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How to deal with aging anxiety?

Posted by grahmilou @grahmilou, Dec 30, 2025

The last few years have been hard with multiple surgeries, now recovered, but ongoing pain. The loss of friends recently as they passed and the worrying about how the road feels like it’s getting so much shorter. constantly worrying about the process of dying. trying to stay grateful for today but sometimes the anxiety feels overwhelming especially as I see our country chance for worse and worry about the world for my grandchildren.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Aging Well Support Group.

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Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | May 20 7:23pm

As some of you have seen me do in other discussions, I'd like to post a link to the Community Guidelines for your review (https://connect.mayoclinic.org/blog/about-connect/tab/community-guidelines/)

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grahmilou | @grahmilou | May 20 9:21pm

Thanks for your kind respect. As we approach the end of our life journey thinking of our hopes for our children and grandchildren and becomes a key part of aging anxiety.

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newrochelle1131 | @newrochelle1131 | May 21 6:44am
In reply to @edsutton "I think we need to try to listen to one another. People often post thoughts that..." + (show)
Profile picture for edsutton @edsutton

I think we need to try to listen to one another.
People often post thoughts that I don't agree with, that contradict some of my life choices and beliefs, but if honest mention of these things is stopped, then we are denying real feelings, real needs.
I feel it's important to hear what concerns people and causes difficulties in feeling at peace with life.
We are not required to have all the same health difficulties.

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@edsutton
Excellent response, in my opinion.
May God bless all of our differences.

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weightliftinglinda | @weightliftinglinda | May 21 6:48am
In reply to @gloaming "@slarson14 Agreed, let's keep the pressure-raising topics off this forum and stick to health matters that..." + (show)
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@slarson14 Agreed, let's keep the pressure-raising topics off this forum and stick to health matters that we ALL share.

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@gloaming I agree.

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gaylefonte7792 | @gaylefonte7792 | May 21 6:53am

I am like this too. Hard to make new friends

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crn | @crn | May 21 10:30am

I thought the topic was dealing with aging anxiety. My response to that is that it appears to me that because we are not as busy as we once were with jobs, raising a family and stress in general, we now have time to worry about everything. To answer the original question, I thought I would mention one way to help overcome aging anxiety is chair tai chi. I participate with an online video of chair tai chi every morning. It relaxes me and it is only 12 minutes and 47 seconds long. It’s a great way to start your day! If you can participate in “regular” tai chi - go for it and enjoy!

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2 replies
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binw | @binw | May 21 6:37pm
In reply to @edsutton "@grahmilou Grahmilou- This discussion topic is very valuable, and you created it. I am very grateful..." + (show)
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@grahmilou
Grahmilou-
This discussion topic is very valuable, and you created it.
I am very grateful for it. If Mayo Clinic support groups are limited to opinions that are never disturbing to anyones religious or political beliefs, the claim to be open for people to share honestly will be false.
You did not attack anyone for their beliefs, you spoke about current social realities that cause you anxiety and how you try to respond.
The thought that you now fear posting on this forum causes me real concern. (Even though I may not always agree with everything you write!)
Please stay with us.

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@edsutton Re: Grahmilou- yes, please stay. Your comments are valuable to many of us.

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Mike T | @appleb | May 22 11:04am
In reply to @crn "I thought the topic was dealing with aging anxiety. My response to that is that it..." + (show)
Profile picture for crn @crn

I thought the topic was dealing with aging anxiety. My response to that is that it appears to me that because we are not as busy as we once were with jobs, raising a family and stress in general, we now have time to worry about everything. To answer the original question, I thought I would mention one way to help overcome aging anxiety is chair tai chi. I participate with an online video of chair tai chi every morning. It relaxes me and it is only 12 minutes and 47 seconds long. It’s a great way to start your day! If you can participate in “regular” tai chi - go for it and enjoy!

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@crn Could you let us know where you got the chair Tai Chi video. Thanks

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crn | @crn | May 22 2:00pm


Google: Ann Swanson seated tai chi you tube

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edsutton | @edsutton | May 22 4:08pm

Grahmilou-
I want to share with you that I recently went though a deep wave of grief about things lost and things feared.
Now it has subsided and is followed by a wave of calmness, of less expectation but also acceptance.
The loss and grief are still there, but they are not overwhelming, they seem to be just part of the normal structure of life.
We grow old and we experience a lot.
We put it together as best we can.
Perhaps emotional movements like this also happen for you.
Ed

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