Gerontophobia: causes, symptoms and treatment

Aging is a natural process that is inextricably linked with human life. While we are young and full of energy, few people think that all this can end. Old age comes suddenly. Until the last moment, people try not to notice the beginning of their gradual fading. Mentally, everyone is trying to push this moment away, and when these actions become impossible, some people start to panic.

Gerontophobia - This fear of old age. Another word means the expression of hostility towards older people. Doctors assess this state of mind as a mental illness. Fears accompany a person throughout his life.

Strong people experience discomfort, longing and nostalgia for the past. Someone can cope with various phobias by suppressing depression, but someone needs the help of specialists. Every sensible person understands that old age is the “final stop” in the life cycle. Healthy fears of meeting old age are normal.

It so happens that the individual, very afraid of changes associated with old age, begins to behave inadequately and respond to all phenomena that are associated with aging. For example, man tries to wipe out contacts with aging people from his life. Moreover, he begins to hate himself due to the fact that his phobia develops into panic. Such states begin in people who are just over 30 years old. Usually at this age the body starts a gradual restructuring. Wrinkles appear on the face, it changes, circles under the eyes appear, the shape and weight change.

Men and women respond to such changes in different ways. If a man has a good, well-paid job, he tries to keep himself in shape, goes in for sports. Thus, he may not feel the onset of this period. Women in most cases begin to think that their youth passes. This is expressed in the purchase of expensive creams that contribute to the rejuvenation of the skin of the face and neck. Some are active in sports and prove to themselves that they are still in good shape.

Need to know that Gerontophobia is a serious mental illness, and if you begin to succumb to fear, the situation will worsen.

They can be quite a lot.

• Fear of losing your high status. A person feels his strength gradually leave. He can not do the amount of work that he used to do at a younger age.
• The following follows from the previous one: fear of loneliness and uselessness. The person understands that if he stops doing work with due diligence, he will be deprived of this work.
• Further consequences will begin, such as a change in the former way of life, for example. The individual is pleased with everything and does not want to change anything. And with the onset of old age, his pastime will change substantially.
• From this follows fear of losing money. A person is afraid of lack of money due to the fact that he can no longer work a lot.
• And the worst thing is the realization that death is coming.

All these phobias are formed since childhood. The child watched as the grandmother or grandfather gradually became old and sick. Then he had to see the funeral process. The unformed children's psyche reacted to these phenomena and consolidated the fear of old age in the subconscious.

A teenage girl, becoming an adult, will begin to think about what awaits her in the future. If a woman can create a family and will be surrounded by close people who love her, then fear will not absorb her soul. For the cares and worries about her loved ones, she will have no time to think about the approach of old age, and only sometimes a little sadness is possible.

However, this can not be said about those single women who have not been able to create a family hearth. Over the years, such representatives of the weaker sex realize that in their old age they will remain completely alone. Against this background, they develop gerontophobia.

However, and men are not without such fears. Some of them after 40 years leave the family to young girlfriends. So they are trying to deal with depression, which is caused by gerontophobia. It seems to the representatives of the stronger sex that if a young girl paid attention to them, they are still full of energy and are young enough. This self-deception gives a slight relief effect, after which the obsessive state returns.

Even cheerful youth can experience panic attacks associated with gerontophobia. Each of their number from time to time thinks that someday he may grow old and die. From this the mood spoils, and if the child is deprived of parental love, does not feel the support of loved ones, then the depressive state can be aggravated.

A person at any age should feel protected by both the state and close people.

If you experience fear, then it is not worth it to give in to it. You just need to ask for help from a specialist. Gerontophobia is treated quite successfully and that you should know.

In medicine, the well-known psychotherapeutic practices that have led to positive results have long been used. At the same time, drug therapy in the form of tranquilizers is also used. If the disease is at the initial stage, then success in treatment is guaranteed.

Instead of self-treatment, it is best to seek medical help in order to establish an accurate diagnosis and prescription of relaxation or cognitive-behavioral therapy. It is very important to remove anxiety at such a moment and such practice as hypnosis helps well in this. With its help, the specialist will establish the true causes of this state and eliminate them. As a result of such sessions, a person will begin to perceive old age as a natural process, let go of unnecessary experiences and return to full-fledged life.

People who are prone to gerontophobia are very afraid of losing their health. Against this background, they begin to get nervous and, as a rule, fall ill physically. Therefore, it is necessary to fight phobias. Such practices as helping to turn negative attitudes into positive ones work with affirmations. In short, this pronouncing phrases with a positive attitude many times at the same time.

Some do not believe in such therapy, but self-hypnosis brings very good results. When a person repeats the same phrase for a long time, it becomes the goal of his life. For example, if you begin to instill in yourself the idea that you are healthy and young, you will definitely feel much better both morally and physically. Here is an example of affirmation: "I am healthy (a) and young (a)."

And you can use other methods.

• The method of overflowing consciousness with fear. Man as much as possible immersed in a frightening story. From this, his consciousness begins to resist. It turns out the rebound effect. When the individual outlives his fear, he will become tired of being afraid, thus a gradual restoration of the psychoemotional state will take place.
• From fear and panic attacks, you can use breathing exercises.. Slow breaths and exhalations restore breathing and heart rate, and behind this comes a psychological rest.
• Autotraining, implying self-hypnosis and self-education, close to the practice of affirmations, so you can choose the method that suits you best.
• Desensitization method lies in the fact that first a person is introduced into a state of relaxation, and then evoke an idea of ​​a frightening situation. For gerontophobe, this can be an encounter with a man of the age or the appearance of regular wrinkles. Under the influence of positive emotions, the resulting anxiety gradually disappears.
• You need to explain to a person with gerontological phobias, that during a panic attack, he needs to learn to switch his mind to positive points. For example, if various thoughts come to mind that in old age you will not be able to move independently, then you need to switch your mind and imagine how you will start to play sports in old age.

Along with such methods, it is necessary that the family of a gerontophobe person should have a comfortable and welcoming environment.