To not want to live longer

[AmIAlone52]

Probably not the wisest place to put this but hell, let's do it. I will preface by saying I do have depression, which is managed well but is probably impacting on my thinking here.

Am I the only person who doesn't want to live a "long life"? I exercise and am currently eating in a calorie deficit to try and lose some baby weight (DC is definitely no longer a baby) but a lot of the fitness media I consume has been impacted by the body positivity/neutrality movement and consequently has a big focus on exercising for health and longevity rather than the way your body looks, and yet all I can think when I see this is "I don't want to live that long"

Whilst I'm not doing anything to deliberately endagner my health (non smoker, rarely drink, no drugs or self harm etc) I am not looking to go out of my way to improve things. I don't want to.

Am I completely insane thinking this? Does everyone else want to live as long as possible?

I don't particularly want to live a long life but I want to be as fit and healthy as possible for the life I do have.

I dont want to live longer, I want to be fitter longer into that old age which is what the fitness places are really getting at

My opinion on this will be VERY unpopular but I've always said I don't want to live past 50 😬
I just don't know how life can get any more fun or interesting past that age and I dread the day tbh.

I want to live only as long as my body works properly and I enjoy life; after that I'm off to Switzerland

I think a lot of people feel this way when they're younger and old age is far away, but feel very different when the time comes.

Isn't the whole point of staying fit and healthy is so you can remain independent for as long as you live?
I see some really fit and healthy 80 yr olds in my area. One does the school run for her grand kids and one I see litter picking every morning in our local woods.
They're both very slim and fit.
If I'm like that in old age, then bring it on.

😂😂😂

Lol at this. What kind of 50 yr olds do you know?
Aren't the older generation in your family having fun?

See this is my thinking, its not about being independent and fit etc in later life, more like the idea of being alive that long is tiresome.

I'm more in agreement with @AlwaysAugust

You're not alone. I don't want to. Chronic pain influences it. Why would I want to endure that for another 40 years?

I was just thinking this today, seeing several relatives, mainly women, alone in their 80s and struggling. I wish we had the option.

I feel the same. I also have depression. And no DC yet (imagine having them could change my mind).

Am always utterly baffled by characters in books, films etc who want to be immortal as I just do not get why anyone would.

How old are you that you don't want to live past 50? Not late 40s I hope.

I agree, why would anyone want to live to an age where they’re in pain, struggle with every day tasks and may even have a very unpleasant death. I’ve seen elderly family members have very tough lives and it’s put me off getting into very old age.

I once read a story of an 80yo man who died because he was riding like a child on a shopping trolley outside the supermarket, going ‘weeeeee’ as he rode down the car park, hit a car, cracked his head and died. That’s how I wanna go!

YANBU.

I've always said once I've raised my kids and they're settled and happy adults, I'm happy to die any time.
All I have ahead of me is a lifetime of unrewarding, low salary work until I finally retire and then I'll be too old and too broke to enjoy my retirement.... Dreary but realistic!

How old are you now @AlwaysAugust ?

I want to live a long healthy life. But I'm fortunate enough to, overall, love my life. I have a husband I adore and two gorgeous boys. I want to see them grow up. I want to be a part of raising them and guiding them. I want to spend more time and do more things with my husband. I want to see where life takes me. I want to meet grandchildren. I want to be there for my children as they get older to babysit, to be a shoulder to cry on if needed. I want to support my husband and not leave him alone.

Both my parents died young(ish) (61 and 75). Mum died last year at 75 and will never see my kids finish school or get married or accomplish their goals. I don't want that. I want to be there and see it and support them.

I'm scared of dying young and missing out and leaving my kids without me and leaving my husband alone.

I do think your depression is adding to your thoughts. What drives you and gives you meaning? What is there for you to live for and want to live for OP? 💐💐

No 😂 I think that's mostly why I feel this way, everyone above the age of 50 in my family HATE the fact that they're now "old" and "decrepit" (their words, not mine), and don't wish to live to their 70s etc.

50?!!
I genuinely laughed at that. How old are you? 50 is barely middled aged (I'm in my late 50s).

I get it. My nan had dementia in her 80's, my mother in her late 70s is heading that way. My mum is always telling me I should eat no sugar, no gluten, no wheat, no dairy, no alcohol etc etc because its 'better for me in the long run'. Even though she is dreading her dementia getting worse she can't understand me when I point out I don't want the long run, I want the medium/long run please, early 70s before the dementia kicks in

I agree. I dont want to fall apart or be in a home. I've got a plan on what I'll do. Its coloured life tbh. Why work to buy things that will one day be just given away? Or worse, thrown away.

I agree, I don't want to live a long life. Mid 60s would suit me but I suspect my kids would hate that so I will try to live a bit longer than that (but not much longer)

I work in old age psychiatry and honestly, I would hate to get to an age where I don’t have my faculties / I’m a huge inconvenience to my family. As soon as I lose my bearings, I don’t want to be here. I’ve seen too many people (even 50s+) succumb to dementia / Parkinson’s etc and what it does to families. Yes, some people cope better than others, as do their families, but I’ve also seen people stare off into space and not know their own name. The families sometimes stick them in a home (because they literally cannot cope and I cannot blame them!) and they take them out once a week for lunch.

that is not a life I want. If I have a poor prognosis (whether that be a cancer or brain condition) I want to check out. I do not want to age and whither. That terrifies me.

@AnomalousChallenge 30s