Poll: what's the worst part of getting old?

Hipeous Lump

I was pretty sick for a few months years ago, when I was around frog's age. After recovering, I realized that I didn't know what was going on around town anymore either. Hell, I had also lost touch with the whole world, in fact. (I recently read on wikipedia that The Police reunited about 10-15 years ago? Had no idea.)

But looking back, I'm not sure if the cause of that was getting sick or if it had more to do with ... getting older.

Alas, the two are not unrelated

1:00 this afternoon: "I should go spend some time on the bike before the gym closes at 3:00." 2:00: "I don't really feel like it."

3:00: "Okay--I'll drive into London, have dinner there, and go to that rep screening of Nightmare on Elm Street." Four hours later: "Forget it--I'll just make dinner here and watch something at home."

8:30: "I should at least go have a coffee at Tim Hortons and do some reading." 9:00: "It's kind of cold outside."

When you see the moans you posted in this thread 10 years ago and think "lol that kid knew nothing"

They were dressing up in costume at work yesterday. The Clueless girls as well as Forrest Gump were represented. So I ask Dionne Davenport, What's up with you millennials dressing up like 30-year old movies? She says they didn't seem 30 years old when they were running nightly on TBS while they were growing up.

I say, TBS? I saw Forrest Gump in the theater! And the look in her eyes when I said that, like I had just unwrapped myself to reveal myself as the Mummy. Good thing I didn't mention how amazing I thought the CGI was at the time.

my dewey youthfulness is due, in part, to never having seen forrest gump

I was forced to watch it five years ago as a DYING MAN’S LAST(ish) WISH and I am still pissed about it

On the bright side, he's dead now ...

Most millennials are in their 30s so yeah 30yo films are what we grew up with

I don't remember ever dressing up as Godfather or Deliverance characters.

lol

Let's not go too far down the path of what the preceding generations dressed up as for Halloween.

cut my tongue on the mouth hole

It's Friday night, and you find yourself watching an episode of Celebrity Bowling from the '70s with John Beradino, Greg Morris, and Frank Gorshin and his wife.

now on day five of my covid experience and the whole thing would be significantly more tolerable if every single cough and sneeze didn't wrench the fuck out of my lower back

Oof

sorry dude

*huggles* mookie

sorry mookie! hoping you recover quickly

lol @ me for not including gout and sciatica in this poll.
today sciatica is the culprit.

Not so much reduced energy levels, but aching joints. Combined with a sudden surge in energy, the results can be like the dancing contest in the final episode of Black Books.

― gonna win all over your face (snoball), Thursday, 9 August 2012 08:39 (ten years ago)

In the last ten years I've lost weight - ten years ago I was 38, probably at my heaviest when I was mid 30s. Last couple of years I've made a concerted effort to lose a bit more. Also I've really ramped up the exercise in the last eight years. There's a real difference between aching joints that are a result of exercise and aching joints that are a consequence of being out of shape. Same with feeling tired generally.

Feel better WmC. My dad is suffering sciatica and it is quite debilitating for him.

One sciatica symptom for me is that my left testicle feels like it's Shemp's head in the vise in "Brideless Groom," and Satan is saying "NOW will you marry me!?"

"Join balls you lovebirds"

hahahaha

Reduced energy levels Eh, my energy has been substandard as far back as I can remember.
Deteriorating hearing No. *knocks on wood*
Memory problems Again, this has been disappointing me as far as I can remember.
Metabolism slowdown Again, my "metabolism" (as such things are commonly understood) has been disappointing me as long as I grasped the concept.
Bowel/elimination problems (including hemorrhoids) No.
Longer times to recover from injury or exercise Not as I see it.
Deteriorating vision Eh, I've been nearsighted since at least high school.
Growing hair where you don't want to grow it Yes, but nothing that couldn't be conquered with some (expensive) electrolysis.
Papery skin/loss of elasticity in skin/wrinkles No, but I've had a skin care regimen since my 20s.
Dental problems No.
Fear of falling/fear of injury/loss of physical courage No.
Reduced libido Ha ha ha no. The libido is there, but the men I'm interested in ignore me and the men who express interest in me are the human equivalent of a windowless van with "FREE CANDY" painted on the side.
Graying hair A little, but I don't know if anyone else has noticed.
Slower reflexes Not that I've confirmed.
Thickening/yellowing of nails My toenails have been grody for years.
Eating/Digestion problems Occasionally, but usually connectable to a recent indulgence.
Moles None that have made significant recent changes.
Melanin where you don't want to lose it Slight age spotting but I don't know if anyone else notices it.

Missing options, in no specific order:
1) Physical and/or financial dependence on others.
2) The loss of family/loved ones/other people dear to one.
3) Arthritis and other physical deterioration.
4) Age discrimination (in workplaces and elsewhere).

I'd say the worst part for me is the growing consciousness of death.

Not even so much a growing consciousness of death but a growing knowledge that the ingredients are accruing.

Am sixty one nownext year...

