ANTI-LONELINESS
  • Home
  • About
    • Me
    • Loneliness
    • The Project
    • My Team
    • Testimonials
    • Privacy Policy
  • Services
    • Therapy & Counseling
    • Couples Counseling
    • Online Counseling
    • Supervision
    • Internship
    • Support Groups >
      • Divorce Support Group
      • Grief Support Group
  • Academy
    • Academy for All
    • All Courses
    • From Conflict to Connection
    • How to stop Perfectionism
    • How much of a Perfectionist are you?
    • Burnout Recovery: from exhaustion to resilience
    • How to stop Procrastinating
    • Σεμιναριο για τις σχεσεις
    • Divorce Recovery Programme
    • Grief Recovery Programme
  • Blog
    • Loneliness
    • Self-Development
    • Relationships
    • Family
  • RESOURCES
    • Extra Resources
    • In the Media
    • BOOKS >
      • Books for everyone
      • Books for professionals
    • CARDS
  • Contact
  • Home
  • About
    • Me
    • Loneliness
    • The Project
    • My Team
    • Testimonials
    • Privacy Policy
  • Services
    • Therapy & Counseling
    • Couples Counseling
    • Online Counseling
    • Supervision
    • Internship
    • Support Groups >
      • Divorce Support Group
      • Grief Support Group
  • Academy
    • Academy for All
    • All Courses
    • From Conflict to Connection
    • How to stop Perfectionism
    • How much of a Perfectionist are you?
    • Burnout Recovery: from exhaustion to resilience
    • How to stop Procrastinating
    • Σεμιναριο για τις σχεσεις
    • Divorce Recovery Programme
    • Grief Recovery Programme
  • Blog
    • Loneliness
    • Self-Development
    • Relationships
    • Family
  • RESOURCES
    • Extra Resources
    • In the Media
    • BOOKS >
      • Books for everyone
      • Books for professionals
    • CARDS
  • Contact

Fear of Getting Old: What is Gerascophobia & How To Cope

16/8/2022

0 Comments

 

Fear of Getting Old: What is Gerascophobia & How To Cope

young woman smiling
Our society is obsessed with youth. It is only necessary to look at the booming, billionare anti-ageing industry to understand the length of our obsession with appearing young. It comes as no surprise that many of us struggle with a deep-seated fear of aging. The fear of getting old is all too common and can fuel our anxiety and disrupt our mental health. That is why we want to share with you what psychology has to say about the fear of aging, and, most improtantly, discuss how to cope with this fear so that we can live more fulfilling and self-compassionate lives.

What is Gerascophobia? Understanding Fear of Aging

The term gerascophobia comes from the Greek words γηράσκω, gerasko, "I grow old" and φόβος, phobos, "fear". Experts are not quite sure about the cause of  gerascophobia, but an interesting conceptual framework has been proposed by Momtaz et al. (2021) which combines several relevant theories to better understand and explain the fear of getting older. 

​To be more specific, Momtaz et al. (2021) suggested that several theories might explain the origins of fear of aging. Based on the reviewed theories in their research: internalizing ageist stereotypes (Stereotype Embodiment Theory), struggling to meet social expectations (Double Standard of Aging Theory), failing to achieve expected or desired life events (Social Clock Theory), moving from the young (in-group) into the old (out-group) (Social Identity Theory), and diminished beauty and declining health (Terror Management Theory) cause fear of aging. The results of this study provide a theoretical framework for understanding the causes of fear of aging. This framework can be better understood by the following figure they designed. 
Picture
Studies show that the fear of aging can harm one’s health and is linked to poor physical and psychological health. Living in an era with increased life expectancy, most people can expect to reach old age. Therefore, one of the most important issues that individuals should be prepared for is the adjustment to the aging process and the coping with this fear.

How To Deal with the Fear of Getting Old

Many of us struggle with anxiety-fuelled thoughts about aging. However, this fear is not set in stone. Rather, we can take concrete steps to overcome the fear of getting old. Researchers and therapists alike have found that some strategies can help us cope with this common fear. Some of them include:

1. Identify what are you afraid of losing

A good idea might be to start journaling your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors whenever this fear pops up. You can use this template or any tracking application to note: the events triggering this fear, the intensity and frequency of escalation of the emotion, your thoughts around aging, and the behavioral ways you have developed to cope with this feeling. Taking some time to reflect on that might help you understand why you are afraid of getting older. Is it the sense of losing control? Is it because of a stereotypical behavior you have seen around you? Is it the beauty standards? Is health your only concern?

