Anxiety and disturbed behavior in the elderly

The struggle between the elderly patient and his social environment leads to a loss of self-esteem accompanied by fear and anger. These feelings, together with a rational and irrational search for aid, produce a symptom complex which is a depressive or anxiety syndrome. The physician must reinforce and hasten natural recovery processes. Drug therapy may pave the way. Phenothiazines should be avoided. Among the benzodiazepines, shorter-acting agents are preferable.