Psychology Facts

▼ Midlife Crisis ▼

》  The notion of the "midlife crisis" often centers on major life disruptions seen as typical to this stage of life, such as job loss, divorce, the death of parents, or the departure of children from the home. An acute sense of one's own aging and the required efforts required to compensate for it also typically factor into perceptions of middle-age angst.

》  A 2000 study found that the term 'midlife crisis' was so ubiquitous that 90% of telephone survey respondents could offer a definition. Yet a midlife crisis is not a mental health diagnosis.

》  Beginning in the 1980s, the term midlife crisis got a lot of attention, says Dan Jones, PhD, director of the Counseling and Psychological Services Center at Appalachian State University, Boone, N.C. He has researched adult development and transitions.

》  According to some estimates, about 10% to 15% of people in midlife — generally considered between ages 45 and 60 — actually experience a crisis, often characterized by radical changes such as ditching the job or the spouse. In the U.S. and the U.K., anti-depressant use peaks in the mid-40s

》  A midlife crisis often involves mood irregularities (notably increased anger or irritability, anxiety, or sadness), weight loss or gain, sleep disruption, and withdrawal from the regular routine and relationships. People experiencing the middle-age slump generally have an urgent desire to make some drastic change.

》  Every midlife crisis is different. Some common sources of midlife crises include:

Societal messages about aging, such as the idea that middle-aged people and elders are less attractive.

Changes in the body, such as weight gain, pain, or less energy.

Fear of the aging process itself.

Fear of death.

Divorce or other changes in a person's relationship.

Changes in a person's relationship with their children. This may include having children, watching children move out, or even becoming a grandparent.

Some people experience a midlife crisis due to empty nest syndrome.

Career changes, such as work being more or less demanding than it once was.

Financial challenges, especially related to retirement.

Grappling with trauma from earlier in life.

Feeling that life hasn't turned out the way one envisioned or hoped it would.

》  Men and women are equally likely to experience a transition or crisis, But it looks different in both genders.

》  Women often get validity through relationships, and that's true even if they've had a lifelong career. So at midlife, they are likely to evaluate their performance as a wife, mother, or both.

》  Men might gauge their worth by their job performance. They may want to look successful, for instance, even though their achievements don't measure up as they had hoped.

》  Women, feeling they have raised their children, may want to go back to school, even if they have been in the work force, reasoning they can now do whatever they wish, work-wise.

》  Men may get more in touch with their feminine side. That could mean taking up cooking or art or volunteering with children.
Meanwhile, midlife women may become more selfish, even though they value relationships

》  In midlife, people need to be aware of symptoms of serious depression, such as:

Change in eating habits

Change in sleeping habits, fatigue

Feelings of pessimism or hopelessness

Restlessness, anxiety or irritability

Feeling of guilt, helplessness or worthlessness

Loss of interest in activities once enjoyed, including sex and hobbies

Thoughts of suicide or attempts at suicide

Physical aches or pains such as headaches or gastrointestinal upset that don't respond to treatment

》  People experiencing or about to experience a midlife crisis may exhibit some of the following emotions and behaviors:

Relationship dissatisfaction. A person might want to change the terms of their relationship, lose interest in sex, or radically shift their sexual interests.

Obsession with one's appearance. A person might dress in clothes that create a "younger" look, attempt different diets, exercise often, or use cosmetics or procedures in an attempt to reduce or reverse the signs of aging. The person may feel it is difficult to recognize who they have become.

Career dissatisfaction. Someone experiencing a midlife crisis might wish to quit their job or escape responsibilities and may feel envious and resentful of younger coworkers, especially those who appear to be advancing.

Emotional distress. A person might feel down or empty (especially for extensive periods), be short-tempered or quick to anger, consider mortality often, question religious beliefs, behave in a reckless manner, or abuse drugs and alcohol, sometimes in an attempt to escape feelings of emotional turmoil.

》  Therapy can help people turn a midlife crisis into an opportunity for growth and generativity. The right therapist can offer advice for how to deal with a midlife crisis, help people facing a midlife crisis understand the roots of the crisis, gain control over their emotions, and take meaningful steps toward goals that make life feel meaningful.

》  In a study published in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, Stanford University researchers compared medication alone, talk therapy alone, or a combination in 656 persons with chronic depression. They found that the combination produces a faster, fuller remission of chronic depression.