Quote:
Originally Posted by Ygrec23
I'm trying to find information relevant to motivating seniors with some form of mental illness to change sometimes life-long habits with the understanding that such seniors have shorter time-horizons than the younger people to whom most health-promoting advice is addressed.
Obviously, what it comes down to in the end is this: will such-and-such a behavioral change, undertaken in the face of my mental misery, either (a) extend my life and if so by how much, and/or (b) make what remains of my life simply more enjoyable by giving me more "quality of life" (continued mobility, clearmindedness, and fewer aches and pains). I.e., do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages of giving up the daily crutches of substances, unhealthy foods and sedentary living?
While it's not all that terribly hard to find information on any single item involved in the thinking described in the preceding paragraph, I haven't as of yet found anything that even tries to link all these things together. It's possible (just possible, neither necessary nor likely) that even mentally troubled seniors are too diverse a group about which to make easy generalizations. I don't know. If I find out, I'll tell you. Take care!  |
hi, ygrec. well, i think it's curious how in this thread you are seeking information on how to live healthier and longer and in another thread are discussing how self-medicating oneself is an essential part of living. hmmm . . . am i sensing mixed emotions about living more healthfully?
some people live unhealthy lifestyles and still manage to live long lives. i guess it comes down to good genes and a little luck. still, the vices will eventually catch up with you. perhaps the quandry is that you are concerned about quality of life issues if you give up the vices. you seem to want some guaranteed assurance that your life will improve if you give them up. the ill effects of vices such as smoking are well documented for people of all ages, not just seniors. but, you seem to want info that pertains only to seniors since your goal appears to be to give up the vices only if there is evidence that it will improve your health and life. you want guaranteed assurances in life? please! you should know better by now!!
so, it's like this - if you continue to smoke cigarettes you will increase of chances of cancer, emphysema and COPD. will you be happier if you give up cigarettes? probably not - you are a nicotine addict and you crave the self-medication it provides. granted, it's not medication at all - smoking is pure poison to the lungs and circulatory system. and there is no guarantee you will be happier if you give it up. giving it up means going through nicotine withdrawal which is not easy or fun. however, giving up smoking will let you breathe easier and will make food taste better. the damage it has done to your lungs and circulatory system will not progress further though these are things you will feel rather than see. and, you probably already have some permanent damage to your lungs and circulatory system. so, what to do?
ditto with exercise. should you take it up now even though you have neglected your body for years? exercise leads to aches and pains. and, it will force your lungs and circulatory system (both damaged from smoking) to work harder. regardless, lifting weights will be good for your bones and muscles though it will initially make you feel sore and may feel strange at first since you have neglected your physical body for a long time. so, what to do? frankly, i would give up smoking and go to the gym. but, you value "self-medication" (in the case of smoking, the actual correct term would be "self-harm") more than i do.
oddly, i am going to give you your own advice: TAKE CARE! which is to say, give up the cigs and start lifting weights and going for walks because real living involves doing healthy things and doing healthy things is true "self-medication."