Ask Lemmy

The lack of energy and the rise of depression.

Doors close and options narrow. The way you think about the future fundamentally changes.

You have to remember not to project your decline onto culture, society, and the world. You have to remember that many, many things are better now than when you were young.

I didn't fart all the time when I was younger

When you're peeing and you finish peeing, so you put it away and then you pee a little more in your pants

I don't know if there's anything unique about aging. The shittiest part of aging IMO is the random life-changing medical events you cannot foresee or prevent. It could be as simple as stumbling on uneven ground and tearing your ACL, or as extreme as being diagnosed with some unusual cancer.

I was told once many years ago by a retired (kinda) member of a major biker gang the following:

"Getting old ain't for pussies."

I was around twelve, he wasn't lying, I'm forty-six now. All the stupid crap you have done early on in your life will come back around and cause aches and pains. You have to force yourself to keep moving through the pain or you will end up doing next to nothing every chance you get.

My mind has always kept me at home so I can't say much there, I've never been to a club and rarely go to bars. I'm just not a social person.

You stop making new friends, and the friends you've had move away, don't have time anymore due to family and job, and eventually start dying off.
If you don't make a conscious effort and invest time into creating new friendships (with considerable difficulty since you yourself are tied to "adult" obligations), you can end up alone with withered social skills before you realize it.

There's also the danger of collecting bad memories or feelings of regret tied to certain activities, like "I should start playing the guitar again...but I already tried to get back into it multiple times, so why bother?"
If you aren't careful that will lead to stopping doing the things you once enjoyed, with no new hobbies to take their place.

Most contemporary music sounds like shit. I try to stay current to at least within the last 3 years, but the older I get, the more it just sounds like shit.

South Park did an episode about it, and they were spot on.

Minor injuries or illnesses taking forever to heal...

Getting old is a sniper's alley. You're running through, and all around you people are getting picked off, dropping to the ground. Cancer, stroke, dementia, falling down the stairs. Somehow you're still going, brilliant! But then you find a lump, or get chest pains...

So far I'm one of the lucky ones, still dodging the bullets but hoping for a good clean end when it's my turn.

All your freinds start dropping dead like flies.

Pulling a muscle because I sneezed too hard.

Worrying about if I'll have enough to retire on, if I can retire at all. Worrying about health, the drop in spice tolerance, waking up stiff. Eyesight starting to deteriorate. Wanting to be more social, but would often rather just stay home. Maybe not so unique, but worth a mention.

Need a longer runway.

The warmup takes ages, no matter what I'm doing.

I’m me of the fundamental changes for me was …..

FROM: oh good a new project to learn, a new tool to buy

TO: I don’t want to deal with fixing that again or having to buy yet another tool. How expensive can it be to just pay someone and have it done?

Have you guys noticed the size of basically all text has gotten smaller and harder to read? It has made a lot of posts I encounter online just absolutely none of my business.

Oh also my back hasn’t not hurt like hell for like 8 years.

55m here.

Half the energy, but still all the work plus some to do.

Having to go to old people parties.

It's rather go to diy underground shows, but I'm dad aged now.

I rust wasn't too rave and dance, but I feel like most of the kids would be creeped out.

The things I dislike the most about getting old is 1) all the obligations and lack of free time. Partly my fault, I love being a dad, but I could use a break. 2) recovery isn't as fast as it used to be. What used to be hours is now a day. What used to be a day is now days. Etc etc

Things take just that little bit longer to do. Walking somewhere, shopping, mowing, even getting ready to go out. I have to adjust my timetable, extend the time it takes to do things, which cuts into my day, leaving less time for the things I want to do. Which always happened, it's just that now it takes longer.

I’m sure it’s not unique to getting old as there could be other causes, but for me it’s been that my grip strength wanes and I drop things pretty regularly now. I used to fence and sword spar and I had gotten used to barely holding things so I wouldn’t break them. Now if I’m not thinking about it, things just kind of fall out of my hands. Very weird thing to realize.

I'm not particularly old by any reasonable standard, but the biggest shock to me upon entering adulthood was how there's always some fucking thing that needs doing. Doesn't matter if it's chores, bills, or other shit, there's always something.

As a very tall dude, back pain.

I deal with early onset arthritis pain occasionally, but back pain legit sucks way more!

No longer being welcome in spaces you helped build.

Kids calling you names. Im 23 and they say im old!! Wtf?!

Losing the physical abilities that you've relied on your whole life. Had back surgery 3 years ago. I can barely walk now because of pain in my hips. My strength is gone. It's a fucking kick in the dick.