counselor

Volume 5 | Number 2 | June 2016 ISSN:

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Received April11, 2016; Revised May 11, 2016; Accepted June 30, 2016

Concept of Anxiety ( Anxiety) on Seniors (Elderly)

Dona Annisa Fitri & Ifdil

University of Padang and Padang State University, E-mail:
Donafitriannisa46@gmail.com

Abstract
Advanced age is the final stage in the development cycle of human life, which is a natural process that can not be avoided by
any individual. Changes in physiological and psychosocial, will potentially health problems both physical and psychological.
One of the psychological problems that often occur in the elderly in conditions of social life is anxiety. Anxiety is defined an
emotional condition that causes discomfort characterized by a squeeze of worry, anxiety and fear that can interfere with life.
This text tries to kemaparkan anxiety concepts and aspects related to the anxiety experienced by the elderly in general and in
particular nursing home.

Keywords: Anxiety, the elderly, counseling

Copyright © 2016 State University of Padang All rights reserved

PRELIMINARY

The journey of human life in the world through several phases of life, starting from infancy, adolescence, adulthood,
then grow old. According to Mara Bintang Setiawan (2013: 16) "every elapsed time is tahap-
stage mutually linked and can not be repeated ". Furthermore Desmita (2007: 233) describes "a development in humans does not stop
when the person reaches maturity
physical. Instead, development is a continuous process, from the time of conception continues to the period after birth, infancy, children children,
adolescents, adults to grow old ". Elida Prayitno
(2006: 69) reveals the process of becoming parents sometimes pleasant, sometimes unpleasant, but certainly to be old is not inevitable,
because it is a natural process. Much earlier, Elizabeth B. Hurlock (1980) also states cover old age is the period in a person's life span,
which is a period of a person who has moved from a productive period. In each period of psychological disorders often compromised such
as stress, depression and including anxiety ( Ifdil, B Khairul, 2015; Taufik, T., & Ifdil, I. 2013) as well as the elderly.

Elderly ( structural aging population) in Indonesia itself as a developing country has a population structure which has a total population age
60 years and over approximately 8.90% of the population in Indonesia (Menkokestra, in Sunartyasih & Linda, 2013). The increasing
number of elderly people in Indonesia, would have caused a variety of problems and issues

which will appear both physical and psychosocial. Menuurut John W. Santrock (2002: 198) "old age
bring a greater physical decline than-period period of the previous age ". Later confirmed by Farhand (in Listiana, et al, 2013: 1) "the aging
process ( aging) is a natural process that accompanied the decline of their physical, psychological and social interacting with one another.
The condition tends to be problematic in general health and mental health

specifically in the elderly ".

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According to George, et al (in John W. Santrock, 2002: 230) "The elderly have the possibility y ang higher for experienced disruptions- anxiety
disorder rather than depression ". Added by Tamher
& Noorkasiani (in Heningsih, 2014: 15) reveals psychosocial problems occur most commonly in the elderly like, loneliness, feelings of
sadness, depression and anxiety.

WORRY ( Anxiety)

The term anxiety in English is anxiety which comes from the Latin angustus which has a rigid sense, and ango, anci which means to
strangle (Trismiati, in Revelation Yuke Widosari, 2010: 16).
Furthermore Steven Schwartz, S (2000: 139) argues " anxiety is a negative emotional state marked by foreboding and somatic signs of
tension, such as racing heartt, sweating, and Often, difficulty breathing, (anxiety comes from the Latin word anxius, the which means
constriction or strangulation). Anxiety is similar to fear but with a less specific focus. Whereas fear is usually a response to some
immediate threat, anxiety is
Characterized by apprehension about the unpredictable Dangers that lie in the future ". Steven Schwartz, S (2000: 139) suggests anxiety
comes from the Latin word anxius, which means the constriction or strangulation. Similar anxiety with fear but with a less specific focus,
while fears are usually in response to some direct threats, but anxiety is marked by concerns about the unexpected dangers that lie in the
future. Anxiety is the negative emotional state characterized by somatic foreboding and suspense, such as pounding heart, sweating,
trouble breathing.