Option Votes
Reduced energy levels No.
Deteriorating hearing No.
Memory problems Yeah.
Metabolism slowdown No (not sure what this means)
Bowel/elimination problems (including hemorrhoids) No (I think I know what this means)
Longer times to recover from injury or exercise No.
Deteriorating vision Yeah. Actually, last time I went to the opticians, I found my eyesight had improved! After many years of exactly the same. Then again, my contacts were causing soreness so sacked them.
Growing hair where you don't want to grow it Abit.
Papery skin/loss of elasticity in skin/wrinkles No, no, some.
Dental problems No.
Fear of falling/fear of injury/loss of physical courage No.
Reduced libido No.As long as I keep my Vitamin b12 levels up, all good.
Graying hair A bit.
Slower reflexes Don't think so.
Thickening/yellowing of nails one or two toenails
Eating/Digestion problems No.
Moles hmm, a couple.
Melanin deposits/age spots Dunno, possibly.
Losing hair where you don't want to lose it Nope, all there

― Mark G, Saturday, December 26, 2020 5:47 PM (one year ago) bookmarkflaglink

And the write-in lower backache thing, yeah which means getting up from standing can be slow.

Having taken it pretty easy in my 20’s, I’m not feeling that old yet - going a bit grey, and the odd ankle/knee twinge. Probably should eat better.

Chronic pain in general is the real soulkiller for me, wish i was less physically sensitive and healed faster

lower backache thing

This is number two on my list, after death anxiety. My brother and I are two years apart and have developed almost identical symptoms.

Worst thing about getting old is seeing my Dad get dementia and then die, and my Mum getting a stroke and unable to live independently. All the other bad things about getting older I'm OK with (for now), but what happened to my parents makes me acutely aware of how little time I have left to be alive, autonomous and healthy.

Back problems and aging parents

Yeah, my folks are 81 and 79, both thankfully in good health all things considered, but they're getting old.

I'd say the worst part for me is the growing consciousness of death.

For me it's been the growing occurrence of death among people I know and care about. Not so much the consciousness of my own, which unless I'm really repressing something doesn't freak me out all that much. (Not that I'm in any kind of hurry for it.) But I hate losing people, it sucks. I understand more now how by the time people reach a certain age, they're often kind of half in a ghost world.

Since the last and only other time I've posted on this thread, none of the items on the poll list have really gotten worse for me in any debilitating ways. I've certainly lost some hair, but that doesn't bother me. Hearing is still somewhat impaired but not in a way that affects my daily life beyond occasionally asking my wife to repeat things. But losing people — in the last 10 years, I've had several friends go, some closer than others, all of them missed.

it's hard seeing someone deteriorate with dementia. In the last few weeks my partner has been causing all sorts of chaos. She's been ordering things online she can't afford. Ringing up the local surgery reception in a confused state and swearing at them when they politely ask how can they help her. She was trying to argue with me that she is in fact 20 years old. Told me that she'd had a win on the lottery and was buying a farmhouse. She was locked out of her lottery account, because getting locked out of accounts is a regular thing. I got her back in and there was £7.80 in the account! I can actually laugh about it ... some days.

No physical oldness yet at 43– aside from a marked decrease in the efficacy of exercise, and any desire to engage in it. And my knees feel like they’re gonna be problematic in the future.

My anxieties about aging are all interrelational and internal. To the former: friends and family dying, friends older than me collapsing into financial ruin and/or alcoholic non-functionality, social circles dissolving, that the world is getting inexorably crueler and worse. To the latter: the feeling that time is speeding by as I accomplish less in a day, something I’d loosely describe as “nostalgia” but is more like “the crushing weight of decades of accumulated memories distracting me and inhibiting my capacity and desire to make new memories”, loss of adventurousness

I'd say the worst part for me is the growing consciousness of death.

― immodesty blaise (jimbeaux), Wednesday, November 2, 2022 4:46 PM

Agree with this ... and the growing consciousness of leaving behind life, the people you love ... the realization that at some point this is all just going to be ... over? I'm starting to be able to fathom the finality of it in a way that I certainly couldn't even 5 years ago, much less 10+. (My kids growing up are a big part of this, I imagine.)

I'm 46.

I never give a 2nd thought to death, it's actually quite inspirational to me and I have no fear of it. It's the prospect of illness and pain that gives me the fear. Toothache, major surgery, hospital appointments, dentists etc ... it's the stuff of trying to stay alive in an aging husk that gives me regular nightmares.

I've done drugs, frequently drubk too much, smoked from the age of 13 (stopped for 15 years to give the lungs a fighting chance), been exposed to enough asbestos to give asbestosis to an elephant. I'm grateful for every day I haven't developed a serious health condition, but still not afraid of death.

otm . tbh I don't have the imagination to be afraid of death.

although I have never done drugs or smoked or been drunk or loved anyone so I have probably wasted my life anyway really. oh well I've mostly had a nice time when I haven't been at school or work so that's something. lol.

ME AT 28: My grandfather just passing is the most significant death I've experienced.

ME AT 48: Well, goddamm. Can't even get a poker night going anymore with everyone dead.

otm . tbh I don't have the imagination to be afraid of death.

I used to be like that but it creeps up on you. Plus people your age, or younger, starting to die.

Awareness of my own mortality set in when I was diagnosed with diabetes. That was more than 15 years ago, though. I'm mostly over it.

it's hard seeing someone deteriorate with dementia.

This.

Yes.