Aging not so Fun

[DayCruiser]

Well I am approaching 50 year old and the mind is full of landmines I try to avoid. How come you forget where your keys are but can remember what happened to you 45 years ago? Like it happened yesterday?. Lots of terrible things have happened to me and I bet plenty of you. Lots of loved ones and friends have died over the years. Just a crud load of other bad things. Things you didn't accomplish. Goals you didn't reach. Dreams that never were realized.
You catch yourself dwelling on different tragic parts of your life often. I don't know about you but many things still bum me out. Things that really shouldn't matter anymore. If I think about them too long I get sad and fatigued. Even though I am doing quite well now-- financially and personally. Past events have a way of killing part of you and taking a good bit of life out of you. Add them up over 50 years....You also realize how much lost family members made life a lot more enjoyable even though you probably too them for granted sometimes when they were alive.. You even feel guilty about that. Taking them for granted and/or being mean to them etc
Anybody else having this middle age problem?

 

[tx1961whaler]

Re: Aging not so Fun

No. I don't give a minute out of the day dwelling on the past. What's done is done, and there is no way to change anything.
You are describing signs and symptoms of a significant depressive disorder, and may want to seek professional advice before it gets out of hand. I've lost a few friends and family to depression (it can be fatal...), and sometimes it does not get better without help.

 

[DayCruiser]

Re: Aging not so Fun

That is true tx1961whaler. I have dealt with depression all my life. Just wonder if it is playing a roll in these events that keep showing themselves vividly and intensely during the day and or night. Not every day or every night and not all day or all night. Short periods of time. Nobody would know it but me. I will put you down for-- shouldn't be happening.
My job takes a lot of energy. So there is nothing that can be done about it if it is just depression. Those anti depressants just zap your energy. Anyway I can live with it and have lived with it

 

[DECK SWABBER 58]

Re: Aging not so Fun

That is true tx1961whaler. I have dealt with depression all my life. Just wonder if it is playing a roll in these events that keep showing themselves vividly and intensely during the day and or night. Not every day or every night and not all day or all night. Short periods of time. Nobody would know it but me. I will put you down for-- shouldn't be happening.
My job takes a lot of energy. So there is nothing that can be done about it if it is just depression. Those anti depressants just zap your energy. Anyway I can live with it and have lived with it

Day Cruiser you shouldn't have to just live with it. I have suffered from seasonal effective disorder (s.a.d.) at times. It happens in the fall when we lose daylight and goes away in the spring. Granted, medication will have side effects and it might take some trial and error to find the best one but they do work. The last one I was on worked perfect. After the inital side effects went away after a few weeks I didn't even know I was taking anything and it took care of the problem. Discuss this with your family doctor. GOOD LUCK.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Aging not so Fun

I turned 50 10 months ago. I am as active as ever! Did my first triathlon this year, rode a couple 75 mile bicycle rides the last month. Swim a mile 5 days a week. I am more active and happier than I have ever been. Only thing that sucks is that injuries take longer to heal, I need reading glasses and I can't remember what i did 10 minutes ago sometimes. Being fit is great for the body and the mind. When I feel down, there is nothing like a hike, a bike ride, a swim or a game of tennis that brings me out of my lows.

 

[rbh]

Re: Aging not so Fun

If theres one thing that I deal with every day is stress and depression brought on by running my own company and not taking care of myself, physicaly and mentally.
but latelly the rollercoaster of life is on the uphill swing (thank god).
Its time to get back in shape, just walking helps, interact with people that have nothing to do with work.
and if I have learned one thing over the last couple of years, you gotta have some fun, work will just wear you out and eventually kill you
rob

 

[QC]

Re: Aging not so Fun

I turn 50 in two weeks I am noticing some anxiety that may be related, but I have never cared much about age. A very good friend said something to me when I turned 40, "now is when you start counting down." That has messed me up some . . .

Lately I have been having what I think are mini-anxiety attacks, I dunno There is lots of stress around here lately, kids, money, kids, unfinished projects, kids, banged up cars, idiot ex-friends, etc. so I chalk most of it up to that. Some parts of my life are better than ever, some not so much. Just cyclical I hope. Work is cycling to where I am busier but very exciting. That may take care of a few things, but I will probably be traveling even more, who knows . . .

 

[NO WHINERS]

Re: Aging not so Fun

Yeah turning 50 kind of freaked me out...Figured most of my life was behind me...Now at 63 going stronger than when I was 50...Tennis, hiking,boating,fishing,retired....Life is good...Think positive....