2. Invite your thoughts to “court”

Having identified the deeper reasons and thoughts around your fear, I now invite you to take those thoughts on trial. Our brains have the tendency to only look for proof that our thoughts and worries around them are valid and truthful. I now invite you to challenge this tendency by looking for arguments against your deeper reasons for fear. For example, if your deeper fear is that aging will be inevitably connected with loneliness and isolation, look for cases around you that don't confirm this belief. Whenever in this state of mind, make sure you include in your thinking pattern that old auntie of yours who, although 80 years old, still enjoys her nights playing cards with her friends. 

3. Take a step back. Set the fear in perspective

Let’s not forget that gerascophobia is, after all, a phobia. That does not mean that it is “fake” or “foolish”. On the contrary, it means that it has the power to influence our thoughts and behaviors. However, if looked at from a broader perspective, you can reflect on other fears of yours and the ways you have coped with them in the past. For example, maybe as a kid, you were afraid of dogs, and maybe you still are. Over the years, maybe through: gradual exposure through movies, taking walks  with dogs at a distance from you, taking walks with your friend’s dog walking closer to you and so on, you became more resistant to their presence. Similarly, regarding aging, maybe you could spend a bit more time with an older relative of yours, watch a relevant movie, or volunteer at an elderly home. Gradually exposing yourself, relating and talking to people who have already experienced aging, may challenge your thoughts and lower the intensity of your fear.  

4. Create an Action Plan

In some cases, having an action plan for that future day where you will be older, might help. Having identified the core reasons why you are afraid of getting older, you can act in advance to tackle them more efficiently. Here are some ideas:
  • Counter the fear of physical decline and chronic illness with regular exercise and other healthy lifestyle practices
  • Counter the fear of memory loss with up-to-date information, prevention, and planning
  • Counter the fear of running out of money with a sound financial plan 
  • Counter fears of loneliness and of losing loved ones by maintaining social connections, joining clubs and activities you enjoy

5. Practice Self-compassion, Acceptance, and Mindfulness

Accept your humanity. I know you have heard that before, but I also know it is hard to truly grasp it and accept it in a nonjudgmental way. Truth be told, you can not escape getting older, in the same way you can not escape experiencing “negative” emotions. Instead of spending all your energy worrying about it and pushing it away, you may as well embrace it as part of your journey. Maybe by doing so, that saved energy can be invested into something joyful for your future elderly days, or for your present moments. 

6. Talk about it and seek professional Help

Last but not least, know that you are not alone with this fear. Many people around you and around the world have similar fears on this matter. Talking about it with like-others may foster a supportive system around you capable of embracing you warmly in your quest. If you feel that this is not enough, do not hesitate to reach out and seek professional help from a psychologist, counselor, or psychotherapist. 
Written by Alexandra Symeonidou, an intern at AntiLoneliness

What's Next?

  • Join AntiLoneliness Academy, and find the tools to better face your current challenges
  • If perfectionism is getting in the way of having fulfilling relationships, get the FREE guide "How Much of a Perfectionist Are You?" and find out which perfectionist tendencies you struggle with.
  • Sign up for my newsletter here and get the FREE 40-page guide/workbook on Self-Care filled with practical tips that can make your life more peaceful and balanced.  
  • For Book recommendations:
    • Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life
    • Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself
    • When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times
    • Radical Acceptance: Awakening the Love That Heals Fear and Shame
    • The Lonely City: Adventures in the Art of Being Alone
    • Together: The Healing Power of Human Connection in a Sometimes Lonely World
    • Braving the Wilderness: The Quest for True Belonging and the Courage to Stand Alone
    • Present Over Perfect: Leaving Behind Frantic for a Simpler, More Soulful Way of Living
  • Watch our videos with Psychology tips and insights on Burnout, Relationships, Perfectionism, Anxiety, etc. ​
  • Don't let your situation pull you down, contact me and start your own therapy journey.
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Self-Development

    TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR LIFE.


    Know Yourself. 
    YOU are responsible for how you feel. The others behave in the way they want, but they have nothing to do with the way you perceive their behavior and consequently how you feel. 
    It's merely your decision. 

