Our Obsession With Longevity Could Actually Be Making Us Unwell

Right now, longevity is all the rage and as we are gradually getting older as a population, we’re hoping to extend our lifetimes even further. It makes perfect sense, right?

Plus, most longevity advice can often be summarised into: eat healthy foods, exercise often and keep a healthy sleep schedule to reduce stress. All of this is great advice and we should be trying to implement it into our lives as much as possible!

However, there is a stage where a preoccupation with longevity is just a little too far and could be impacting your mental health and even the quality of your life as you lock into the quest for a longer life.

It’s called ‘longevity fixation syndrome’

While this isn’t an official diagnosis, experts at Paracelsus Recovery, a mental health clinic based in Zurich have found that an obsessive and unhealthy fixation on longevity is increasingly presenting as anxiety and stress, and even eating disorders with their patients.

Speaking to The Mirror, Jan Gerber, the founder and CEO of Paracelsus Recovery said:  “We are seeing a growing number of people whose lives are being dominated by the fear of ageing and decline, so much so that we have identified it as a new condition, Longevity Fixation Syndrome,

“What starts as self‑care becomes obsessive self‑surveillance. The stress generated by this mindset can be so intense that it actively shortens lifespan rather than extending it.”

Gerber adds that “there is no longevity without good mental health.”

Additionally, Jason Wood, a former sufferer of this syndrome said to The Guardian that he believes that longevity obsession is closely aligned to orthorexia: a condition characterised by excessive interest in, concern about, or obsession with healthy food. 

Wood says: “I believe many of the underlying factors and desired outcomes which fuel orthorexia are the same for longevity fixation syndrome. But with the latter, there are more variables you feel like you need to control, so even more anxiety.”

If any of this feels familiar to you, speak to your GP or leading eating disorder charity BEAT for support.