It’s true that we become more fragile as we age. Both our physical capabilities and mental acumen deteriorate over time with downhill momentum picking up speed the older we are. This is neither good nor bad; it just is.
Tons can be done to take care in coping with physical abilities that get a little rusty the older we are. And, for the most part, the same can be said about mental sharpness also. Can we stop the process? No, but we can do a lot to slow both physical and mental fading, not in all cases, but in most.
What About Our Emotions as We Age?
So, let’s say you have a problem or an emergency. Someone will make sure you get to the hospital or where you need to receive care. But what about emotions that cause us discomfort? Who is there to help us when we’re emotionally in need of love and attention, when we need someone to comfort and have compassion when times get tough?
You are that person best able to provide the understanding and compassion for yourself when emotions are off-kilter or just taking over the whole being. Of course, you have friends and family who hopefully support you when you need help, but it’s always best to start closest to home first, and that’s with yourself.
As we get older, many adults get depressed and disappointed when life keeps reminding them that, in the end, it’s up to us to take care of our emotional well-being. We are alone in that department. That doesn’t mean we don’t have help and love and affection from family and friends plus the professional support of a therapist and/or medical doctor.
The good news is that the National Institutes for Health say that as we age the strength of our emotions is enhanced by our life experiences. In other words, we have more coping mechanisms to deal with the emotions that affect our lives. Stop and think for a moment: we’ve successfully dealt with emotional times in the recent past — successfully enough to be here now. Perhaps our responses haven’t been perfect, but we’ve done the best we could to keep our lives and the lives of those we love happy and upbeat.
Lastly …
Take care and be gentle with yourself whenever emotions seem to be running the show. Swaddle yourself with love and affection and be kind as you deal with whatever life puts in front of you. You are armed with the intelligence to take care of yourself and seek solutions, both personally and from others, to keep your emotional self happy and healthy.
You can do it.