Women's body image anxiety and societal aging stigma

Abnormal Psychology

Many women are afraid of getting older and are willing to do right about anything to appear always young. infarct many people perceive it is rude to ask a woman her age since the society has no room to accommodate old women and the changes that their bodies go through. It is not possible for women in the society not to struggle with issues of their appearance .this has resulted to many women trying to change how they look as they age so that they can be accepted in the society. They go to an extent of denying themselves food and applying anti-wrinkle cream so that they maintain their states of their bodies and faces.

Aging is always a taboo subject with women as compared to their male counterparts. Women are afraid of the aging factor due to the perceptions in the society. The society tends to create stereotypes that are not kind to women; these stereotypes favor men as compared to women. The image of aging bodies carries more social stigma for women as compared to men is acceptable in society for men to have pot bellies and wrinkles as they age but this are things that are not welcome on women. This is because the society views women with wrinkles and other features that come with aging in women as unattractive while at the same time men are seen as handsome as they age.

There are many things that come be done to change this misconceptions .first the insight should come from within women should try to accept the way they are especially their body changes when they get older. Once women start to accept aging within them then this will slowly leak to the society. Men will follow them and start proclaiming how attractive the women are as they age. The society should generally help women accept their aging bodies by removing the misconceptions they place on women and how they age (United Nations, 1999).

Question 2

Drug abusers may be confronted by different kinds of issues. These issues may arise from the different genders and ethnic groups. When it comes to gender it is seen that it is an important factor that influences both substance addiction and treatment. The way people are vulnerable to drugs also differs from each gender. Men and women behave differently in response to drugs; they also have different ways through which their biological systems respond to these drugs. Women drug users have conduct and behavioral problems as compared to men who abuse the same drugs. Men who abuse drugs develop depression and often become aggressive after taking the drugs.

Drug abuse has been traditionally linked and socially acceptable to men than women, therefore men are more likely to in treatment and recovery steps than women since there is a perception that women are not supposed to take drugs. Apart from the social issue women also face some barriers like child care and their responsibilities in the family. Stigmatization is a key issue that women face when they are trying to get help for their drug abuse problems. Women fear to take steps in seeking help with their drug problems as they may face losing custody of their children. Men on the other hand resist seeking treatment as it is seen as a blow to their ego and image (REHAB ASIA, 2011).

When it comes to ethnicity drug abusers are confronted by issues such as stereotyping. Drug abusers are often stereotyped into being from a particular ethnic group his are merely claims and not facts. This issue of stereotyping poses a challenge in making attempts to recover from the use of drugs because the drug abusers feel that even if they stop taking drugs people will still view them as drug abusers. This has led to lack of interest in trying to recover from taking drugs.

Question 7

The old age comes with different feelings and expectations from those who are experiencing it. The old age is perceived as a time to rest and an opportunity to do things that an individual was not able to do previously as they were pursuing their careers. With old age comes the inability to take part in some cherished activities which can take a heavy toll on the emotional well-being of an aging person. Aging might lead to the development of depression and other psychological problems. They may develop chronic depression that has both physical and mental consequences. The aging people may develop feelings of hopelessness and isolation that might lead to bad thoughts such as suicide especially if they are confined in nursing homes or have been diagnosed with chronic diseases. The older adult also have a sense of loss f control over their life due to the physical changes that they go through that will give rise to negative emotions and eventual depression (American Psychological Association,2012).

Aging is an inevitable part of life which should not necessarily come with depression and other psychological problems. Therefore as an individual enters old age, they might develop certain attitudes, perceptions, preparations and other general activities that can enable them to embrace their old age with a peace of mind and also anticipate the old age in a positive way. They should seek the advice of a physician in order to make dietary changes that will help them maintain their healthy self. They should also consult when they want to undertake any new activity that can stress their stamina. They should also be counseled on the changes that come with old age so that when old age sets in they might not be taken aback by these changes rather embrace them and hence reduce any chance of them getting depressed. They should also change how their bad perception of old age and to look at the opportunities that come with it such as the chance to take care of their families and even take a rest from their previous busy life when they used to work.