Stop Feeling Down About Aging – Embrace the Positives
The National Institutes of Health say that depression is more than just sad feelings, rather it is a very real mood disorder. It can have a serious impact on how you live your daily life. It can impact how you sleep, perform tasks, interact with others and essentially how you function in the world at large. (https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/depression-and-older-adults#:~:text=Depression%20is%20a%20common%20problem%20among%20older%20adults%2C,may%20cause%20feelings%20of%20uneasiness%2C%20stress%2C%20and%20sadness.).
Although depression is common in older adults it is not a natural part of aging. Seniors, however, are at risk of developing depression due to the drastic life shifts that can occur in later life. Bereavement, retirement and facing serious illness can all impact older individuals. Some people can adjust eventually while others can fall foul of depression.
Dealing with Loss
Johns Hopkins geriatric medicine physician Alicia Arbaje, M.D., M.P.H. says that the loss of a loved one in later life can bring us face to face with our own mortality. If these feelings of loss and fear are not addressed, they can draw us down into depression. As we age the reality of death becomes more prominent in our lives, but it should not become our sole focus. (https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/caregiving/caregiver-guides/coping-with-a-later-life-crisis).
There is never any shame in reaching out for help when we suffer a major loss. If we allow ourselves to shut down and dwell on what we have lost, we may never fully pull ourselves back. Seek help from experts if you find yourself unable to cope. Remember that you are still here, and you have more life to live.
Stay Positive About Your Health
Aging brings health concerns and forces us to pay closer attention to our bodies. This can bring us down emotionally if we allow it. We must remember though that we still have control of what we eat and what we do to stay healthy. Making the right health choices becomes more important but while we still have choice, we still have control.
Dealing with an Empty Nest
Raising children takes a large chunk of your adult life and they become a major part of who you are. Eventually though they grow up and start their own adult lives. The once bustling house goes quiet and you feel less needed. This could not be further from the truth, you still have plenty to offer.
Focus on the fact that you successfully raised your children to be capable adults. Remember one day they may have children of their own and will likely come to you for advice. You get to be a grandparent – all the fun of having kids without all the hard, exhausting parts.
New Beginnings
Leaving the past behind may seem terrifying especially because you are letting go of the familiar. It could be the kids leaving home, entering retirement or losing a spouse. These are major changes and can feel like the end of the world. The truth is we are still here, and life continues and now there are new things on the horizon.
Once we move beyond our losses and reach the point where we need to plan to carry on, we may find exciting things to look forward to. There may be scope to travel and experience new things or maybe find new exciting roles in life. Embracing the future does not discredit the past, we are allowed to move on and have optimism for our future.
Final Thoughts
There are challenges in aging, many of them daunting but this does not give us an excuse to give up. There are positives to getting older which can outweigh the negatives, all we have to do is embrace our maturity and our new roles.
