The fear of getting older is a common phenomenon faced by a significant part of the population. Many people are scared to grow old at a very young age. The majority of individuals associate the elderly and senile age with something negative. For example, with infirmity, cognitive disorders, dementia, or the inability to realize oneself (Ferrini & Ferrini, 2012). Nonetheless, age does not always define the degree of oldness, wisdom, or maturity and only serves as a number.
Traditionally, aging causes substantial changes to one’s body and mind. However, at times, these alterations are not associated with age but rather with poor functioning of the organism. In my opinion, an old person is one that has reached at least 60 years old, and before this age they can be considered adults. Those who reach 75 or more should be perceived as elderly. Nonetheless, age is only a number, which means that a human is able to control their aging process by eating healthily, exercising, and developing cognitive skills.
I also have a fear of getting old because I will probably lose some vital functions. It is a common phobia to forfeit walking abilities – the thought of being bedridden scares me. Moreover, cognitive deviations may occur and lead to dementia; this could further evoke a feeling of loneliness. People who have such feelings eat worse and move around slower and have a higher disease index. These disorders may have an effect on the relationship with the relative and limit the ability to gain new experiences (Navasky & O’Connor, 2006). In general, biological age may define the state of people’s bodies and minds, but it should not affect a person’s perception of themselves. Aging can be amazing if perceived as a process of experiencing new things.
References
Ferrini, R., & Ferrini, A. (2012). Health in the later years. McGraw-Hill Higher Education.
Navasky, M., & O’Connor, K. (2006). Living old. Frontline. Web.