help in this area before. Lutheran Life Communities offers on-campus resources for those seeking support, and we’re happy to help refer anyone to off-campus resources, too—like our full-time chaplains who offer spiritual support, or even just a listening ear.
5. Build Resilience: Fostering resilience is key to navigating life’s challenges, including anxiety. Developing problem-solving skills, maintaining a positive outlook and drawing on personal strengths and resources are all great tools to build mental resilience. Remember that you have a lifetime of experience in overcoming problems and stressful life events. You have been through tough times before, and you have personal agency and grit to handle the next set of challenges as well.
In her book, Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway, Susan Jefferies, PhD, has a great tip: Think of the times you’ve dealt with difficult situations throughout your life and succeeded. Remind yourself of your resilience, capabilities and strengths. Use this phrase often when the anxiety sneaks up on you: “If it happens, I will handle it.” And the truth is, whatever life throws your way, you will handle it. You’ve done it before, right? So give yourself a little credit.
Remember the saying, “90% of the things we worry about never happen?” Don’t allow the precious, present moment be filled with thoughts about things we cannot control and most likely aren’t an issue. If they show, we will step up, just like before.
6. Control What You Can, Let Go of the Rest: The Serenity Prayer says, “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference.” Whether you are a spiritual person or not, there is a lot of wisdom packed into those 27 words. Fortunately, living at one of our four Lutheran Life Communities offers a lot more control of life’s uncertainties, especially when it comes to ensuring that someone else is watching out for you and giving you a very healthy social network. We can’t control the future. However, having a plan for the future creates peace of mind if life chooses for us. To learn all the benefits, we recommend visiting the Life Plan page or calling one of our sales associates to learn more.
Where Did Those Monsters Go?
We hope these tips will help arm you against anxiety heading into the Halloween season and the darker months of winter. Looking at your anxieties and examining your fears can be a lot like looking under the bed or opening the closet door to see that there are no monsters hiding in there after all.
However, always remember to talk to your doctor or healthcare provider about severe, persistent anxiety, especially if anxiety is consistently negatively affecting your life. The Lutheran Life Communities team wants to be your ally in mental wellness year-round, so feel free to stop by for a tour at any of our four locations or give us a call to learn more about the ways residents live their best lives with us. Happy Halloween, and cheers to less anxiety and more happiness this fall!
Join us for a tour or call us today. See you soon!
