From Fear to Fearless: Mental Health Tips for Halloween and Beyond

From Fear to Fearless: Mental Health Tips for Halloween and Beyond

From Fear to Fearless: Mental Health Tips for Halloween and Beyond

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 here at The Woodlands. Baked pumpkin goodies handmade by our in-house pastry chef, hazelnut lattes from Mary Lou’s Café, temperate walks to take in the changing colors from the Swamp Rabbit Trail—what’s not to love?

Despite the excitement, this spooky time of year is an excellent occasion to confront anxieties that haunt our thoughts as we age. Anxiety is a complex emotional state characterized by feelings of worry, nervousness or unease about future events. 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. 

To help bolster your mental wellness this fall, our team at The Woodlands put pen to paper on some of our most successful strategies to navigate anxiety as we age. These are our main tips to keep in mind as we enter spooky season:  

  1. Empower Mental Wellness Through Education: Knowledge is a powerful tool in managing anxiety. Arming yourself with knowledge by 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. The OLLI program (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute) just next door to The Woodlands at Furman University frequently offers courses on mental wellness and the latest trends in psychological research. Check out the Fall 24 course catalog for more information.
  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. The Woodlands is a hotbed for social connection, especially in the fall. From classes on campus and next door at Furman University, to men’s and ladies’ golf clubs,  there’s something for everyone. If you are looking for more support, our community offers amazing support groups on many topics, including grief, spousal caregiving and more. Spiritual guidance is always available via religious services and groups as well.
  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 The Woodlands find this easy with all the activities available to them. A bike ride to Travelers Rest for lunch and shopping, a walk along the Swamp Rabbit Trail, outdoor yoga in the morning sun—and it’s all just steps from their front door.
  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. The Woodlands offers on-campus resources for those seeking support, and we’re happy to help refer anyone to off-campus resources, too.
  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.There have been 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 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 a Life Plan Community like The Woodlands offers a little more control of life’s uncertainties, especially when it comes to the access and affordability of long-term care. 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 quick 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 Woodlands’ team wants to be your ally in mental wellness year-round, so feel free to stop by for a tour 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!