Hands of time...

By Vichara

There is this obsession to pull back the hands of time and stop the aging process. While we all know that this is a physical impossibility, many spend millions a year on products, services and ironically time to achieve this goal…the goal to stay young. When we were young we just wanted to be older and those that have this obsession with age want to get younger. The paradox serviced by an industry that is more than happy to take your money and run. One of the key elements feeding this malaise is our cultural shift from a society that retained the elder people of their families with them and celebrated their life and wisdom to a society that finds new ways to hide the elderly away. One thing is very clear you cannot stop growing older. It would be easier to accept the changes with dignity and respect (and millions of dollars) and in that retain the unity of all members of our society and families. By witnessing the changes first hand you gain more perspective and understanding and release the fear of aging that grips millions.

trichotillomania • \trick-uh-till-uh-MAY-nee-uh\ • noun
: an abnormal desire to pull out one's hair

Example Sentence:
Connie's trichotillomania left her with an unfortunate array of bald spots along the crown of her head.

Did you know?
The word "trichotillomania" derives from the Greek "trich-" ("hair") and "tillein" ("to pull or pluck"), along with the suffix "-mania" (from "mainesthai," meaning "to be mad"). People suffering from trichotillomania will routinely pluck hair from the scalp, eyebrows, eyelashes or other parts of the body, usually impulsively but sometimes with careful deliberation (such as by using tweezers). Some researchers believe that it may be a form of obsessive-compulsive disorder. The word for this condition first appeared in English around the dawn of the 20th century (it's generally thought to have been first coined in French by a French dermatologist).