Syamsu Joseph (2009: 43) argues anxiety ( anxiety) is a neurotic helplessness, insecurity, not cooked, and incapacity in the face of the
demands of reality (environment), the difficulties and pressures of everyday life. Upheld by Kartini Kartono (1989: 120) that anxiety is a
form of cowardice plus worries about things that are not clear. Similarly, Sarlito Wirawan Sarwono (2012: 251) describes the anxiety is a
fear that is not clear the object and the reason is not clear whose.

Definition of the most stressing about anxiety also presented by Jeffrey S. Nevid, et al (2005:
163) "anxiety is an emotional state that has keterangsangan physiological traits, feelings
bear ng unpleasant and aprehensif feeling that something bad will happen ". In line with previous opinions, Gail W. Stuart (2006: 144)
describes the "anxiety / anxiety is
concerns were unclear and diffuse, relating deng an Uncertain and helpless ".

Of the various terms kecemasana ( anxiety) which has been described above it can be concluded that anxiety is the emotional state with
the onset of discomfort in a person, and the vague experience is accompanied by feelings of helplessness and uncertainty caused by
something that is not clear.

ASPECTS OF ANXIETY ( Anxiety)

Gail W. Stuart (2006: 149) classifies anxiety ( anxiety) in response to behavioral, cognitive, and affective, among others.

1. Behavior, including: 1) anxiety, 2) physical strain, 3) tremor, 4) reaction shocked, 5) rapid speech, 6) lack of coordination, 7) tend to
get injured, 8) withdrew from interpersonal relationships, 9) inhibition, 10) run away from the problem, 11) dodge, 12)
hyperventilation, and 13) are very vigilant.
2. Cognitive, including: 1) impaired attention, 2) poor concentration, 3) forgetful, 4) wrong in its assessment, 5) preoccupation, 6) barriers
think, 7) decreased perception airy, 8) creativity decreases, 9) productivity downhill, 10) are confused, 11) is very alert, 12)
keasadaran themselves, 13) lose their objectivity, 14) fear of losing control, 15) afraid of the visual image, 16) fear of injury or death,
17) flashback, and 18) dream bad.

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 Dona Annisa Fitri & Ifdil 95
Concept of Anxiety (Anxiety) in Seniors (Elderly)

3. Affective, including: 1) easily disturbed, 2) impatient, 3) restless, 4) tense, 5) nervous, 6) fear,

7) wary, 8) horror, 9) concerns, 10) anxiety, 11) numbness, 12) guilt, and 13) shame.

Then Shah (in M. Nur Ghufron & Rini Risnawita, S, 2014: 144) divide anxiety into three aspects.

1. The physical aspects, such as dizziness, headaches, hand sweat, causing nausea in the stomach, dry mouth, nervous, and others.

2. The emotional aspects, such as the emergence of a sense of panic and fear.
3. mental or cognitive aspects, the interference of the attention and memory, anxiety, disorder in thinking, and confused.

Then according Ivi Marie Blackburn & Kate M. Davidson (1994: 9) divides the functional analysis of anxiety disorders, among others.

1. Mood, such as: anxiety, irritability, feeling extremely tense.

2. Mind, such as: worry, difficulty concentrating, blank mind, exaggerate threats, see themselves as very sensitive, and feel helpless.

3. Motivation, including: avoiding situations, high dependency, and want to escape.

4. Behavior, such as restlessness, nervousness, excessive vigilance.
5. The biological symptoms, such as: automatic movement increases, such as sweating, trembling, dizziness, palpitations, nausea, and
dry mouth.

TYPES OF ANXIETY ( Anxiety)

According Spilberger (in Triantoro Safaria & Nofrans Eka Saputra, 2012: 53) explains the anxiety in two forms.

1. Trait anxiety Trait anxiety, namely the existence of anxiety and danger that is upon oneself of the condition is not dangerous.
Anxiety is caused by the personality of the individual who does have the potential anxiety compared with other individuals.

2. State anxiety state anxiety, an emotional state and transient state of the individual self with their feelings of tension and worry
perceived consciously and is subjective.

Meanwhile, according to Freud (in Feist & Feist, 2012: 38) distinguish anxiety into three types, namely.

