Our surroundings are full of different elements that can easily trigger many of our insecurities at any time. We have media, movies, and a bunch of other social standards that constantly pressure us to look in certain ways that sometimes we are not comfortable with, just to feel included in this group of people.
The truth is that, even though our mindset as society has been shifted to be more broad and inclusive nowadays, every single person still has their own struggles inside their minds, and that can become our worst enemy even if everything around us is trying to fight those standards.
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Like aging, for example, that is the most natural and simplest part of life and yet people seem to fear it to such an extent that their mental health gets heavily affected, developing syndromes like this one.
What is the “Snow White Syndrome’’?
We all know the classic Snow White story: a beautiful princess that had an evil stepmom who was obsessed with being the prettiest woman of the kingdom and also madly jealous of Snow White´s youth and natural beauty. The evil woman then does everything in her power to feel like she is the most beautiful one over anyone, even if that includes getting rid of her own stepdaughter.
This whole Queen’s plot is basically the foundation of what we now call the “Snow White’s Witch Syndrome” or “Snow White Syndrome’’ in general, referring to all those people who have a mental intolerance to aging and really envy young generations. It ends up being more than just a children’s fairytale, becoming a real-life struggle that as time passes, more experts draw their attention to diagnosing and treating this type of mental disorder.
People who suffer from this syndrome can’t deal with the fact that they are growing older and therefore, they do whatever they can to slow the aging process as much as possible in all aspects. They go from esthetic treatments to dress, behave and date as if they were still in their early 20s, desperately trying to fight that powerful insecurity within themselves that can even lead them to suffer anxiety and depression.
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Additionally, they generate an unhealthy sense of competition against younger people. Whether it is with a family member, friend, co-worker, or their own daughters/sons, they can’t help but feel a lot of envy towards them and constantly try to attack them verbally or even physically.
Which are the symptoms of “Snow White´s Syndrome”?
People who struggle with this disorder usually experience anxiety and depression when thinking about aging. They feel a deep urge to compete with the young ones, develop an obsession with their appearance and living a “healthy” lifestyle and are constantly searching for physical approval. They don’t like or don’t know how to be single, and they have low self-esteem as well as a completely distorted self-concept.
How can “Snow White´s Syndrome” be treated?
It all depends on the seriousness of the matter. People can work through it by going to therapy and practicing emotional intelligence or sometimes they need to receive psychiatric attention in order to improve their mental health. The important thing is that this syndrome is completely treatable and once people identify and accept it, they can begin treating it as soon as they want.
Who can suffer from the “Show White´s Syndrome?
Although this disorder can be more common in women for a lot of internal and external factors, men are not exempt from experiencing it. In fact, it is very important to raise awareness about the topic while also conveying the message that no matter the gender, everyone should feel completely free to seek help whenever they need it in order to feel at ease with themselves and their mind.
