We 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.
Definition of a midlife crisis- It is a time of transition and challenge for people in or approaching middle age. One study found the average age for a midlife crisis is 47. Other research suggests the midlife crisis begins before midlife, in the middle thirties, and resolves in the middle forties. Not everyone experiences a midlife crisis. Yet any transition can spur a crisis of identity. For some people, the transition to middle age marks such a transition (Good Therapy Website).
Triggers/Causes attributed to Midlife crisis- is associated with aging, shifting/changing relationship spheres, progressively demanding careers, failure to live up to personal dreams (stagnation), aging parents, empty nest syndrome for parents, 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; divorce or other changes in a person’s relationship; career changes; financial challenges; grappling with trauma from earlier in life.
Stages of Midlife Crisis- Jim Conway, a pastor, and counselor who has authored several books about midlife crises and transitions, argues the midlife crisis is similar to the stages of grief originally developed by Elizabeth Kübler-Ross. He points to six stages of a midlife crisis: Denial-occurs as a person attempts to fight or deny that they are growing older. Anger- feels of frustration about the challenges of midlife; Replay- attempts to replay what was most appealing about their youth by having cosmetic surgery, seeking an affair, or shirking their responsibilities; Depression- when replay fails, a person may become depressed and anxious; Withdrawal- distancing themselves from loved ones as a way of coping with their depression, and Acceptance- finally accepting that they are growing older and begins seeking meaning in the next stage of life.
Symptoms of Midlife Crisis- Because a midlife crisis is not a disease, there’s no list of symptoms that applies to every person experiencing a midlife crisis. Instead, a midlife crisis is characterized by anxiety, stress, anxiety, stress, or frustration specifically related to age, aging, or mortality. People experiencing or about to experience a midlife crisis may exhibit some of the following emotions and behaviors: relationship dissatisfaction; obsession with one's appearance; career dissatisfaction; and emotional distress.
The midlife Stage is an opportunity to reflect- We help people turn a midlife crisis into an opportunity for growth and generativity. A normal part of development in adulthood during the midlife years is to ask the question: Can I make my life count? We typically ask this question in regard to our work, children, parents, friends, and God. It is here that we enter the midlife transition—and it is a profound transition as we close out the first half of our life and healthy align ourselves with the reality of the second half of our life.
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The following two quotes will linger in your mind longer:
“Making friends in your forties is hard. Keeping friends in your forties is hard. Basically, friendship in your forties is just hard.” ( Judi Ketteler).
“You know you’ve officially hit a midlife crisis when you finally start feeling like you have your life together and your body starts falling apart!” (Tanya Masse)