1. Anxiety neurosis
Anxiety neurosis is anxiety due to the danger of the unknown. That feeling is the ego, but it appears from id impulses. Anxiety
neurosis is not the fear of the instincts itself, but the fear of punishment that may occur if an instinct is satisfied.

2. Moral Anxiety
This anxiety stems from the conflict between the ego and the superego. This anxiety may arise due to failure to be consistent with
what they believe is right morally. Anxiety is a fear of the moral conscience. Moral anxiety also have a basis in reality, in the past the
private served a suspension for violating the norms of moral and can be punished again.

3. Anxiety realistic
Anxiety is a feeling that is not a realistic fun and not specific which includes the possibility of danger itself. Realistic anxiety is the
fear of the real dangers that come from the outside world.

CHARACTERISTICS AND SYMPTOMS OF ANXIETY ( Anxiety)

According to Jeffrey S. Nevid, et al (2005: 164) there are some characteristics of anxiety, that is.

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1. Physical characteristics of anxiety, such as: 1) restlessness, nervousness, 2) the hand or limb shaking or trembling, 3) the sensation
of the ribbon tight binding on the forehead, 4) firmness in the pores of the skin of the abdomen or chest, 5) a lot of sweating, 6)
palms are sweaty, 7) dizziness or fainting, 8) of the mouth or throat feels dry, 9) difficulty speaking, 10) difficulty breathing, 11)
breathed a short, 12) heart beating fast or pounding , 13) a vibrating noise, 14) fingers or limbs become cold, 15) dizziness, 16) feel
weak or numb, 17) is hard to swallow, 18) throat felt choked, 19) of the neck or back stiffness, 20) the sensation of choking or
detained, 21) hands were cold and damp, 22) there is interference stomach pain or nausea,

23) chills, 24) frequent urination, 25) face felt flushed, 26) diarrhea, and 27) felt
sensitive or "irritable"
2. Behavioral traits of anxiety, such as: 1) avoidance behaviors, 2) attached to and dependent behavior, and 3) behavioral shaken

3. The characteristics of cognitive of anxiety, such as: 1) was worried about something, 2) feeling troubled by fear or aprehensi against
something happening in the future, 3) the belief that something terrible was about to happen, without a clear explanation, 4) glued to
the sensation bodily, 5) very alert to the sensation of bodily, 6) feel threatened by people or events that normally have little or no
attention, 7) fear of losing control, 8) fear of the inability to resolve the issue, 9) thought that the world had collapsed, 10) thinks that
it no longer can be controlled, 11) thinks that it all feels very confusing unchallenged, 12) to worry about trivial things, 13) think
about it the same interrupt repeatedly,14) thinks that it should be able to escape from the crowds, if not definitely going to faint, 15)
mind was jumbled or confused, 16) is not able to eliminate the thoughts disturbed, 17) think will die soon, even though the doctors
did not find anything wrong medical, 18) to worry about being left alone, and 19) difficulty concentrating or focusing the mind

Dadang Hawari (2006: 65-66) suggests symptoms of anxiety such.

1. Anxious, apprehensive, uneasy, hesitant and indecisive

2. Looking at the future with a sense of anxiety (worried)
3. Lack of confidence, nervous when in public (stage fright)
4. Often feel guilty, blaming others
5. Not easy to succumb, like insistent
6. Movement often go awry, not quiet when seated, restless
7. Often complain of this and that (somatic complaints), excessive worry about illness
8. Irritability, like exaggerate small issues (dramatization)
9. In taking the decision is often overcome with indecisive and hesitant
10. When presented something or ask often repeated
11. If emotions are often act hysterically

FAKTORT FACTORS AFFECTING THE ANXIETY ( Anxiety)

Blacburn & Davidson (in Triantoro Safaria & Nofrans Eka Saputra, 2012: 51) explains the factors that menimbulakan anxiety, such as
knowledge of a person about the situation he was feeling, whether the situation is threatening or no threat, as well as their knowledge of
the abilities to control himself (such as emotional state and focus kepermasalahannya). Then Adler and Rodman (in M. Nur Ghufron & Rini
Risnawita, S, 2014: 145-

146) stated that there are two factors that can cause anxiety, that is.

