What is the fear of aging and how can we get rid of it?

“Age is something that exists in our thoughts. If you don’t think about it, then it doesn’t exist,” said Mark Twain. I would like to believe that it is a classic, but the number of candles on the birthday cake pleases only children. Many people, especially women, are afraid of old age. Let’s find out what causes obsessive thoughts about old age and how to overcome this fear.

Reason #1

First of all, old age is associated with the loss of health and physical attractiveness. The cult of youth dictated by the beauty industry develops in us a sense of inferiority when we realize that we do not meet any standards. That’s why many people resort to beauty injections and exhausting diets. No matter how much we hear about self-acceptance, we rarely see a positive experience of aging in practice. And this is one of the important reasons. Most likely, we will encounter the image of an old, lonely and unhappy woman. But there is another, luxurious and happy old age.

Therefore, it is important to surround yourself with examples of “silver age” women who were happy in their personal lives, traveled a lot, dressed stylishly, continued to work, enjoyed hobbies and had meetings with friends. Follow Carmen Dell’Orefice, Linda Rodin, Benedetta Barzini, May Musk, Marina Abramovic or other celebrities for inspiration. Also follow the example of couples who grow old together and still continue to play sports and are generally interested in the world. Also pay attention to women who are happily married to a partner much younger than their age. Take, for example, the relationship between punk queen Vivienne Westwood and Andreas Kronthaler, 25 years her junior. Of course, young, beautiful and famous people always attract the attention of partners, but even their partners abandon them.

Reason #2

Another reason is related to the fear of being abandoned in the labor market and living a miserable life due to lack of money. All of this damages self-confidence. As you know, any source of anxiety is actually a protective function of the body and a stimulus for personal growth. The world is changing dynamically: some technologies are introduced and some information becomes obsolete. That’s why it’s important to keep your finger on the pulse and follow the trends. There is always a hidden source in the fear of failure. Learn a foreign language, take advanced training courses or try opening your own business. To no longer live “from retirement to retirement,” consider an additional source of income. By the way, we have previously explained how to increase the cost of your labor.

Notice that people with many hobbies look much younger. The truth is that they do not live in captivity of stereotypes and remain curious. They may make mistakes, but that doesn’t stop them on their way to their goals. And in the long run, their skills and connections remain in demand. However, people who declare their expertise and boast about their experience, on the contrary, are afraid of making mistakes and gradually degrade.

Reason #3

Another stereotype is about society’s attitude towards the elderly. No one wants to lose their self-respect. After all, there is an opinion that “no one needs old people”, they are a burden for children and society. For this reason, many people are afraid of getting sick or injured because they are afraid of being a burden. As a matter of fact, in addition to physical problems, psychological problems or, for example, dementia can also be detected. A person is afraid of losing his mind because he secretly believes that the world is an enemy. Hence distrust even of family and friends.

What can you do now? Of course, develop trust in others, get to know each other, become more open and friendly with people. Thank you. Start helping those in need yourself. Go to a nursing home, take care of sick children, donate. Get used to the idea that this is normal. After all, you can’t always be at the peak of your abilities. Allow yourself to be weak sometimes. And of course train your brain by playing chess, government, backgammon and other logic games to prevent the development of diseases. Take new routes. Learning foreign language. If you don’t live an active life when you’re young, what are the chances that that will be different as you get older? Let me see you!