First, our dopamine levels decline as we age, making elderly people susceptible to dopamine-deficient depression. It's also well known that declining estrogen levels during menopause, along with resulting physical changes can cause women to experience irritability, sadness and anxiety.
Some of the factors leading to rudeness in old age are: Hormonal changes. Men see a decrease in testosterone beginning around age 40, and women see a decrease in estrogen beginning around age 50, both of which can lead to depression and mood swings.
Seniors may develop mood swings as a result of illness. Depression and anxiety can cause changes in mood. Behavioral shifts could be early signs of Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia. Physical pain, reactions to medications, and loneliness may also cause behavioral shifts.
Increased anger with age is a common problem, but you don't have to feel angry all the time. Blue Moon Senior Counseling offers therapy for anger management, stress, anxiety, and other common problems affecting older adults.
Depression, anxiety, grief, and PTSD are all mental health disorders that can have increased anger as a symptom. Your loved one may need professional therapy to learn how to handle his or her emotions. Some seniors need medication to address severe anger.
Decreased testosterone is a normal part of aging in men.
All men lose testosterone as we age. However, for most men testosterone remains within healthy limits and does not cause problems. However, many men's testosterone levels drop too far and the results are increased irritability, anger, and depression.
Traditionally, the “elderly” are considered to be those persons age 65 and older.
“Untreated bipolar disorder can worsen with age, with both the frequency of mood episodes and their duration,” says Thomas Scary, MD, MA, staff psychiatrist, Rittenhouse Psychiatric Associates in Philadelphia.
Common causes of bad moods include guilt, small rejections, outstanding tasks, and brooding. Other causes can include feeling disconnected, fear of failure, hunger, and exhaustion.
As people age, they often experience changes in their physical health that can lead to feelings of anger such as frustration or loss of control. Other common causes of anger in the elderly include medical issues such as depression, anxiety, physical pain, and memory problems.
Cognitive decline can cause aging adults to have sudden outbursts of anger. Symptoms of cognitive decline include memory loss and difficulty understanding basic information. Your loved one might become upset if he or she can't recall a particular word or remember the name of a familiar place.
No matter how much you love your mom, it is normal to feel impatient and angry about the changes that aging triggers. If you are personally involved in her care, you may feel particularly frustrated with the way her needs interfere with your life. Guilt. You also are likely to feel guilty as your parent ages.
Middle age, commencing at about 40 years, is followed by old age at about 60 years.
Many people in their 60s start to notice that their minds aren't quite as sharp as before. It may take you longer to recall names and facts, recognize patterns, or solve problems. This mental decline only continues as you age. On the upside, your vocabulary, knowledge, and long-term memory likely will stay stable.
Who is Defined as Elderly? Typically, the elderly has been defined as the chronological age of 65 or older. People from 65 to 74 years old are usually considered early elderly, while those over 75 years old are referred to as late elderly.
People who are grumpy are much more likely to describe their emotional state with words like annoyed, irritable, or frustrated. However, grumpiness can also include some degree of sadness, anxiety, guilt, or really any other emotion or combination of emotions.
Every one of us can be irritable at times and have irritable moods that may last for hours or even a few days. But when periods of irritability last for months on end and characterize a person's mood more often than not, it could be associated with an underlying disorder such as clinical depression, anxiety or ADHD.
Stress is one of the main causes of anger in a relationship. According to the American Psychology Association (APA), stress makes men and women angry and irritable. It can also make them feel nervous and anxious, as well as experience fatigue. If your husband is angry at you, help them to cope with feelings of stress.
Starting at about the mid-40s or 50s, every man's testosterone levels begin to decrease, and sometimes the decrease is precipitous around age 60. “The whole system is robbed of a chemical that it based its life on for the first 50 years,” said Gurian. “It can create irritability. And a lot of us get kind of depressed.
Some men develop depression, loss of sex drive, erectile dysfunction, and other physical and emotional symptoms when they reach their late 40s to early 50s. Other symptoms common in men this age are: mood swings and irritability. loss of muscle mass and reduced ability to exercise.