1. Negative experiences in the past

The main cause of the onset of anxiety back to childhood, namely the emergence of an unpleasant taste of the events that may
happen again in the future, when people in the same situation and also cause discomfort, such as the experience never fails to take
the test.

2. Irrational thoughts
Irrational thoughts are divided into four forms, viz.

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 Dona Annisa Fitri & Ifdil 97
Concept of Anxiety (Anxiety) in Seniors (Elderly)

a. Ketastropik failure, ie the assumption of people that something bad will happen to him.
Individuals experiencing anxiety and feelings of incompetence and
inability to overcome permaslaahannya.
b. Perfection, people expect to him to behave perfectly and have no defects. Individuals make the size of perfection as a target and
the source that can provide inspiration.

c. Approval
d. Generalizations are not right, that overgeneralization, it occurs in people who have little experience.

LEVEL OF ANXIETY ( Anxiety)

Anxiety (Anxiety) have levels of Gail W. Stuart (2006: 144) suggests the level of anxiety, among others.

1. Anxiety light
Related to the tension in everyday life, this anxiety causes people become alert and increase airy perception. This anxiety can
motivate learning and generate growth and creativity.

2. Anxiety is being
Allowing individuals to focus on what matters and exclusion of the other. This anxiety narrowed the field of individual perception.
Thus, individuals experience not selective attention but can focus on more areas if directed to do so.

3. Anxiety weight
Greatly reducing the field of individual perception. Individuals tend to focus on something that is detailed and specific, and do not
think about anything else. All behaviors aimed at reducing tensions. Such individuals require more direction to focus on other areas.

4. The level of panic

Associated with startled, fear, and terror. It detailed split of proportion because of a loss of control, individuals who experience panic
are not able to do anything even with the directives. Panic include personality disorganization and lead to an increase in motor
activity, decreased ability to relate to others, distorted perception, and loss of rational thought.

EFFORTS TO REDUCE ANXIETY ( Anxiety)

The best way to relieve anxiety is to eliminate the sebeb-why. According zakiah daradjat (1988: 29) As for the ways that can be done,
among others.
1. Defense
Work done to look for reasons that make sense for the real action does not make sense, so-called defense. This defense is not
intended to act unreasonable it made sense, but defend him, making it look plausible. This defense is not intended to persuade or
deceive others, but talked himself, so that action can not be accepted that it is still within the limits desired by himself.

2. Projection
Projection is attributing something that feels in himself to others, especially the action, mind or impulses that do not make sense so
that it can be accepted and seems reasonable.

3. Identification
Identification is the opposite of projection, where people also feel part of the action or the success achieved by others. When he
saw the success in his efforts he was excited as if he were successful and when he saw the dismay she also felt sad.

4. Missing relationships ( disassociation)

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Supposedly actions, thoughts and feelings people relate to each other. If people feel that there is someone who intentionally offend
him, then he would be angry and deal with the same reply. In this respect the feelings, thoughts and actions are interconnected with
harmony. But harmony may be lost due to bitter traversed pengalamanpengalaman little time.

5. Repression

Repression is pressure to forget things, and desires that are not approved by his conscience. Some kind of attempt to maintain
themselves so as not to feel impulses that do not correspond to his heart. The process happens unconsciously.

6. The substitution

Substitution is a way of self-defense which is the best among the ways that are not recognized in the face of adversity. In
substitution to water, because the goals are good, which are completely different from the original purpose which is acceptable, and
strive to achieve success in that regard.

CONCLUSION

Indonesia as a developing country has a total population age 60 years and over approximately 8.90% of the population in Indonesia. With
the increasing number of elderly people in Indonesia, will give rise to various problems and issues that will arise both physical and
psychological, that anxiety. Psychological problems that occur in the elderly is a condition that is also influenced by the decline in physical
health with mental problems such as pattern and attitude to life, loneliness, feelings of worthlessness, emotion increased in the elderly, as
well as the inability to adjust the developmental tasks elderly.

Thus the elderly in particular who reside in a nursing home should be equipped concept of anxiety that can occur at the time of the elderly,
so that the psychological impact of the elderly can be minimized.

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