Dear Eric: In response to “Grateful Son”, who is concerned about his parents’ anxiety.
My parents developed anxiety as they became older and, like Grateful Son’s, their anxiety increased with age. Their anxiety was difficult. Most troubling to me was that I looked at my parents and became concerned that I was seeing my future. Whether through nature or nurture, I became concerned that I likely received a full dose of their anxiety for my future life.
My advice to Grateful Son is that there may be little that you can do for your parents’ future but there is much that you can do for your future. I visited my physician, explained my concerns and started a very low dose of a very mild anti-anxiety medication.
The first medication that we tried was far too strong, but we found something that seems to be working. I do not want to develop the same anxiety. Grateful Son’s parents may have shown a glimpse of his future and given him the time to create a better future.
– Another Grateful Son
Dear Grateful: One of the many gifts of being connected to older relatives is the knowledge of how genetic predisposition can shape our lives. It gives us empathy for the older adults – and can help us think creatively about remedies or adjustments they’re not seeing. It can also help us make informed choices for ourselves.
Send questions to R. Eric Thomas at eric@askingeric.com or P.O. Box 22474, Philadelphia, PA 19110. Follow him on Instagram and sign up for his weekly newsletter at rericthomas.com.
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