Has anyone had this problem?

[rcp612]

In March my wife and I "down-sized" to a 55 & older community. I was limited to a 8'X12' shed for my workshop. No problem I thought, reducing from 12'X22' is possible with careful planning.
The shed was set up and ready for me to add the insulation, electric, and all the necessities.
In almost 4 months I've gotten the electric wiring done.
Every time I should be ready to do something, I just talk myself out of it. I don't seem to have any desire to even go into the shed. There are ideas and plans on my desk for future projects but, I do not have enough ambition to get things ready for work.
Winter is coming and the insulation isn't done yet. And, I don't really care right now.
What's wrong? Am I out-growing woodworking? Am I getting too old? (62)
Is it possible for you to lose the desire to create something?
Right now when I get home in the evening I'm content to ramble around the house until I happen to get too close to my recliner, then I'm done,,,until I wake up and go to bed.
Has anyone else gone through this and what did you do to improve?

[Papa]

Getting Older

rcp612,

No, you are not too old for woodworking. You probably just falling victim to the changes that take place in our bodies as we age. I'm 74, and I have gone through periods as you describe.

I'll give you a couple of recommendations. First, get more exercise. I discovered a long time ago that how I feel at my age is a great deal dependent on what kind of physical shape I'm in. Exercise daily to keep your body loose. If you can afford it and have time (I assume you're still working), get a gym membership. As we age, weight-resistant exercise is important just to maintaim the mass of muscle in our bodies. I laid off last winter and got to the point I could hardly get out of bed. Now that I've lifted regularly for three months, I feel several years younger.

Second, I'd recommend that you get your testorone level checked. The hormone naturally decreases as we age, and lack of it can cause many of the symptoms you're experiences. There is simple male HRT (gell you rub on the skin daily), and it cam make a tremendous difference in how you feel physically, your mood, and your general sense of well-being.

Hope this is of some help.
Papa

[Bruce Cohen]

Papa is fairly on the mark, you may be the victim of slight depression. I know a lot about it, as I been suffering from it since I got back to the "world" after spending waaay too much time in SE Asia.

I'm 63 and I'm almost as energetic as I was when I was 30 (less hair and more fat, though).

Exercise increases your level of Endorphins.

That's the hormone that makes you feel happier, better or something, but it fights the feeling of "I don't feel like doing anything".

Additionally, moving is ranked as the third most disruptive event in one's life, right there with losing someone close to you and getting fired.

It took me about 6 months to feel comfortable after we moved from Manhattan, to the "burbs.

I think the worst thing you can do is obsess about it, it just intensifies the Blahs. Instead, forget about setting up the shop and do something different, the urge to do woodworking will come back, just give it some time.

Keep in mind there is no social stigma attached to being depressed, view it as if you have a cold.

There are about a zillion web sites about dealing with depression and sometimes a trip to a doctor (and not having your head shrunk) might be usefull. The meds I take have no side effects and keep me productive and happy (as much as I can with this rotten economy.

Good luck and don't let "the blues" run your life.

Bruce

[capncarl]

Downsizing should be done in the house, not the shop. That was just wrong to make you cut your shop size in half. My mother insisted that my father get rid of his very large collection of plants, trees and flowers because she was afraid that she would not be able to keep up with them upon his demise. He did and mother has been dead now 5 years and he is the most miserable person alive. Don't give up your toys, get you a larger shop.

capncarl

[unknown poster]

Sometimes I just get burned out and need to move on to another hobby for a while. Eventually I'll go back to woodworking, or to one of my other hobbies. There's nothing wrong with that, doing a variety of activities keeps your brain active.

By the way I'm about half your age, I don't think this has anything to do with age. Go do what you want to do, and go work on the shed when you want to. The important thing is to do something you enjoy in your free time, if finishing the shed isn't what you enjoy right now then do something else.

[dbhost]

I know this is gonna sound funny, but my shop is in such disarray right now as I go through the fence build process (long story, if you aren't up to speed, I can't take the time right now, but it is a hurricane Ike thing from 2008!), that I just have no room to move, or desire to clear it up until the building materials are gone... Having said that... I HAVE been known to just go and sit in the shop, grab a carving knife, or chuck something up on the lathe and get busy...

I have had bouts of lost interest in much of the things in my life that bring me joy, that is a REALLY good indicator of the onset of depression. Lots of things can trigger it, including changes in your life situation such as moving from a long term home to a new one. It might be a good thing, but you are saying goodbye to all those memories you made elsewhere...

If it is holding you back, seek professional help.

[woodturner]

Every time I should be ready to do something, I just talk myself out of it. I don't seem to have any desire to even go into the shed. There are ideas and plans on my desk for future projects but, I do not have enough ambition to get things ready for work.

How are you sleeping? Do you snore? Do you wake up with a sore throat?

Sleep apnea is believed to be one of the most undiagnosed illnesses in the US. People who snore have sleep apnea - though you can have it without snoring. The only real "symptoms" of sleep apnea (a lot of people have no symptoms) are depression, tiredness, apathy, high blood pressure, and low blood oxygen.

It's easy and painless to check it out - and chances are, you could be one of the estimated 70% of Americans who have it. It gets worse as one gets older, or if one is overweight.

