To a certain extent, most of us are afraid of getting old. No one wants to lose their youth, have wrinkles, and deal with other health problems that are inevitable with age. From the dawn of humanity, humans have sought the mythical "fountain of youth". However, it should be noted that not everyone has the privilege of aging, many die in the prime of life.
The word gerascophobia is derived from the Greek "tha geraso" which means "I am getting old" and "phobos" which means "dread" or "deep fear". In extreme cases of gerascophobia, the patient experiences a persistent, irrational and constant fear of aging. This fear can lead to many consequences, including interference with social and personal life, lost job opportunities and almost every other day-to-day issues. Often, the phobic realizes that fear is unjustified, but it is completely helpless.
The most deplorable of old age is that of the spirit
Aging is no longer so dark and scary when you realize that life is a journey; a journey of life lessons and experiences containing successes and mistakes. What no one tells you is that it is the accumulation of this knowledge and the way you react to it that makes your last years the "golden years", because as you age, you earn your stripes.
Over time, people learn how to handle social conflict more effectively. In a study conducted by researchers at the University of Michigan in 2010, and using the letters "Dear Abby", the column of Pauline Phillips, queen of the mail of the heart that consoled millions of readers for 5 decades to In the United States, 200 people have been asked to give advice to individuals facing various problems. It turned out that people in their sixties were better than the youngest. Why ? These people thought of multiple resolutions and suggested compromises.
In the same vein, researchers at Stony Brook University analyzed a telephone survey of hundreds of thousands of Americans in 2012. They found that people over 50 were overall happier. Same story in France according to the survey conducted by BVA Group, a research and consulting firm specialized in behavioral analysis: the French who are over 65 years old have more fishing than the rest of the population and 70% of them say they are happy compared to 58% among the youngest.
Some reasons not to be afraid of growing old
Aging is a blessing! Over the years, our levels of expertise and wisdom are also growing. Each passing year removes inhibitions and immature fears, allowing us to become ready to discover our true goals.
It is true that no one is waiting impatiently for age, but there is actually something positive at each age. Of course, there is a reason why people tend to call old age "the golden years". The best thing is that you finally have time to do everything you wanted to do while you had a professional activity: walks, family reunions, outings with friends ...
On the other hand, the elderly have generally had some sorrows, lived a passionate love story, made mistakes that they paid dearly, and so on. All in all, they have acquired a very precious good, which is nothing but experience.
Another important point is that this age of wisdom often motivates people to devote a large part of their efforts and energy to improving society and creating a better world for future generations. In addition to spending time with loved ones and pursuing their passions and personal dreams, they have more time to get involved civilly and politically.