The Unseen Burden of Immortality: One Man's Battle with Longevity Fixation
Jason Wood, 40, experienced a breakdown due to an extreme focus on controlling every aspect of his life, driven by a deep fear of dying following the premature loss of his parents to cancer. His intense regimen was an attempt to mitigate this fear.
Wood's daily routine was meticulously planned and executed. It included strict diet monitoring, twice-daily exercise, and constant tracking of biomarkers such as heart rate, blood pressure, body fat, sleep patterns, and glucose levels.
He regularly spent $250-300 on IV vitamin drips and oxygen treatments and requested extensive blood tests every six months, accumulating approximately $10,000 in expenses. His lifestyle, which began daily at 4 am and ended at 9 pm with a protein drink, became a significant burden.
The Unofficial Diagnosis: Longevity Fixation Syndrome
Following his breakdown and seeking mental health support, Wood concluded he was suffering from what has been termed 'longevity fixation syndrome.'
This unofficial diagnosis describes an anxiety-driven, compulsive obsession with living as long as possible.
The term was recently coined by Jan Gerber, CEO of Paracelsus Recovery, a mental health clinic in Switzerland. Gerber reported a significant increase in patients presenting with similar behaviors. He noted that this behavior aligns closely with orthorexia, an eating disorder characterized by a fixation on 'clean' eating and exercise.
Growing Recognition in Mental Health
While some skepticism has been raised about coining a new disorder, therapists across the US, Europe, and the UK report a growing number of clients exhibiting these symptoms.
The pursuit of longevity has expanded beyond diet and exercise to include an increasing array of biohacks offered by various practitioners and clinics.