Why women panic about aging

Even though wrinkles, graying hair, body changes are natural changes, society looks upon them negatively. Today younger and younger women are going for all kinds of skin treatments like Botox for fear of losing their youth. As teenagers women want to grow up quickly, but once they are hitting thirty they want to look like teenagers again as they fear they are no longer young. Women are most worried about thinning hair and balding besides turning grey. Other big fears in the beauty arena are getting facial hair and middle age spread that ruins their ‘figure’ completely.

Out of 10, at least six women feel younger than their age which they attribute to good make-up and routine care of skin and figure.

Women have a natural tendency to put on weight. The slender professional women of today indeed fear they will lose the race if they put on weight and that frightens them as they feel they will be less attractive to men than women who are still slim. Competing for men’s attention possibly stems from the instinctive behaviour that is a prerequisite for mating. As old age creeps in, women feel they have lost the competition and fear continues to grow that men will no longer bond with them.

As compared to men, 22% of the women say that they feel worried or anxious on a daily or weekly basis regarding their weight.

Partially, the female hormones are to blame for women’s stress levels and fear of growing old. As menopause creeps up and their bodies change, they begin to feel anxious about growing old as that is a visible physical change which indicates biological old age setting in.

Psychologists are of the opinion that becoming dependent because of illness and the fear of death are frightening truths that terrifies women. Since women can no longer bear children they begin to feel their usefulness has decreased and they fear that they are no longer required in the society. The biggest fear about old age comes from the feeling that they no longer matter and have no importance for anyone. The fact that society devalues them as they grow older is what frightens most women.

"Who will take care of me" is another of women’s fears, more than their fear of losing their youthful looks. Studies state that women are natural worriers and that is why they have these fears. Today women may be financially independent and have their own money to fall back on, but those who do not have their independent income worry about that aspect too and where the finances will come from in case they fall ill. Also women tend to outlive men and the fear of being left alone and possibly disabled frightens them as they don’t wish to be a burden on their children.