Snow White Syndrome: “Mirror, Mirror…”

After a certain age, it is not uncommon for some people to consider themselves ugly.

Physical appearance is one of the most valuable traits. Many women (and even some men) do not accept the appearance of the first wrinkles and try to hide their age.

As time passes, age leaves its mark and unhappiness increases for them, because they cannot bear to see how their physical appearance changes. After the age of forty, the distinctive beauty of youth disappears and frustration and anxiety appear.

Snow White Syndrome: What is it?

In our article “ Peter Pan and Wendy Syndrome: Trapped in Neverland ,” we talk about two disorders named after two Disney characters . In this article, we will summarize the characteristics of Snow White Syndrome .

Snow White Syndrome refers to the distortion of the image a person has of themselves regarding their youth, beauty, or typical qualities at this stage of life, and the desire they feel for younger people and consider them more attractive. .

Betsy Cohen, an American psychiatrist, coined this term in one of her books . Although the disorder is not part of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5 ), psychologists are increasingly interested in its symptoms, which generally appear in many women ages 40 and older.

Although this syndrome is more common in women, some cases have also been recorded in men.