I buried a lot of friends with heart attacks, diabetes, and a host of other "causes" before they realized the primary cause was sleep apnea. Can't tell you how much better I feel now that I have been treated.

[gsmittle]

What you're feeling is normal and natural. Pretty soon you'll get the urge to get in the shop, and shortly after that you'll realize you've been in there for 72 consecutive hours and REALLY have to pee.

Things go in cycles all the time. I think all of us have times we just don't want to do any woodwork, no matter how nice the weather and no matter how much leisure time you have.

I find that in the middle of a large project, I often have to leave it alone for a week or two. Moving and downsizing the shop are definitely large projects.

g.

[Dutchman46]

There are a number of things that can cause these problems. Sometimes the body gets tired, and You can not work as fast as You use to. That can cause a bit of depression. I had an accident when I was 58. I bent My arm to the breaking point when letting the car off the jack. It took a long while to get back. Shortly after that, I was talking with a friend, and We were talking about age. A few negative comments, and I was off key again. Then had trouble with My nerves, in my legs, back, shoulders hands, ect I didn't have the drive that I wanted. I knew that I was affected by those things, so I worked harder to keep Myself involved. I noticed that I started to have difficulties breathing. I was unable to work in the body shop with out laying down or resting. I had that for about 6 years, and I also had many test that didn't show any thing abnormal. They gave Me a stress test, finally, and I almost fell over. WaS ALMOST PASSING OUT. I walked around with a heart monitor, and it showed that I had Heart trouble. My heart was beating irregular so bad that both chambers could pump only a little blood. I know it's long, but please have a good check-up, and don't forget about Your heart. My stats were all so good that doctors didn't see a need for the stress test. They said that I might live to be well over 100 the way it looked. Again, Doctors don't always get it right.

[germdoc]

Moving is a big stress and time- and energy-suck. I just moved into a nice house with my fiancé, have to make do with a 10 x 25 foot space for the shop. I have everything on shelves, but in no way organized to take on a WW project. Maybe by the colder months...

[cabinetman]

There are times when I just don't feel like doing any woodworking, then the realization hits me that there are bills to pay. As with other projects, when the motivation is low, I just make myself start, even if it's slow.
.

[Pappy]

I went thru that recently. The youngest and his fiance moved in with us. Close to the time for the birth of their son I decided to build a cradle. Even with problems I ran into, I was able to keep motivated. I gave it to them last night. I was planing to spend this weekend cleaning the shop but I am chomping at the bit to get back on another project that got put aside for lack of motivation.

Maybe it won't work for you, but try looking for a project you WANT TO DO and see if it motivates you to get the shop ready. If not, take a break and, like was advised, make sure there is nothing wrong. Find something else to keep you active until you are ready to get back in the shop.

[RayintheUK]

I recognize those symptoms exactly and totally, although brought on by other circumstances. They're indicative of an imbalance, most likely brought on by one of a number of forms of anxiety (stress).

None of us like to feel that we capable of being affected by such things, but - as we age - our ability to deal with them does decrease, more so with some than others. Again, our natural reaction is to push such thoughts away, on the basis that it's a sign of weakness to admit that you're affected by such issues.

That is utter nonsense! This sort of situation most often affects thoughtful, caring and sensitive people and is IN NO WAY a sign of failing or inability to cope. It's simply an imbalance, probably brought on by enzymes destroying some of the seratonin your body needs to deal with its own thoughts, etc.

Of course, I'm no medico - I'm just another guy who's been there and finally did something about it. See your Doctor and tell him EVERYTHING you told us and more. This situation is easily controllable, provided you accept it as such and seek correct professional help. Thinking things will improve is all very well, but it should be obvious to you now that they're not improving. "Positive thinking" is one of the most bandied-about phrases today, but on its own it's worth squat.

Please feel free to PM me if you'd like more info on my situation, before and present, if you think it would help to discuss it. I know how difficult it is to share stuff like this (I hesitated quite a while before deciding to write this), but I also know that nothing you're experiencing is your fault. HTH

Ray

[9johnny5]

See your Doc...

rcp612,

I agree with what's been said. I'm only 46, and I went through what your're describing not long after I retired from the Navy. Come to find out, I was suffering from sleep apnea, clinical depression, and low testoserone levels. After a fancy scuba-steve machine, some Zoloft, and weekly testosterone injections, I am a new man. I feel like I did when I was in my early 30's (minus the chronic bad knees and back) BUT emotionally I feel right as rain.

Initially, I felt like I was less of a man because of how I felt... only after I truly realized that I needed help with a problem did everything finally look up.

PLEASE do yourself and your family a HUGE favor and see your doc. Let him know everything you've shared with us. Ask for testing to determine the cause. Don't "John Wayne" it, life is too short. The embarassment of telling him pales in comparison to the joy of being "well".

Hope this helps you have a fulfilled day.
Johnny C.

[annunaki]

I agree with the Sleep Apnea. A girlfriend told me I snored a lot and would stop breathing for intervals. She said her ex husband had it and I should get myself checked out Sure enough, the VA tested me and I had a severe case of it. It has been a year now that I am under treatment and no longer wake up tired.

Get yourself checked out.

If you drink daily, know that alcohol flushes out your B vitamins. I replace them every day as well as others including high doses of Vitamin D.

A 19 yr old Redhead can also work wonders