Understanding Midlife Crisis, Knowing Its Causes and How to Overcome It

Midlife crisis is a time when a person begins to feel confused and anxious in living his life. This period usually occurs when a person is between 40-60 years old, when a person begins to feel dissatisfied with his life and feels that he has missed many opportunities in his life. Midlife crisis was first identified by a psychologist named Elliott Jaques in 1965. Jaques observed significant changes in mindset and behavior in a group of people over the age of 35. He named this phenomenon a “midlife crisis”.

Midlife Crisis features

Following are some of the characteristics of a midlife crisis:

Changes in attitude and behavior

Someone who is experiencing a midlife crisis usually experiences a change in attitude and behavior. He may become more irritable, less patient, and easily angered. In addition, he can also be more inclined to see things in a negative light.

Take care of your appearance

Someone who is experiencing a midlife crisis is usually also more concerned with their appearance. He may start buying more expensive clothes or doing more intensive beauty treatments. This is usually done to try to restore lost confidence.

Thinking too much about the past

They may obsess about their past mistakes and failures, or feel like they are not reaching their full potential. This can cause them to feel depressed and depressed.

Causing dissatisfaction with life

Someone who is experiencing a midlife crisis may feel dissatisfied with the life they are living. They may feel like they haven’t reached their life goals, or feel that their life has no clear meaning or purpose.

Difficulty making decisions

People experiencing a midlife crisis may have difficulty making decisions. They may feel confused and unsure about the direction of their life, and have difficulty making important decisions.

There is a feeling of anxiety

People experiencing a midlife crisis can feel anxious about their future. They may feel like time is running out and they haven’t achieved what they want in life. This can lead to feelings of extreme anxiety and anxiety.

Causes of Midlife Crisis

The following are some of the causes of a midlife crisis:

Physical changes

The physical changes that occur in a person when they age can cause anxiety and discomfort. People experiencing a midlife crisis may feel uncomfortable with changes in their bodies, such as facial wrinkles or graying of hair.

Changes in work

Someone who has worked for many years may begin to feel bored or disillusioned with their job. They may feel like they have reached the limit in their career and want to find more fulfilling things.

Family and relationship problems

Conflicts in the family or problems in relationships can cause stress and unhappiness. People experiencing a midlife crisis can feel trapped in unpleasant situations and find it difficult to solve problems.

There is a feeling of emptiness

People experiencing a midlife crisis may feel like their life has no clear meaning or purpose. This can lead to feelings of emptiness and confusion about the direction of their life.

Higher demands of life

The higher demands of life can cause stress and pressure on a person. People experiencing a midlife crisis may feel like they are unable to live up to the expectations and demands placed on them.

Overcoming Midlife Crisis

Here are some ways to deal with a midlife crisis:

Acknowledge a change in yourself

First of all, it’s important to acknowledge changes within yourself and accept that midlife crises are normal. By understanding and accepting these changes, one can more easily overcome the crisis.

Seek help from loved ones or professionals

Chatting with loved ones or seeking professional help can help overcome a midlife crisis. Close people such as spouses or friends can provide needed support and understanding, while professionals such as psychologists or counselors can provide advice and assistance in coping with the crisis.

Trying new things

Trying new things can help reduce feelings of boredom and disappointment with life. A person may try a new hobby, go on a vacation, or seek new, interesting experiences to enrich their life.

Make plans for the future

Making plans for the future can help reduce feelings of anxiety and uncertainty. By making clear plans and goals, a person can feel more focused and confident about the direction of their life.

Exercise and maintain health

Exercise and maintaining physical and mental health can help overcome a midlife crisis. Exercise can help reduce stress and improve overall health, while maintaining mental health can help increase happiness and well-being.

Change perspective

Changing your perspective and looking at life from a positive perspective can help overcome a midlife crisis. A person can focus on the positive things in life, such as family, friends or fun activities.

Conclusion

From the discussion above, it can be concluded that a midlife crisis is not a disease that must be avoided or cured, but a natural phase experienced by someone in the middle of their life. Even though a midlife crisis can trigger feelings of discomfort and confusion, there are several ways to deal with it and live it well. One way is to take time to introspect and plan positive activities. Most importantly, a midlife crisis should not make a person feel inferior or doubt himself, because having a midlife crisis is a normal thing and is experienced by many people. Therefore, it is important for us to understand midlife crises and how to handle them properly.