Direct heir to what was once called the ‘midlife crisis’, midorexia appeals to the obsession with stopping time or declaring war on age, adopting pathological behaviors. The midorexic person has an unhealthy fear of aging and the disorder has the characteristics of a phobia. “He suffers from anxiety-type symptoms in the face of the signs of aging and actively tries to avoid them (something he can only partially achieve and in appearance), looking for an appearance or behaviors that make him look young,” explains Patricia Gracia García, psychiatrist at the Hospital Miguel Servet from Zaragoza, specialized in older adults, and associate professor at the University of Zaragoza.
Between nostalgia and vanity, midorexia is fueled by social pressure, beauty standards and the veneration of youth. Affected people embrace youthful fashions and behaviors, use digital filters that erase wrinkles or lift cheekbones, and resort to aesthetic treatments in pursuit of the impossible. This attempt to reverse aging at any cost also raises questions about self-acceptance and the real value of experience and wisdom accumulated over the years.
Mª José Pérez Fernández-Manchón, psychologist at Consulta Despertares, confirms that this excessive concern about the passage of time has its roots in the sociocultural pressure to ‘age well’ or ‘without being noticed’, as well as in a crisis of self-esteem. age related.
Ángel Luis Guillén, health psychologist and director of Psicopartner, also mentions the influence of social networks. “Constant comparison with retouched and filtered images of other people can lead to a continuous obsession with achieving an unrealistic standard of youth and beauty.” And, as Dr. Gracia reflects, who wants to grow older in a society that separates the elderly and denies that they can continue playing a valuable role when they end their working life?
To these external causes, the psychiatrist adds the influence of individual psychological factors, such as certain personality traits and ways of coping with changes, as well as existential factors, “since aging confronts us with a universal fear: the fear of death.” ”. Also important, says the director of Psicopartner, is the type of attachment in childhood, since this is decisive in the formation of self-image, self-esteem and the ability to establish healthy relationships in adulthood. “Children with an insecure attachment, whether avoidant, anxious or disorganized, often adopt negative beliefs about themselves and their worth as a person,” leading them to a constant search for validation and acceptance; an attitude that they will maintain in their adulthood and can manifest itself in obsessive behaviors related to personal image.
“You may think that midorexia only happens to people of one gender, culture and age, but midorexia does not discriminate,” says Mª José Pérez. It affects different age and gender groups, since it is based on a distorted perception of chronological age. However, in cultures where youth is especially valued, the symptoms and manifestations are much more intense, complicating psychological management and intervention.
Youth continues to be synonymous with success and beauty. Despite the efforts of organizations such as the WHO to combat age bias, especially in the workplace, the marginalization of the so-called silvers remains palpable, and possibly more so among women. However, the current senior generation does not easily resign itself to the invisibility that its predecessors silently assumed.
While a few decades ago, those over 60 years of age simply admitted the loss of attractiveness for their partners and society, accepting that they were entering the final stage of their life project, today, with a greater life expectancy, that self-image has changed. However, says Ángel Luis Guillén, past experiences of rejection or age discrimination can predispose someone to develop this excessive worry. Likewise, those who have experienced significant changes in their life, such as early or forced retirement, as well as the loss of certain social roles, are also more likely to suffer from midorexia.
According to this psychologist, midorexia can also be a symptom of underlying disorders such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) focused on appearance and aging that leads the person to control their appearance to feel safe; anxiety disorders, which cause constant concern about image and fear of aging; depression, which generates negative thoughts about oneself and resistance to accepting one’s current age and appearance, driving the search for external changes to improve one’s mood; or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), especially in those who were bullied for their appearance during childhood.
“Midorexia can be a double-edged sword,” says Mª José Pérez. On the one hand, this motivation to look young can promote positive behavioral changes such as exercising regularly, taking care of the quality of your diet and modifying lifestyle habits towards healthier practices, which improves self-esteem. But, at the same time, it can also generate frustration when encountering physical limitations and inevitable changes associated with age.
In the professional sphere, the constant need to stay updated can be both stimulating and stressful, especially when setting unrealistic expectations or unattainable goals.
On the other hand, society in general and individuals in particular tend to relate aging with negative stereotypes. “We assume that it is associated with a sedentary lifestyle and isolation, and this belief can reinforce this type of behavior when we get older, tending to behave as expected of us,” says Dr. Gracia. However, she says, there are studies that show that older people who feel young and act young maintain better habits and better health. They also report an improvement in physical performance when they receive positive messages about their ability.
