Most men and women, often between the ages of 40 and 60, experience a midlife crisis. Most people work their way through a midlife crisis without much trouble. But many others are struggling to find the right balance again in their lives.
Understanding What Triggers:
Both men and women work hard during their 20s and 30 and even during their 40s so that when the (midlife) catalyst hits, they look back at their lives and see what they have achieved. Not everyone experiences the feeling of having nothing to regret and feel satisfied and pleased. This realization can spur development. Or as a reaction to traumatic events and a sense of failure can cause anxiety and depression.
- Common troubling concerns in life which seem to cause a midlife crisis include:
- Children leaving home
- Death of a loved one
- Caring about the elderly
- Losing a job or moving towards retirement
- Signs of health deterioration
The Impact on Women’s Health
When women reach middle age, they start feeling some anticipated changes in their bodies like menopause. Yet, they can also face new or severe medical issues unexpectedly such as being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, cancer, or osteoporosis. These concerns about women’s health may cause depression and anxiety that characterizes a midlife crisis. Whilst others can develop an eating disorder while on their attempt to cope with their issues.
Cutting Through Stereotypes:
- Not every woman is going through a midlife crisis. Perhaps the concept is founded on the assumption that women are moms and the fact that they will be left with little to do once their children leave home.
- Since so many mothers now work outside the house, having children leave home is not as upsetting today as it was before when mothers had nothing much going on in their lives. Most adapt to the empty nest and acknowledge feeling comfortable watching their kids mature and have the ability to redefine their own peer-to-peer friendships.
How to Cope?
- You may be in the throes of a midlife crisis. Often a symptom of a midlife crisis may be to do something totally out of character or have a strong sense of urgency to do it. That may include issues like breaking your marriage, changing your job or career path, smoking or drinking more, or searching for other loopholes like shopping in order to feel better.
It’s not inherently a negative thing to want to change your life: proactive adjustments will lead to growth. But reckless changes can lead to poor judgments that will cause heartaches later, so you should consider the possibility that your desires are related to your temporary psychological state.
Reference: https://www.everydayhealth.com/womens-health/making-the-most-of-midlife.aspx
Photo de Andrea Piacquadio provenant de Pexels
