5 Reasons for Paranoia in Aging Parents
Growing old is a natural part of a person’s life. However, it can be challenging to see your parents grow old and weary. When we are young, our parents provide for us and put our needs ahead of their own, so it is only fair that we do the same for them when they grow old.
However, it can be hard to do so when they start to develop irrational fears and paranoia. This is a natural part of growing old; still, paranoia in aging parents is an issue that very few people talk about.
Therefore, I’m trying to raise awareness about it, and here are five common reasons why your parents might develop irrational fears.
Deteriorating health:
It is natural for older people to face many medical problems, the body starts to deteriorate, and staying healthy becomes more difficult. Several issues like osteoporosis, arthritis, high blood pressure, and diabetes become more prevalent.
Though these are legitimate concerns, sometimes older people can stress about problems that aren’t even there. For instance, they might forget their keys at home and think that they may be developing dementia.
The stress caused by overthinking and worrying about problems that aren’t even there can further deteriorate their physical and mental health. It can increase the risk of heart attacks and many other terminal disorders.
It would be best if you encouraged your parents to schedule regular visits to their doctor, after the age of 40, your parents should get a medical checkup after every 4-5 months. This will help them find legitimate health problems in time, and they won’t get paranoid either.
Loneliness:
As our parents grow older, we usually reach an age where we move out of the house and have to go about our own lives. Our parents are used to taking care of us, and having us at home; however, when we leave for college or move to another city, they can feel lonely.
This can lead to an irrational fear of abandonment, which causes our parents a lot of distress. They start to worry that we might not take care of them, or stay connected as we grow older, which is entirely irrational.
However, the paranoia of parents isn’t the only thing to blame; we can also get so caught up in our hectic routine that we can’t don’t even take some time to call our parents and ask about their day.
All it takes is 4-5 minutes a day, call your parents, ask them about their health, and see if they need any help. Your five minutes can be precious to your parents, and they make your parents feel connected.
Side effects of medications:
Most people have to take some medication in their old age, whether it is a pain medication to counter arthritis or insulin shots for diabetes control.
All of these medications have tons of side effects, which can be a legitimate concern. However, some of these medications cannot be avoided only because of the side effects.
Furthermore, you should help your parents search for alternative natural medications. One such natural substance is cannabis.
Marijuana has many medicinal benefits, especially for seniors. It can help them get natural pain relief and maintain a healthy lifestyle as well. Cannabis can help them sleep better.
Cannabis is also legal, and if you are concerned about the negative impacts of smoking, you should consider using CBD products, like CBD oil and edibles. You can get the medical benefits of cannabis without the high if you use CBD based cannabis products purely.
Concerns about their children:
Most parents are very selfless. Even as they enter their old age, they worry about the success and well-being of their children. When our parents enter the 50s, we are usually at a very influential age in our lives.
We are usually in our mid to early twenties, graduating from colleges, or starting our professional lives. We are making major life decisions, like getting married.
Our parents worry about us, and even small setbacks can cause them to worry too much. They can develop paranoia and irrational fears. Legitimate problems aside, they can start to worry about uncontrollable things, damaging their mental and physical health along the way.
However, this problem can be resolved easily; all you have to do is talk to your parents regularly. Instead of hiding your problems, share with your supportive parents and assure them that you will be able to deal with them.
Fear of mortality:
Now, in the end, I am going to talk about difficult things. Death; nobody is safe from it, no matter what we try, dying is a natural part of one’s life. Though there is no guarantee old age will be the reason for one’s death, our parents do get closer to their end in their old age.
However, this fear is irrational. There is no point in being afraid of something inevitable. Of course, none of us want to die, but death is something that isn’t in our control, therefore, instead of always thinking about death, you should help your parents enjoy life now.
Plan positive and healthy distractions, and try your best to keep your parents happy, because staying worried all the time can lead to stress and depression, which is the cause of many severe and some terminal disorders,
Final thoughts:
As our parents grow older, they have to face the many problems that come with old age. Though some of these problems are legitimately concerning, worrying about others can be quite irrational. However, it is understandable that parents feel this way.
Our parents spend a significant part of their lives caring for us, and it is our responsibility to take care of them in their old age. Therefore, it is essential to address the problem of paranoia in aging parents.
We must raise awareness about it, and hope that this post is a step in the right direction.
Author’s bio:
Josh Lees is a final year psychology student. He is a passionate writer and loves to research about mental and physical health. He has published many articles regarding different psychological conditions. To find out more about his journey head over to https://kootenaybotanicals.com/.