 

[DayCruiser]

Re: Aging not so Fun

Ya, I am self employed too.
Now this happened all summer, so I don't know if it is S.A.D. Even out on the boat . I am out on the boat 2 or 3 times a week. I meet lots of people on the job.
Yea, some anxiety thrown in too. Like you are running out of time. Time is flying by.
50 years old. What am I going to do if I have a heart attack? Nobody to run my business. Will I ever be able to retire? etc
History and future hitting you all at once-- mentally.
Some interesting replies

 

[JB]

Re: Aging not so Fun

Pretty straightforward description of mid-life crisis, Cruiser. Been there, done that, used the "T" shirt to wipe up the blood.

Hang in there. In a few years grieving over past negatives will be replaced by counting of blessings.

Been there, too.

 

[QC]

Re: Aging not so Fun

I knew you'd be along and felt guilty posting as a whiny 50 YO . . .

Been there, done that, used the "T" shirt to wipe up the blood.

That's brutal Haven't seen/heard it before, may need to add that to my repertoire . . .

 

[Cofe]

Re: Aging not so Fun

Hey don't feel all alone, I too will turn 50 in two months. A lot of things have been going through my mind also. So I decided to spend more quality time being with people and enjoying the out-doors more often. I am thinking of retiring early and just enjoy...... kinda scary but when I think of it I have been working a full time job since 16. I think it's time to get to enjoying things for awhile, then if I must work,,,,, there's wallyworld,,,,,,or guiding....or who knows...part time farming...the list goes on.

So don't feel alone, there are lots of fishing buddies our age!

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Aging not so Fun

I turned 50 in June this year. Take each day as it comes and live by the rule of "if you can't laugh about it then don't do it"
Enjoy every minute of it and am looking forward to grandchildren !!! (I have the tiny life jackets already)

 

[DayCruiser]

Re: Aging not so Fun

I knew you'd be along and felt guilty posting as a whiny 50 YO . . .


That's brutal Haven't seen/heard it before, may need to add that to my repertoire . . .

Hey this is meant to be a therapeutic. Help us old near death people feel better

 

[eaglejim]

Re: Aging not so Fun

I am self employed(51 this month) too and I don't have the time to worry about all the things you worry about because I have to stay ahead of the competition,reset goals and focus on that everything else will fall into place and do all that with a smile on you face good luck

 

[Limited-Time]

Re: Aging not so Fun

Turned 50 today 10-3-09. On a brothers and friends fishing trip for the weekend with 7 others. Our tenth annual. Life has not been the greatest over the past 2 years but times and things are improving. Times like this are are special. Can't change the past but can endeavor not to repeat past mistakes in the future.

 

[12vMan]

Re: Aging not so Fun

It's a natural thought process to think about things like mortality and what you didn't accomplish when you reach that golden, big 5-0. I did too, but look at what you DID accomplish..that's what counts.

Hang in there, bud. It does get better!

and

LT!

 

[JaSla74]

Re: Aging not so Fun

Life is short. Enjoy what you do have, and know that each day is a gift. Past is past is past. Nothing you can for then, but you can do for now. Many of us don't think of the present, because we're either hung up in the past, or too worried about the future, but life rolls on. Time waits for no man, so make the best of it.

 

[mddubya]

Re: Aging not so Fun

I turn 50 this December. Can't say I'm actually looking forward to it. 40 hit me like a ton of bricks, almost lost my job due to excessive drinking, left my wife, shacked up with a 30 year old semi-nympho, (ok, that part wasn't so bad). It took me 6 months to regain my senses, thank goodness my wife took me back.

But hang in there Cruiser, sounds like a mid-life crisis to me. I catch myself doing the same thing. Thinking back about lost family members, friends, things I'd planned on accomplishing and haven't. I guess its just a normal part of life and the maturation process? Like others have said, try taking up a sport and getting some exercise. Just don't do like I did and take back up golf. Its the only thing I've found thats more aggravating than trying to keep an old boat running,

 

[puddle jumper]

Re: Aging not so Fun

I am to busy looking for my keys to think about the past. Know were in the heck did i put them.

I some times do the same and think about the past tragedies. I think its part of life. Believe it or not posting in this forum to people who i will probably never meet helps me. Some people have grate ideas on life and others not so.

Hang in there we all have lived life and think positive.