Are you depressed about aging?

Posted by binw @binw, Feb 9 6:59pm

I follow several groups on this site, and I'm hoping that it is "legal" to share a substack that I write about aging and death. I have seen that folks here have posted their negative feelings about the physical, mental and emotional pain of getting old. I follow the posts daily. In response, I started the substack as another venue to discuss the good, the bad and the ugly of aging. Please follow the link to join me. https://substack.com/@agingthegoodthebadandtheugly/note/c-212006400

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Depression & Anxiety Support Group.

diverdown1 | @diverdown1 | Feb 10 7:53am

Following!

binw | @binw | Feb 10 12:56pm

In reply to @diverdown1 "Following!" + (show)

@diverdown1 Thank you! We'll do a deep dive into a different topic each week, probably posted Friday or Saturday. I'm so looking forward to sharing our thoughts. 🙂

3oakley2 | @3oakley2 | Feb 11 3:01pm

I will check it out. I belong to Substack! Appreciate it.

binw | @binw | Feb 11 8:22pm

In reply to @3oakley2 "I will check it out. I belong to Substack! Appreciate it." + (show)

@3oakley2 Thank you! See you there.

butchered | @butchered | Feb 12 2:38pm

My life was stolen by family/med providers thanks to factitious disorder. I am now "old" but don't consider myself old. After an accident a former PCP decided I wasn't "eligible" for rehab and wanted to send me to a nursing home (to die) but I found my voice and said "no". I know I will eventually die but want 20+yrs more. I have a thyroid disorder due to being butchered by a parathyroid surgeon and have anxiety, depression, muscle aches etc. all thyroid related. My endocrinologist says my levels are "normal" whatever that is. I can't take most meds because of intolerance. I have switched providers and am fighting the fight w/good PT, good shrink who listens and doesn't try to drug me. But each a.m. I wake up w/anxiety because I was programmed to believe I was sick and too old to live. I do lots of breath work to reduce the anxiety and get in my car and drive somewhere and scream at the top of my lungs to get it out. It works for me (watch out for traffic) and no one knows I am working off my anxiety. I am taking good care of myself despite some providers who don't want to listen to me and am looking for meaningful work to keep my mind involved (+extra $). Getting angry and venting helps me a lot, just don't do anything weird or unsafe - it will come back to bite you.

depressedbutnotdead | @depressedbutnotdead | Feb 13 6:42am

To the best of your abilities, be physically active. And if possible, do so out of doors. Even if it’s just a quiet walk as far as you can go, chances are that daily activity will increase your accomplishments. 50 yards become 75, and then 100, and then a walk around the block. And so on. Seeing improvement will lift your spirits.

I’ve been active all of my life and it’s been one of my strongest treatments for depression. I can’t do at 61 what I could at 21, that’s just a fact of aging. But keeping your body moving is therapy. And it improves your physical health in the process.