On why the aging and aging process, although driven by a negative force at a later stage, is inherently positive and can change our outlook on life …
Aging is one of the most normal and regular processes that affect human beings both positively and negatively and, along with physiological and physical changes, aging causes many psychological changes in individuals. Although aging occurs throughout life, the main importance of aging is felt during the transition from middle age to old age and could be considered as the most important stage of aging.
So what are these processes that explain aging in humans and what are the psychological theories that explain differences in people’s thinking patterns due to age-related changes?
According to the WHO, the aging population in the world has been growing steadily with declining fertility rates and increased life expectancy and, considering that aging is part of everyone’s life, it is important to understand the changes. psychological disorders that can occur during different stages of life as you age. it becomes more than just a number. Age could be considered largely psychological in the sense that some pessimistic people tend to feel older even before their 40s, while others consider themselves older only when they turn 60 or older. Individuals may feel age as a measure of health, and physical manifestations such as graying of hair, skin wrinkles, or muscle weakness may indicate a change in age. Since most of us identify with our body, the aging of the body naturally causes the aging of the mind and with the decrease in physical strength, there may be a decrease in psychological strength and this works as a cycle in related processes with the age. Poor psychological health, in turn, affects the physical well-being of an individual. Although people’s life expectancy has increased considerably in recent years, suggesting improvements in global health, people still tend to remain apprehensive about the life changes that age will ultimately bring.
In psychology, Erik Erikson delineated certain stages of psychosocial development as applicable to adulthood or middle age, as well as to old age. As the individual continues to grow throughout life, psychosocially, the focus may be on generativity versus stagnation during middle age, when individuals tend to contribute to their careers and family. People who choose generativity would be successful in using their skills at work or in the family or both; otherwise, with stagnation they may feel unproductive and unrelated to the world. The last stage of psychosocial development that occurs in old age highlights the dimension of integrity versus despair in which people look back at their accomplishments and achievements and may develop a sense of pride and integrity or may develop feelings of despair. According to Erikson, old age is a period of self-reflection and will generally bring a feeling of hopelessness or satisfaction.
I would consider middle age to be based primarily on materialistic or worldly needs and old age is primarily based on spiritual and existential needs. While middle age is about ‘living’ and living properly and people are focused on increasing assets, property and savings for the future and also focused on achievement, old age is about ‘surviving’ and The main concern is problems related to health, illness and death. . In certain cases, thoughts of dying can become very prominent in certain people and they may want to hold onto life through family or creative work that remains even after a person’s death.
Aging cannot be considered a strictly chronological process, but rather a psychological process when there is a negative rather than a positive force that justifies the existence of a person. Even a child goes through the aging process and grows to become an adult, but since the child is entering the world and expanding horizons, the aging process for a child is positive and the main phenomenon of aging is through ‘know’ as the child grows. until you know and contribute as an adult. The development of an identity becomes the main motivation of life and, in young adulthood, people quickly move into “achievement” mode, since young adulthood is about using the knowledge acquired to achieve money, fame or even enlightenment. The ‘living’ stage comes next in middle adulthood, as I have already discussed, and at this point not only are the fruits of achievement beginning to reveal itself, but the future is also secured with the financial and emotional security provided to the individual. lay the foundations of family and professional life in the world. previous stage. All these stages of knowing, achieving and living are positive phases, although all these stages can have specific dilemmas, however, the final stage of survival is motivated mainly by the fear of death and this negative force causes the actual aging process. Therefore, it is easy to understand why aging is primarily a psychological process. Reinforced fear of death in old age brings out a negative force in life and if this negative force is somehow reversed or turned positive, the aging process will no longer be seen as negative and detrimental to an older person. .
Of course, it is important to understand how the aging process could turn into a positive. The vast amount of literature, articles, television programs, radio programs, and newspaper columns highlight the aging process as fundamentally physiological and one that should be accepted, in the best of cases, in a positive way. It is as if aging is a negative thing, but you have to look at it in a positive way. I would suggest that the aging process is primarily psychological, as explained by the fear of death, it is only caused by a negative force, but it is not inherently negative and can turn into a positive process. I’m not suggesting cosmetic surgery or going back in time in terms of body image, but going beyond body image and developing a ‘soul identity’ could actually completely reverse the aging process in significant ways. Identifying oneself with the soul as the sages do and developing an inner spiritual potential could be of great help in preventing the psychological and, in turn, physiological aspects of aging. During ancient times, people led deeply spiritual lives and lived longer and looked younger than we do. The search for the soul helps to overcome the fear of death and if old age is seen as a step towards maximum spiritual completion and the right time to explore other creative dimensions of life that have been ignored before, old age can become the most fruitful and positive. phase in one’s life.
