Men experience multiple physical, mental, and social changes over the years, some avoidable while others are inevitable. From financial instability to a loss of identity, here are 18 things we never want to go through as older adults.
Financial Instability
Financial instability is many men’s worst nightmare, and it isn’t hard to see why. Pew Research reports that men face the most pressure to support their families financially, and instability here only leads to feelings of inadequacy. Men always want to have something extra to put into retirement savings, investments, and spoiling their families.
Unfulfilled Goals
Also revealed in the previously mentioned Pew Research study is that men face more pressure to succeed in their jobs or careers. There’s a huge fear of failure that’s followed by shame, depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem when goals aren’t realized as expected.
Cognitive Decline
Men love to be problem solvers, but with aging comes a decline in cognitive abilities. It gets difficult for many when they realize their memories, reasoning, judgment, and ability to complete complex tasks aren’t as good as they once were. This is why they love puzzles, as they help to slow down cognitive decline.
Grief
As we grow older, we tend to lose friends and family along the way, and it’s a thought many men dread. Losing a loved one will always heighten anxiety and restlessness. It pushes men to withdraw from others, which causes depression and deteriorates personal relationships.
Changes in Social Circle
Many older men also find it difficult to find new friends due to relocation or unexpected events. Sadly, life always has its own plans, and changing your social circle is almost inevitable. All you can do is become more open to understanding and embracing new connections with strangers.
Stereotypes
Men don’t want to be told that they can’t do certain activities, wear certain clothes, or pursue certain interests just because they’re “too old” for them. Stereotypes about their physical and mental capacities strip them of the freedom to behave, work, or generally live how they want to.
Ageism
Ageism is also extremely common, not only in one’s personal life but in the workplace, too. The WHO even reveals that one in two people hold ageist opinions about older people! It’s an extreme form of stereotyping that has a worse negative effect on men’s mental health when they internalize discrimination against themselves.
Balding
Hair loss is natural, but it greatly affects men’s self-image, as they believe that it makes them look older and less attractive. It’s known to cause feelings of sadness, anger, and embarrassment—emotional reactions that lead to anxiety and depression, aggravated in relatively younger men.
Weight Gain
Men also fear gaining unhealthy weight. There are many reasons for this, with some linked to cultural and societal expectations, some to attractiveness, and others to health and mobility concerns. Many men choose to hit the gym to better manage the weight-gaining phase, which is typically between the ages of 30 and 55.
Loneliness
Many men also don’t want to deal with the negative feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and depression that come with social isolation. Sadly, the University of Bristol concludes that older men are more likely to be isolated than women. You’ll have to make more intentional efforts to avoid this as you grow older.
Sleep Problems
Due to emerging health complications, older adults sometimes wake up several times per night and spend less time in deep sleep. No man will enjoy the change in schedule this brings, but some fear that the difficulty in getting a night’s rest can increase their risk of dementia, diabetes, and heart disease.
Reduced Muscle Mass
Our muscle mass decreases an average of 8% every decade after the age of 30, speeding up further after the age of 60. With a loss of muscle comes weakness, an altered physique, and a decline in locomotive function that make some men feel frail and emasculated.
Joint Issues
Stiff and painful joints accompany aging, too, and they can be difficult to deal with every day. No man wants to be debilitated by mobility issues when performing basic tasks like walking down the stairs or participating in their favorite recreational sports and activities.
Vision Impairment
Another health-related issue that we face as we age is poor vision. Mayo Clinic explains how presbyopia (a limited ability to see objects close by), for instance, sets in by our early 40s and worsens into the mid-60s. Losing vision directly affects our quality of life and could lead to anxiety, loneliness, and isolation.
Disrespect
Understandably, men also don’t want to deal with disrespect from younger individuals and romantic partners. This is because disrespect breeds feelings of insecurity and lowers a man’s self-esteem, which may manifest in resentment, emotional distancing, and regrettable outbursts of anger.
Divorces
Separating from a partner you’ve loved passionately for years leads to immense regret, frustration, and increased loneliness. Unfortunately, this comes with further problems for men; they commonly also have to deal with devastating battles over custody and finances, as well as issues around finding a new partner to settle with.
Loss of Identity
Loss of identity is another unfortunate thing that men regret having to deal with. It can be caused by changing physical appearance, lower cognitive abilities, and even divorce. However, many feel the most stripped when they retire. It’s a new reality that’s so difficult to accept that many men go back to work.
End-of-Life Planning
Finally, many men are quick to shrug thoughts of death out of their minds, and this isn’t only because of the fear of the unknown afterlife. Men also worry about the emotional and financial toll that end-of-life planning and death itself will have on the people they care for. Sadly, it’s a necessary part of old age.
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