Ageing is a natural part of life, yet so many are scared of it.
So why is it that ageing is so scary?
The Effects Of Ageing
It’s true that your physical and cognitive abilities decrease as you age.
However, your overall mental health, mood, sense of well-being, and your ability to handle stress improve right up until the very end of your life.
Even though aging comes with a multitude of effects most people seem to focus on their changing looks like wrinkles, sagging skin and grey hair.
Most recently people have been obsessing over the ‘Aged’ filter on TikTok.
This filter uses AI to enhance existing facial features to predict what a person would look like when they’re older.
The Obsession With Looking Youthful
Although beauty standards are constantly changing, one thing has remained constant: the emphasis on youth.
The commercialisation of makeup and skincare has perpetuated the unrealistic standard of having clear, wrinkle-free skin.
Practices such as using sun protection every day and having a healthy lifestyle have become more common to reduce the effects of ageing.
Some, however, have taken it as far as using fewer facial expressions and anti-aging straws to minimise the chance of getting wrinkles.
This toxic mentality that one has to look as young as possible for as long as possible is unfortunately being seen more and more in younger people.
This is due to the presence of social media allowing this message to spread, leading to more insecurity surrounding ageing.
Unfortunately the beauty industry profits off of these insecurities by pushing anti-ageing skincare and makeup that will make you look younger.
Women are disproportionately affected by this.
There is a stronger expectation for women to age “gracefully” when in reality there is no correct way to age.
Realising That Ageing Is Not A Bad Thing
All words associated with old age such as senile, geezer, decrepit, have negative connotations.
Getting older has many negative implications, so how can we address them?
We need to recognise that there are many misconceptions and false stereotypes about ageing.
Ageing does not mean you have to stop doing things you enjoy.
Older people can still be active, learn a multitude of new things and pick up new hobbies.
Beauty does not diminish with age and a person’s worth cannot be determined by either of these factors.
As we age, our appearance changes to reflect the changes we have gone through.
This is why every wrinkle and grey hair is beautiful, as it tells its own story.
Ageing shouldn’t be something to be scared of and you shouldn’t worry about the way you will look when you get older.
It is more important to live life to its fullest rather than living in fear of wrinkles.
What are your thoughts on this topic? Let us know!
