How to deal with aging anxiety?

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!

@karinweiss Same here. Exactly. Life has different seasons, and this one, for me, is about introspection and taking care of myself and my surroundings. I’m dwell in nature. I’m fortunate to have a simpatico husband to interact with, but I don’t go out socially. I always thought I’d be more politically & environmentally active & going to demonstrations in my older age, or traveling more, but I realize now why you don’t see many older people doing these things. I’ve learned it’s time to pass the torch. (I admire those who are still doing it!)
For me, though, it’s not a sense of loss, but an acceptance of this season. I feel a sense of incredible loss for this country, but realize I can’t help change it, and I live with that knowledge with the help of antidepressants, and try to focus on the here and now.

I'm right there with you and wish I had the magic to heal this. I'm facing a shoulder replacement in a few weeks and have come to understand how much chronic pain affects us. I've also suffered from anxiety/depression and its relationship to pain.

I have done a couple of things to mitigate what you and I are suffering from. The world, especially our country, has become surreal and foreign to me. I simply can't believe what is happening and have chosen to shut down all news. I allow only beauty in my life: music, art, reading, nature.

Second, at I have decided to adopt a palliative care only approach to my health. I have learned about the difference between palliative and hospice care and it's huge! Once I've recovered from my surgery, that is - lol! I will continue to take my usual medications, but will refuse any aggressive interventions and procedures. No more screenings, no MRIs, CT scans, etc. When my body can no long live pain-free and enjoy movement, when I get a serious diagnosis, I will accept comfort care with gratitude.

Third, I take medication for anxiety and depression which have been invaluable.

I'm 68 and, given my family history, thought I would be dealing with this 10 or 20 years from now. I have had a mostly beautiful life. I married a truly wonderful man over 40 years ago, enjoyed meaningful work, raised a daughter with learning disabilities who is now in graduate school studying social work. I was blessed with the most extraordinary parents imaginable. I have enjoyed great friendships (vanishing now), and beautiful places. The ability to think and enjoy complex ideas as well as a simple life.

One book and an article I read recently have been very validating and supportive: Natural Causes, by Barbara Ehrenreich and the attached article.

I am thinking of you and sending all best wishes for peace.

My husband is 84 and I am 81. I have taken care of him and everything else for years and years and he is not really computer literate, won't use a cell phone, is unable to handle any computer glitch, etc. For that reason, I pray that he will go first as he really can't handle things on his own. If that happens, I will try to wind things down and sell the house, move into an apartment and know that once my time comes and I am gone, I won't care about what I missed.

And I have tried very hard to not worry about things I can't change. There is much of the newspaper that I simply don't read as it is too depressing. And that is how I am handling aging.

For whatever reason, as I have aged I have developed an obsession with excellent quality dark chocolate. I guess that's a healthier obsession than alcohol.

My husband is 84 and I am 81. I have taken care of him and everything else for years and years and he is not really computer literate, won't use a cell phone, is unable to handle any computer glitch, etc. For that reason, I pray that he will go first as he really can't handle things on his own. If that happens, I will try to wind things down and sell the house, move into an apartment and know that once my time comes and I am gone, I won't care about what I missed.

And I have tried very hard to not worry about things I can't change. There is much of the newspaper that I simply don't read as it is too depressing. And that is how I am handling aging.

For whatever reason, as I have aged I have developed an obsession with excellent quality dark chocolate. I guess that's a healthier obsession than alcohol.

@babette

Four in the morning and looking for treatment for my severe depression and for my sons traumatic brain injury. I know that hearing other people’s experiences similar to mine is already making me feel better. Thank you.