    Categories

    All
    Acceptance
    Achievement
    Addiction
    Alone
    Anger
    Angry
    Antiloneliness
    Anxiety
    Apps
    Attachment
    Autism
    Avoidance
    Balance
    Belonging
    Blocking-feelings
    Blocking-feelings
    Body
    Books
    Boundaries
    Brain
    Broken Heart
    Burnout
    Busy Women
    Calm
    Cbt
    Change
    Childhood
    Christmas
    Colouring-book
    Comfort-zone
    Comfort-zone
    Comparisons
    Compassion
    Compassionate
    Confusion
    Connection
    Control
    Cope
    Coping-mechanism
    Coping Mechanisms
    Copping Strategies
    Coronavirus
    Counseling
    Critic
    Criticism
    Cycle Of Negative Thinking
    Cycle Of Negativity
    Decision
    Decision-making
    Decision-making
    Delaying
    Denial
    Depressed
    Depression
    Disappointment
    Discomfort
    Discomfrot
    Eating Disorders
    Emotional Awareness
    Emotional Eating
    Emotional Intelligence
    Emotional Needs
    Emotional Support Animal
    Emotional Triggers
    Emotions
    Empath
    Empathy
    Escape Negative Thinking
    Expat Life
    Express Anger
    Failure
    Family
    Fear
    Fear-of-failure
    Fear-of-failure
    Fears
    Feelings
    Focus
    Food
    Forest Therapy
    Freedom
    Gerascophobia
    Giving Up
    Goal
    Good Enough
    Grateful
    Grief
    Guilt
    Gutbrain-connection
    Gut-feeling
    Happiness
    Help
    Highly Sensitive Person
    High Standards
    Holidays
    Hope
    Hopelessness
    How-to-make-the-right-decision
    Hsp
    Imperfection
    Inner Critic
    Inner-critic
    Inner Peace
    Intuition
    Joy
    Judging
    Kindness
    Laziness
    Learned Helplessness
    Learning
    Life
    Loneliness
    Love
    Make The Perect Decision
    Meaning
    Meditation
    Mental Health
    Migraine
    Mindfullness
    Mindfulness
    Mistakes
    Motivation
    Narcissism
    Nature
    Negative Spiral
    Negative Thinking
    Negative Thinking Pattern
    Negative Thoughts
    New Year Resolution
    Not Alone
    Other People's Opinion
    Pain
    Pandemic
    Panic Attacks
    Parenting
    Parents
    Partner
    Perfectionism
    Perfectionist
    Physical Symptoms
    Postponing
    Present
    Procrastination
    Psychologist
    Psychology
    Psychosomatics
    Psychosomatic-symptoms
    PTSD
    Relationships
    Relief
    Rest
    Ruminating
    Sadness
    Safety
    Scared
    Schemas
    Self Awareness
    Self Care
    Self Compassion
    Self-compassion
    Self Confidence
    Self-doubt
    Self Esteem
    Self-esteem
    Self Improvement
    Self-improvement
    Self Kindness
    Self-kindness
    Self Love
    Self-love
    Self Sabotage
    Sensitive
    Service Dog
    Shame
    Shock
    Signs
    Sleep
    Smartphones
    Social Media
    Stress
    Struggle
    Struggling
    Suffer
    Suffering
    Support
    Suppressed Anger
    Suppression
    Technology
    Therapy
    Therapy Dog
    The Right Decision
    Thinking
    Threat
    Time-management
    Tips
    Toxic Shame
    Trauma
    Trauma Response
    Trigger
    Trust
    Uncertainty
    Values
    Vassia-sarantopoulou
    Vassia-sarantopoulou
    What-to-do
    Women
    Work
    Workaholism
    Work Life Balance
    Workload
    Workplace
    Workplan
    Workshop
    Worrying

    RSS Feed

Counseling

Personal Counseling
Couples Counseling
OnLine Counseling 
​
GROUP COUNSELING 

​Grief Support
Divorce Support 
​Therapy Group 

Blog

Loneliness
​Self-Development
Relationships
​Family 

About

Me
​My Team
Contact 
​The Cards
Privacy Policy ​
NIP Psycholoog
Vassia Sarantopoulou
Head Psychologist - Founder of AntiLoneliness

​Therapy for expats and locals 
Leiden - The Hague - online 
​

Member of the Netherlands Institute of Psychologists (NIP)

© COPYRIGHT 2022. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.