That said, the psychiatrist highlights the importance of distinguishing between maintaining “young behavior,” which would rather stop assuming that because we are older there are things we can no longer do, and the compulsive struggle that a person with midorexia establishes with himself to avoid looking older.
Midorexia could be considered a body image disorder that affects all areas of individual development—family, couple, social, work, and individual development—even leading to deterioration in these areas as well as health. physical and emotional of the person who suffers from it. “It causes anxiety, depression, low self-esteem and chronic dissatisfaction with one’s appearance,” Guillén summarizes.
Furthermore, says Patricia Gracia, the obsessive, fixed and recurring thinking of those who suffer from midorexia can interfere with their ability to carry out or enjoy their daily activities. And behaviors aimed at maintaining a youthful appearance, such as intense exercise, cosmetic interventions, and even promiscuous practices, can become compulsive. That is, the person repeats the behavior over and over again regardless of the risks, but never feels that it is enough. “The level of attention and concern for the changes associated with aging in the person with midorexia is such that they cannot be at peace and satisfied with their image.” This situation can generate suffering, even leading to suicidal thoughts and behaviors.
On the other hand, the psychiatrist points out, as long as there is life, aging and its signs continue to appear, so the person is doomed to lose control in this fight, which can further undermine their self-esteem.
Likewise, Pérez explains that certain alterations in social behaviors or some impulsive decisions derived from this disorder can generate disconnections, problems or conflicts with the close environment. Not only that, but this dysfunction can also have associated physical risks such as the use of substances to improve appearance or physical performance and even undergoing extreme cosmetic surgeries.
The subjective perception of age is evolving. Compared to previous generations, many sexagenarians today do not feel or want to look older. Beauty brand marketing has understood this and is expressing and taking further the idea that 50 is the new 30, while launching creams for postmenopausal women with a message of empowerment. Fashion also reflects this change, with mature models sharing ‘billboards’ with teenagers to promote the universality and inclusivity of their creations.
Despite these attempts to positiveize this stage of life, also coining new terms such as fifties or maturity, age continues to be a stigma. So much so, that even generation Z, even in their twenties, already shows a growing concern about aging, investing their savings in antiaging cosmetics (which can sometimes ruin their skin) and rejuvenating medical-aesthetic procedures. If this distorted perception of aging has taken its toll on our puppies, how can it not distress those who have left 50 behind?
It’s good to want to look your best. Furthermore, science, medicine and technology provide more and more tools to alleviate the signs of aging, whether by repositioning volumes, reducing wrinkles or improving skin quality, with minimally invasive procedures and natural results.
“In most cases, after the treatment, the patient looks better and gains quality of life because they have more confidence in themselves,” says Dr. Candy Hernández, specialist in aesthetic and anti-aging medicine and director of Candhé Clinic. However, she notes that she has observed a general increase in concern about aging in her consultation. “It is crucial to determine if the patient really needs the treatment. Those who suffer from midorexia often have difficulty accepting themselves as they see themselves in the mirror and describe themselves as excessively aged, even though their appearance is not misaligned with their chronological age. They also tend to be people who are very concerned about health and physical appearance, usually intelligent and who have been successful throughout their lives; “They are very aware of their own image and at the same time very sensitive to the image they project.”
“However, when the patient is too obsessed with looking young, the way to feel better about themselves is not aesthetic medicine; He probably needs to work on that part of accepting the passing of the years through other means,” suggests Candy Hernández. And she establishes that you have to be very clear about how far aesthetic medicine can go. “There is no treatment that will reverse years of bad habits. Aesthetic medicine can significantly improve our appearance, even slowing down or delaying the appearance of many signs of aging, but it always has to be accompanied by good habits to look as good on the inside as on the outside.”
In short, it is not that once we reach a certain age we have to stop taking care of our appearance, give up wearing tight jeans, give up the bikini or parties and confine ourselves at home. You have to have a proactive attitude with age, but it is one thing to take care of yourself physically and mentally to age well; and quite another to become obsessed with a youthful appearance sine die. The first is healthy, the second is pathological.
However, those who suffer from midorexia are usually not aware of their problem, but overcoming it requires psychological support that provides individualized strategies that improve their well-being. Likewise, your close environment and family relationships can help you develop healthy self-esteem and the aging process.
In any case, in order to prevent and eradicate midorexia, Dr. Gracia advocates the need to promote positive aging, at an individual and social level. “On an individual level, it will help us maintain a healthy lifestyle, establish positive relationships with others, be more flexible and compassionate with ourselves, and have a purpose in life. At a social level, we need to educate the population about the prejudices associated with age and spread positive messages about aging.”
