PSYCHOTROPIC-DRUGS AND NORMAL AGING - A S OCIOECONOMIC AND PSYCHOSOCIAL PERSPECTIVE

The goal of this study was to examine the reaction (anxiety, depressio n, and helplessness) and adaptive strategies (problem-solving and emot ion-reducing) of community-dwelling elderly, confronted by one specifi c chronic stressor. We have conducted three face-to-face home intervie ws on a monthly basis with a follow-up interview seven months later. T here were 237 psychotropic drug users and non-users, of high or low so cio-economic status. Not only were low socio-economic psychotropic dru g users more anxious about the targeted hassle of the week, but they a lso relied on and used more problem-solving strategies than non-drug u sers. It is suggested that psychotropic drug use be looked at as a str ategy like any others rather than as passive behaviour when facing dai ly hassles. Moreover, using a high number of coping strategies is not synonymous with being good at coping with chronic stress, Various reco mmandations for clinical intervention are put forward.