What have you become afraid of as you have gotten older?

[AliceMcK]

Heights.

They never bothered me when I was younger, I travelled and visited towers with glass floors, I never got to jump out of a plane but always wanted to. I did The Nevis bungee jump when I think it was the world’s highest, multiple vertical (slingshot) bungies, paragliding, I remember once being lifted up by a crane and pulling a cord to release me and 2 strangers, we free fell then swung in the air. I was absolutely that annoying person who swung the big wheel carriage when we were at the top.

Now the thought of even a ferris wheel freaks me out. I went on the small one at Legoland Windsor a few years ago felt so sick, I couldn’t look at anything. My DDs wanted to go on the Liverpool Wheel the other week and I felt so bad because I’ve always talked about cool things I’ve done, but I couldn’t do it. I can’t even go on high theme park rides any more. When I was younger, talking right into my 30s, the bigger the better.

I don’t know what has happened to me, I still love the thought of jumping out of a plane but I know I’d be a quivering mess if I tried.

Anyone else have sudden fears they never had, other than the immortal ever lasting sleep that is?

Everything.

I was in a shitty marriage for years and I became anxious and worried about everything.

Having a shitty divorce now but becoming less scared.

Driving in the dark

Driving

How fragile society is right now, I feel like there is an edginess that I have not felt before.

Getting sick and not being able to work to support my family.

Retirement- there is no way my little pension will be worth enough to live on.

Im scared of the washing machine when it spins dont know why.
Im scared of my own shadow and everything else but not death i welcome it some days.

Not dying. Slowly fading away, becoming more vulnerable and dependent, and especially getting dementia.

Dying before I'm old, being in a car accident, cancer, heart disease, being in pain generally (I have zero pain tolerance), the harmful effects of the eating disorder I've had on-and-off for years, my parents dying, never finding "the right person", being stuck in a job I hate, having no money, cognitive decline

I'm fun!

Cancer, dementia, hospitals, the state of the NHS. All unfortunately triggered by experiences of my mother's final 12 months....the system is broken and I'm scared of becoming infirm and suffering because there's not enough resource.

im also a non crowd person now. Hate going anywhere I know it will be busy. We never go away over bank holiday weekends and I will avoid everything I can during school holidays. I know it’s frowned upon but I’d rather take my DDs on term time holiday, not just for the financial benefits but because I hate how crowded everything is durning school holidays.

I’m not sure if death itself scares me, but I am terrified of leaving my daughters at young ages. I’m scared I won’t be around to protect them or be there when they need me. DH and I are very different, I know financially he will look after them, but everyday things I’m not sure. This sounds horrible but DH is the type of person who can not be on his own, I know he will set up with the first woman to come along and he will be very much controlled by her. I don’t mean that to be horrible, it’s just who he is. I know he would loose sight of our DDs. This scares me. I’ve told him he this and he knows why I think this. I’ve made him promise that if anything happens to me, shag who the fuck he wants but do not bring any woman into the DDs lives until both him and the DDs are 100% certain she’s good for them. I see child abuse and neglect everywhere. My upbringing was very different to DHs were it wasn’t talked about, my family talk about it, my mum worked with abused children, my parents were very protective about who was around in our lives as children. I’m the same, but my DH dosnt see what I see in people sometimes. Even now his parents will turn off the tv if anying about abuse comes on as it’s unsavory and dosnt need to be talked about.

Tripping over. I tripped over 2 weeks ago broke my right knee and elbow and suffered a grade 3 sprain in left ankle. This was 4pm and I was wearing flats. Up to a year ago went out got drunk in 5 inch heels and no accidents

Motorway driving terrifies me, even as a passenger, especially on the not so smart motorways.

Nothing. But I wonder whether women become afraid of stepping on escalators some time in middle age? Instead of just stepping on, loads of them/us hover one foot over the escalator for about 40 seconds then gingerly and apologetically step on, with a queue behind them. Never seen a woman under 45 or a man do this. I have vowed never to! Why?

Never having sex with someone new ever again

War in Europe
getting dementia , I honestly wouldn’t want to live and I know that sounds bad :(
( and just my own point of view on how I’d feel )
Car accidents

Claustrophobia.... I never used to give small spaces a second thought.

Where I work has a small lift which is forever having maintenance which isn't helping 😔

Waiting for hospital tests. I have health anxiety. Its hellish.

Losing my mum. All my grandparents are dead, so she is top of the chain, as it were

Absolutely this, I have become afraid of falling in general and only wear flat shoes now - the fear began after DH died and I realised there’s nobody to look after me if I injure myself.

Driving

And as for driving in the dark, I just refuse to do it now. I can’t see, headlights are way too bright and I am a nervous wreck. If something feels so scary then I shouldn’t be doing it.

Everything 🙈

I was always a bit nervous of heights but absolutely hate them now.

Flying is v stressful.

I also worry about getting cancer, something happening to my dd…

Im a bit of a nervous wreck these days, I blame perimenopause.

Crowds and confined spaces.

Busy places too - I hate them. Too many people on their devices listening to loud music without headphones makes me so angry.

Open water swimming where I can't see the bottom. Went on a boat trip and they did a stop off for swimming. I did not realise how frightened I was of what was underneath me I couldn't see. It's mostly to do with my fear of sharks, actually.

I used to work in a hospital and occasionally have nightmares about being trapped in that building overnight.

My kids being disinherited (either accidentally or deliberately) if I die before my wife and she remarried. I've made her promise she would never do that and if I die first she changes her Will from current mirror wills to leaving it all to the kids and updates it if she remarries.

I guess another one would be the poverty of my childhood returning. All I think about when I see my kids is trying to do better for them than I got. I'd do any job I needed to to provide for them.

Sorry but that made me laugh!!

Fast theme park rides and escalators going down. I can go up them.