The middle age is a time of change that undoubtedly brings both positive discoveries and emotional challenges. While the term "midlife crisis" has long become a cliché and a settled truth, most experts view it more as a cultural phenomenon than an inevitability. Studies have shown that only 10-20% of people experience an age-related crisis. However, the reevaluation of one’s goals and achievements is far more common, not only among those over 30-40 years old but also among younger generations.
Zoomers, welcome! Here’s what you need to know about the midlife crisis.
The period between the ages of 30 and approximately 50 is often surrounded by myths, one of which is the "midlife crisis." While many experts regard it as a cultural stereotype, the emotional shifts and reevaluation of life during this time are very real phenomena. Here’s what both millennials and Gen Z, as well as Generation Alpha, should understand about it.
https://www.techinsider.ru/science/1667153-zumery-dobro-pojalovat-vot-chto-nujno-znat-o-krizise-srednego-vozrasta/2024-11-23 08:19:23
Unsplash What is a Midlife Crisis: Signs
For each individual, the midlife crisis begins at different times—due to children leaving home, retirement, or sometimes due to changes in career or health. Age-related changes are often accompanied by a realization of one’s mortality, a reevaluation of goals, and relationships. Among the possible stages of this crisis, we can identify:
- Trigger: a stressful event—loss of a job, death of a loved one, health issues, or children leaving home.
- Crisis period: reassessment of values, self-discovery, and attempts to change the situation through new hobbies, relationships, or a reconsideration of life priorities.
- Relief: acceptance of life changes and the search for new opportunities for self-realization.
Interestingly, pop culture often portrays crises for men and women quite differently. For men, it is associated with expensive cars and sudden romances, while women are depicted as losing interest in life and attempting to preserve their youth.
Nonetheless, gender stereotypes do not reflect the entire psychological picture, and people should not generalize too much, as physical and emotional changes affect everyone.
Unsplash Now Issues for Generation Z
Generation Z—those born between 1997 and 2012—may already be experiencing their "midlife crisis," despite their youth. The reason for this phenomenon, according to U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, lies in the detrimental influence of media and social networks.
- “Living on social media is sometimes akin to children in cars without safety systems, while parents drive on roads without traffic lights and rules,” Murthy stated in 2024.
His statement coincided with the publication of an article by researchers from the World Happiness Report 2024, which revealed that young people under 30 are the unhappiest group in the U.S. In the global happiness ranking, American youth rank only 62nd out of 143 countries, with America falling out of the top 20 happiest countries in the world for the first time.
- Vivek Murthy described this data as a troubling signal: “Youth in the U.S. and around the world are increasingly facing serious difficulties.”
The report's editor, Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, also noted a sharp decline in happiness levels among youth in North America and Western Europe, describing the phenomenon as a “plunge off a cliff.”
- “In some parts of the world, children are already experiencing the equivalent of a midlife crisis, and this requires immediate assistance,” the expert added.
UnsplashThe criticism of social networks for their negative impact on youth mental health is certainly not new. In September 2023, a study published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research claimed that even selfies have become a potential threat to public health.
Guidelines for Panic Due to a Midlife Crisis
- Acknowledge Your Feelings: Trying to ignore emotions only intensifies tension, so consider keeping a journal or discussing your thoughts with loved ones.
- Reassess Your Perception of Time: Age is not the end but a new chapter in life; it's never too late to find new interests, change your lifestyle, or start learning something new.
- Analyze Personal Relationships: Changes in relationships with a partner or children can provoke feelings of loneliness, so don’t hesitate to talk with loved ones and seek help from a psychologist.
- Take Care of Yourself: Choose activities that bring joy, recharge through hobbies or meditation—conclude Western specialists.