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Lifespan
My mom is 60 but looks older than she is. She has dark circles and aged skin, beyond what many 60 year old women have.
On top of that she has lived a stressful life...and the fact that I'm in and out of being suicidal isn't helping her case. I worry that I'm shortening her life by being an added stressor. Is this possible?
She has a healthy diet and isn't overweight, diabetic, or anything like that. And she handles stress well in a general sense. Also she has a thyroid issue but it's being treated with medication. Finally my grandma (her mom) lived into her 80s with many health complications.
But given all this I still fear how many years she has left. Is there any doctor who can make a reasonable assessment with all this information?
On top of that she has lived a stressful life...and the fact that I'm in and out of being suicidal isn't helping her case. I worry that I'm shortening her life by being an added stressor. Is this possible?
She has a healthy diet and isn't overweight, diabetic, or anything like that. And she handles stress well in a general sense. Also she has a thyroid issue but it's being treated with medication. Finally my grandma (her mom) lived into her 80s with many health complications.
But given all this I still fear how many years she has left. Is there any doctor who can make a reasonable assessment with all this information?
COMMUNITY LEADER
Her own doctor would be the one to assess her for any regular medical conditions and any stress-based conditions.
The other doctor(s) that could help are those who could ease her worries about you, both your own therapist(s) because they would help you get better, and she would see that and feel less worried about you, and possibly a therapist for her so she can talk about her worries about you.
If the main issue you are concerned about is her appearance, such as dark circles and aged skin, you could also take her to a dermatologist and see if the derm could give her some advice about her skin. A lot of people at 60 look older than they are because of smoking or sun exposure. You can't do a lot to change sun damage besides take care of what is remaining, and I guess there is plastic surgery but I'll bet she wouldn't be up for that. But if smoking has played a role, for a lot of reasons she should try to quit smoking. Her regular doc should be able to steer her to a smoking-cessation program. I will note, though, if she smokes to deal with the stress of your suicidal episodes, she probably won't quit unless you stop being suicidal.
The other doctor(s) that could help are those who could ease her worries about you, both your own therapist(s) because they would help you get better, and she would see that and feel less worried about you, and possibly a therapist for her so she can talk about her worries about you.
If the main issue you are concerned about is her appearance, such as dark circles and aged skin, you could also take her to a dermatologist and see if the derm could give her some advice about her skin. A lot of people at 60 look older than they are because of smoking or sun exposure. You can't do a lot to change sun damage besides take care of what is remaining, and I guess there is plastic surgery but I'll bet she wouldn't be up for that. But if smoking has played a role, for a lot of reasons she should try to quit smoking. Her regular doc should be able to steer her to a smoking-cessation program. I will note, though, if she smokes to deal with the stress of your suicidal episodes, she probably won't quit unless you stop being suicidal.
1 Comments
Thanks Annie,
She's not a smoker thankfully—tried a cigarette once in her teens and decided never again so that's no issue. But she was sleep deprived throughout her teens and there are nights where she doesn't get a lot of sleep.
She's not a smoker thankfully—tried a cigarette once in her teens and decided never again so that's no issue. But she was sleep deprived throughout her teens and there are nights where she doesn't get a lot of sleep.
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