TO HELP YOU DETECT THIS EARLY OR EVEN POSSIBLY STOP IT, Look for signs of:
- Constant complaints of aches and pains (back, stomach, arms, legs, head, chest) , fatigue, slowed movements and speech, loss of appetite, inability to sleep, weight increase or decrease, blurred vision, dizziness, heart racing, anxiety. •An overall sadness or apathy, withdrawn; unable to find pleasure in anything or unable to have the need to get out to family gatherings or go to church anymore like previously it was considered a regular routine of that person’s life.
- Also irritability, mood swings or constant complaining; nothing seems to make the person happy. •Talk of worthlessness, not being needed anymore, excessive and unwarranted guilt. •Frequent doctor visits without relief in symptoms; all tests come out negative.
- Another reason is ‘doing as others do’. Meaning they mimic what other elders are doing. Again if that is what they see and hear from their associates, there is a strong chance they may get caught up in the same negative behavior.
- Alcoholism can mask an underlying depression.
- Another reason is the lack of stimulation, which will give them other things to talk about. Many times, elders find themselves alone with infrequent visitation from family and friends. They concentrate on familiar things like illnesses, chronic aches and pains, and the medications they take which become their major thing to talk about.
I, too, have minor health issues, however I chose to acknowledge that ‘it is what it is’. I have been dealt this hand and therefore I will do what I can to not let it slow me down. The other side to the coin is how you look at that ½ glass of water. It can be I have the worst condition and play “feel sorry for me scenario” not even realizing it since it it talked about all the time or like I look at life there are so many worse of then me with disease, no home, no family, no friends and just surviving possibly getting a meal each day, if that. As I said, I am an observer of people partly because I am an RN and it’s part of my job. I have made note that those individuals who are really struggling with major health issues many hardly complain at all. They keep a positive attitude and, in doing so, don’t let their condition stop them from enjoying life or start a negative domino effect that just keeps dropping on top of another till it crashes all of them and unfortunately when continues to have a life spreading to others with that effect you turn them away. Like everyone else we all have our headaches and on high probability in adulthood health issues with losses and aches & pains. You have to deal with them in a positive note. Meaning don’t blame the world or someone else for your health situation unless its real and lack of moving around (going out) even 10 minutes exercise a day or 2 to 3 times a week one hour exercise for elderly (just simply walking) with good dieting and rest will take you along way. Going the opposite way gives you a shorter life and highier odds a unhappier with lonely life. Along with keeping a positive attitude, you may also find things that attract your likes as opposed to dislikes which will keep you busier in life and people benefit from being around cheerful positive people that attracts them to have you back more.
Not to far away from being elder in about 15 to 20 years, I hope to stir the Pagan (polytheistic or open minded) community to take notice of how they choose to age. Are we aging with grace or are we just aging? Talk to the God and Goddess for help in modifying your way of thinking so you can handle life’s little ups and down. If you have family and / or friends who are displaying this type of behavior, show empathy and love by helping them comprehend the negative effects that persist when they chose to concentrate on their health issues in a pessimistic way. Sometimes it becomes a habit and they don’t even realize how often it occurs.