posted March 24, 2003 07:59 PM
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How do you stop the feeling that you are too old now to beat this disorder ...that there is nothing but getting old left for you
i am 49 this year and i feel so old.....i cant understand how im going to keep going like this all my life getting older weaker and still try to overcome something like this that i have not been able to beat in my younger days
how do you get rid of the fear of being too old now? any help would be appreciated

Angel i take it your a woman. so right off the bat you should out live me.
i turned 50 last month and was bummed out about it for a day or two.
for me, i bought a new motorcycle and joined my 28 year old son's crazy sport bike group. and presto , i was young again.

so i say get involved with whatever is fun for you.

my life sucked as a kid. i lived on the streets and was abused in every way.
the Marine Corps and Viet Nam was not so bad after that. i am now retired , everything is paid for and i am having the time of my life.
it all boils down to you finding what will make you happy.
i do not think anyone else can do it for you.
good luck , God Bless , and keep in touch from down under. peace from Florida!

[This message has been edited by Semper Fi (edited 03-27-2003).]

Angel -

I read your other post also and know you are 45+. Me, too! Please do not be do discouraged. (I'm sorry about your hormone problem. Can you take hormone replacements and meds for your anxiety? :> I come from a family of 5 girls and we say better living through chemicals. We are NOT drug addicts, just unwilling to spend our lives uncomfortably if it can be avoided. Also, you might want to look into getting some anti-depressants. Depression is very common and often goes untreated.)

You mentioned that you walk nine miles a night and then have sore legs, knee, feet, etc. Might I suggest that you cut the walk back to about 5 miles a night, or walk the 9 miles every other night - your muscles need time to recover. Also be sure to stretch! One of the things that I have noticed as I've aged is that it's very important to keep your flexibility and very easy to get "up tight". Plenty of good books and websites on the subject. Also, weight lifting is good for your bones. You don't have to be big and bulky! Just lift enough weight to give your bones cause to build up.

Now about feeling old.....
I think we all have periods of time when this state of mind strikes. 7 weeks ago I had to have back surgery (nucleoplasty - now you know where my moniker comes from) and it has been the pits! I couldn't do anything - really flat on my back - for 4 weeks and am now only feeling better. You can't just fall over and give up.


You're only 46, 47, 48 (sorry, I forgot) - you're not 80! :> Actually, my parents are in their 80s and just started going to a personal trainer! Unbelievable! But, it does show that you can still go out and do things AND enjoy them.

Play with your family and friends. I find that helps me to "get out of my own head".

I don't know if this will help at all, but I could not resist writing. I know what it is like to feel like your have passed your "best if used by date" (they put that on milk here in the US).

Anyway, "cheers" -
L.

thank you so much for your reply
your words have given me hope and helped me see that its never too late
you took the time to help someone who had lost the way and that is a wonderful kind thing to do
i had to let you know how much that meant to me and to thank you from the bottom of my heart
angel

I'm 49. If you want to feel young, do some volunteer work with elderly people. You can sharpen your perspective on this and learn a great deal from their tremendous faith, wisdom, strength, courage, and sense of humor in trying to deal with life's challenges while living in an old body with a young spirit inside.

PS I may be 49, but inside I am nowhere near that. I have goals and challenges and there will just never be enough time to enjoy this life as much as I want to. Find something that interests you enough to forget your age and keep thinking ahead, not behind. Your life is not half over, it has halfway begun.

[This message has been edited by poreoilyme (edited 04-15-2003).]

Angel -

How sweet! I am so pleased if you now feel better. I noticed you posted about death worries, too. We never know how much time we have - we can go out tomorrow and get hit by a truck! (Do they call them lorries in Australia? :> ) So, you might as well do what you want to and can. Take good care of yourself and enjoy life as much as possible.

L.

Hi,
I will be 50 next Feb. I am having the time of my life, much more confident than I was as a 'younger' women....wouldn't go back for anything.

There is so much to do out there, and age now is no barrier. Because of the baby boom after the war, there are so many of us going to reach retirement age that we will have a BIG voice and won't just sit around.

We have never had it so good and should be grateful for the opportunities our generation has.... I know that I am.

"Old age and treachery will overcome youth and skill." Wasn't this what Paul Newman said when he participated in auto racing past the age of 50?

you guys are so cool
i feel like you have spoken to my soul and nudged it along the positive path
thank you so much
angel

angel, yes, i agree about doing something for others, but also, do something for YOU. Learn to love yourself. Find a good therapist...(I feel as though mine is my goddess http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif ) I have a great life, although not free from struggles and pain. I workout about 4 times a week, doing aerobics and yoga. It makes me feel sooo young. I also had plastic surgery on my eyes. I love them. They don't look sad anymore. That's the nice thing that I did for myself. I also do major volunteer work. My career is a volunteer; i began and run an inner city school which is my heart. Please be encouraged...find out what you really love and go for it.

angel, it just sounds to me like you're starting menopause, it makes you have more fears than you'd normally have about things, more anxiety. Go see your doctor, ask him for something for anxiety. I take Sarafem for that. It's nothing cumulative, you take it as needed. It's only 20 mg I think. It works like a mild Prozac, is in pill form. Good luck to you.

You might do some research on Natural Progesterone as an Alternative Medicine. My wife uses it.

Take a class at the local college & it will wake up your brain.

Good luck,

G

It beats the alternative!

angel,
I'm 52.I never let age bother me.It seems I started getting gray hair when I was in my early 30's It runs in my family. I never died my hair. When a birthday rolls around.I just figure it's just another day.I have 2 older brothers.They are the ones having a harder time growing old then I am. I wouldn't want to go back & do it over for anything. I didnt' have the greatest of childhoods,but it wasn't the worst either. Now I have a lot more say over my life. I try not to dwell on age ,because there's not a thing we can do about it.Except enjoy it as much as we can.

You'll do just fine.You sound like a very nice person.
Just try to take it day by day,and enjoy life as much as you can.
Ladies I want you to know.after reading all your posts.I think you are all great!! It's good to know ,that we are not alone.


Take Care!
sjg

I'm 51 and aging never bothered me. The thing that bothered me the most was seeing a picture of myself a few years ago. It wasn't that I looked older but I was so much fatter. I dye my hair not only to get rid of the gray but it fun to use di8ffernt colors, browns with gold or red highlights and when I go completely gray I can dye it blonde without worrying about the dark roots. I'm just taking it one day at a time. I've got high blood pressure and high colesterol but I take medication for that. I'm not in pain and I can still walk. My favortie part is I can eat pretty much anything I want. I don't worry about my figure anymore. What I mean is the good stuff like cake, candy and ice cream ect.

I know it's a cliche, but age is all in your mind. I'm 44 years old, and my age doesn't bother me at all. I think I look better than I did when I was in my 30's (no, I haven't had any plastic surgery or anything). Try to look at each day as a new day to start over again. The other posters have it right when they say to do something fun, start a new hobby, do something nice for someone else, do volunteer work...get your mind off of yourself.

But seriously, the first thing you should do is make sure that you don't have a problem with depression...go see your doctor who can help you determine whether or not this is a problem.

Good luck, you do sound like a nice person & you are young!!!!