There is a term that can make people's spines shiver down, midlife crisis. It is very common among middle-aged people about midlife crisis. In its simplest terms, a midlife crisis can be said to happen between the ages of 40-60 years old.
This crisis can affect self-concept and self-confidence, leading to changes in moods, behaviors, emotions, and relationships as people cope with the transition to midlife.
Some people also see a shift or increase in responsibilities as they reach middle age. They might begin taking care of an aging parent or accept their children becoming more independent. However, there are several main signs of a midlife crisis.
The first sign is nostalgia. Despite focusing on the positives of the present, we begin to idealise our past lifestyle. Maybe we were amazed at how athletic we used to be or how expansive our social circle was when we were young.
The second one is changes in ambition. We might suddenly feel motivated to make changes to our lives, such as buying a new home, moving to a new area, or attaining a higher position at work.
This could be an attempt to correct what we perceived as 'bad past decisions.' On the other side, we might feel less motivated to reach for other goals as we begin to question the purpose of our lives.
The last sign is irritability. Feeling like our past decisions have boxed us in our limited our potential can lead to sudden bouts of anger. We might experience growing annoyed with our aging parents, or closest friends for minor infractions.
A midlife crisis can be serious if there is no solution to solve it. However, there are several things that we can do to be supportive if there is a suspect a friend, or family.
Be a good listener. Being a good listener to a loved one and talking about their distress can be helpful. Listen in a non-judgmental way and hold off on offering advice in the beginning.
Express our concern. Try to avoid saying like, "You seem to be having a midlife crisis." Instead, ask questions that don't shame or place blame.
Spend more time together. If it's possible, try to join your partner as they incorporate self-care habits. We can join them in exploring new hobbies, however, if they want to do these activities alone, be respectful of their space.
Midlife crisis is a common crisis in human life. It's a natural moment that can happen in human life. Being willing to change for better lives is not impossible, feel and enjoy every single process that you've made to change. Thank you for your time, and as always have a nice day. 😀
References:
- Amy Morin, L. (2023) What Is a Midlife Crisis?, Verywell Mind. Verywell Mind. Available at: https://www.verywellmind.com/what-are-the-signs-of-a-midlife-crisis-4175827.
- Melinda Smith, M. A. (2023) Midlife Crisis: Signs, Causes, and Coping Tips, HelpGuide.org. Available at: https://www.helpguide.org/articles/aging-issues/midlife-crisis.htm.
- Gallagher, J. (2022) Midlife Crisis: How to Identify & Overcome It, Talkspace. Available at: https://www.talkspace.com/blog/midlife-crisis-what-is/.
- Midlife Crisis: Learn What It Is and How to Navigate It with Ease (no date) BetterUp. Available at: https://www.betterup.com/blog/midlife-crisis.
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