Fear of Aging
 

Is anyone else literally scared of aging? I know it's ridiculous and vain, but I'm terrified of it! Getting old is one of my biggest fears...I don't know why. It could be because everyone in my family is close to 50+. There's no real youngun's here. My cousins who are younger than me live in Wales, Italy, New Zeland, anywhere but here. I've pretty much always been surrounded by elderly people and have watched them get all crippled and helpless so I guess I'm just scared of getting like that too. At the same time I'm also afraid of losing my looks. Not that I have any but I just don't want to age in apperance. I'd be more than happy to look like a 20 year old for the rest of my life.

Can anyone else relate to these feelings or do I just need help?

You've got what they call good ol' gerontophobia, the fear of old people or growing old. It's a rather natural fear, I'd think. Growing older often means losing mobility, independence and various things/people we hold dear. Few people like to face up to their own mortality.

Me, I'm scared of fish/whales/sharks/dolphins. Really.

I am not afraid of getting old, it's just that i don't feel like getting old right now. I think it can be pretty neat to be old. when i see my grandfather, walking around with J.J. (the dog) and enjoying what he does, then i think it can't be that bad.

But: I am afraid of heat(more than 100°C). not fire, just heat. I don't know why but you should see me taking a pizza out of the oven :D

may i ask why you're afraid of fish and stuff, hooligan?

Sharkes I can TOTALLY understand - they creep me out. Jaws gave me nightmares for weeks. *shudders*

I adore Dolphin's and Whales though. Such beautiful creatures.

I'm not sure why I'm so creeped out by them. Even guppies give me the jibblies. I blame it on childhood nightmares, Sea World, the Gordon's Fisherman fishstick guy, the Gulf of Mexico and that my brother once fell onto a manatee while fishing in Florida when he was 7. Actually, the latter was kind of funny.

Some fears make sense, others don't. *shrugs*

Yep. I've seen people on TV or have known of people who are afraid of things like kittens, tin foil, cotton balls, balloons, flowers, leaves...the list goes on.

Actually, I think I have a fear of old age. After 50 or so you will only get weaker and sicker... I hope I never have to experience that, even if it means dying young.

Like was said, it's a fairly natural and understandable fear, growing old. I don't really think I'm afraid of getting old, but it's not like I like the idea. It would be fantastic if I could stay like this (well, okay, maybe not exactly like this) forever. But no dice, so I'm gonna make the most with what I got.

As for other phobias, I have none. At least, none that I've discovered. Of course, I'm cautious of things like going too fast in a car, standing too close to edges/cliffs, dangerous animals, etc., but that's survival instincts talking.

I don't have a fear of aging, so I can't relate to that.

My fears are water, bridges, strange dogs, and the strangest...reflective surfaces. A dark window or mirror is what I mean by "reflective surfaces". I don't know why I'm afraid of it. I just always have been. I guess it's because I'm afraid I might see something I don't want to. Admitting I have a fear of of mirrors can bring on some pretty stupid jokes.

I only have one fear.. and that is death and beyond.

Oh well..

I have a fear of loosing my memory. Injury, death, getting old, getting diseased, crippled, whatever...... i can deal with that.... but not being albe to remember anything at all would really bother me i'd think.

getting old
 

Sometimes I stop and think "Ya know time is gonna pass you by and before you know it you'll be forty or fifty" Not something that scares me really, but maybe lightly disturbs me or dampens my mood sometimes.
It gets me thinking that I should try to live my life to the fullest and stop being so lazy and ritualistic. Hopefully I will have a full, happy life for the most part, but you never know what life can throw you... :goofygri:

Well, throughout the entire Winter Break, up until today, I've been going to be at 4-6 in the morning and waking up at 3 in the afternoon. The days went by so quickly.. but today I woke up at 10 in the morning and so far the day seems so long. :lol:

I can't say that I fear growing old...

...BUT, I do have one phobia and here it is:
Ophidiphobia

*shudders at the animal that she is scared of*

I had a dream a long time ago. I dreamed that in the future, the aging problem was solved. When people reached a certian age, they were given an option. Grow older and older until they look like the people in that Sonic Heroes commercial, or they could have an android body built for them, based off of pictures of them when they were young. Then the person's brain would be digitized and downloaded to the android, and they would live for another 1000+ years. I never quite knew what to make of that dream. A person would loose a lot of the things that make them human, yet they wouldn't die. It makes you wonder what some people would choose if that ever happened. Maybe this whole dream came from that AI movie. Man, that scared the hell out of me. Guess it was the fact that humans had such little respect for artifical life. I never approved of that. Oh well, now I'm getting off topic.

That's fear of snakes right? Or am I'm way off?

I'm pretty sure it is since Mars said:

"mmm-hmmm... :nod:
I remember you mentioning him putting tarantulas and whatnot in people's pockets....well...as long as he doesn't get near me with ANY kind of snake, I'm fine. :D"

...in the "Criss Angel" thread.

Hell yeah i'm scared of aging. But not because of my looks or anything. When I get like 30-40 or something like that, I'm scared If I will still like TMNT then, cause I use All my money on TMNT.

I'm a bit scared of HIGH heights, but it's no biggy.

Why would it bother you??? cause then you wouldn't be able to remember anything which bothers you :wink:

I have a fear of being crushed to death.

by what?

its gonna happen dont fight it. your body will age but DONT LET YOUR MIND AGE! Age is only a number!

By anything. Once when I was high, I had a bad trip, and my fear stems from that.

It's the fear of not being able to remember stuff, not the actual forgetting.

hehe, ok

To retain my youth, I drain the blood of virgins into a tub, then bathe in it. It works, too; people tell me I look 18 when I'm really 3500.

Very true. Wise words, Buslady. :)

My greatest fear, well I don't know it. It's not mortality. and my fear of hights is minor, I have no fear over any particular creature, though I used to have a fear of wasps. Maybe my Greatest fear is the fear of not being able to adapt to change.

Hmm...I should do that too but the whole process of gathering virgins is just too much hardwork.

My greatest fear is a painful death..or just pain in particular.

My greatest fear...

Failing my Judgement after I die.

Ah yes, just like Leo in the old cartoon. I did a fic on that once, and used that as the title: Ophidiophobia.

I'm not up to speed on the definitions of certain phobias. What is ophidiophobia?

Ophidiophobia: Fear of snakes

*shudders and quotes Indy*
"Snakes...why'd it have to be snakes?!"

I would like to read that! I am DEFINATELY interested, Kali.... :lol:

Thanks, Moose.

But why would someone be afraid of snakes? They're so cool!

true. That scares me too.

okay...... :dead:

WHY?!? I'll TELL ya why!!
When I was in the fourth grade, my teacher's boyfriend brought over his pet boa constrictor to show us. Obviously, back then I wasn't terrifed of snakes. I was then called up, after flat out REFUSING, and my teacher sat beside me and tried to convince me to pet the darn thing. I have a picture of me (looking so cute...nyahhh! ^.^ :lol: ), my teacher, and her boyfriend and the boa constrictor.

I was scarred emotionally for the rest of my life....

I went to check out the fic after I finished up my my skimming through the boards I visit. I read it (which it was pretty short), but then decided to check out more of Kali's stories (which I had only read a few before). Well, I wound up getting really into the stories (especially the 'Crash And Burn' one that I just finished) and soon three hours had passed by without me even noticing. :ohwell:

Good stuff. 8)

They're not coo. They're cute. :)
But my perception of all things cute seem to be distorted... so ignore me. ;)

Actually, I agree. I think Reptiles are adorable.

I'm afraid of zombies.