What do we know today about the midlife crisis, the time of occurrence and the consequences? Here are some tips on how to best deal with a midlife crisis.
The midlife crisis has become a common concept today, as is the adolescent crisis. Here are some tips on how best to deal with it.
Atlantico: The midlife crisis is often perceived as a social phenomenon, but a scientific study in 508 monkeys in Ireland showed that the disorder may have biological roots. What do we know about the midlife crisis today? Could it really have a biological basis?
François Chauchaux: There are several factors in the midlife crisis. The biological aspect, of course, can be one of the reasons for its occurrence. Human biology changes with age against the background of aging, that is, the appearance of the first gray hair, fatigue. In any case, the age factor definitely plays a role here, and it should not be underestimated, because the crisis usually occurs at 40-50 years old, in the middle of life. At this point, a number of factors come into play, such as personality, environment, family, and the person's history.
Biological causes can be aging and hormonal changes. We know that there are difficult periods in a person's life, like a teenage crisis. These are age crises.
- If the midlife crisis does have a biological basis, how might this discovery affect how we deal with it?
- If the crisis has already begun, it will be very difficult to limit its impact. It is a cycle that has a beginning and an end. A crisis can turn a person inside out, and therefore it is necessary to try to overcome such a difficult period with minimal losses.
To better prepare for it, you need to watch for the first signs of its appearance. So, for example, a person can suddenly feel the loss of the meaning of life, which can manifest itself in a reassessment of values and guidelines that seemed unshakable until recently. Questions and doubts that arise in a person can affect several levels, relate to personal and professional life, family and friends.
Another symptom is the awareness of the transience of time. Time is running out, and a person experiences constant anxiety about achieving goals, which, as he hammered into his head, he needs to achieve.
To prepare for a crisis, you need to catch the moment when questions arise about the meaning of life, the feeling of inexorably running time. It is necessary to carefully analyze these feelings of loss of meaning, without trying to immediately find a solution. You need to understand that the most dangerous thing in such crisis situations is rash actions, especially in the case when a person crosses out his whole previous life. Such actions can be very painful for those around him. The most important thing is to give yourself time to think about new sensations, not to let them break out, and then try to find a way out of the situation.
- Does everyone have a crisis at the same age? And since it has a biological basis, to what extent can it be anticipated?
- A midlife crisis occurs in different people at different times in the period from 40 to 50 years. The factor of the age of children also plays an important role. As they grow up and become adolescents, this stage can intensify parenting crisis issues. There is a feeling that a person wasted part of his life, spent too much time on his career, family, couple. Parents compare themselves with the behavior of their teenage children, they also have a desire to enjoy life, not to worry about anything, to make impulsive decisions.
- Midlife crisis in men is usually associated with adolescent behavior (buying a sports car, having love affairs with younger women, tattoos, etc.). But what role is assigned to the "social" side of this life crisis?
- Society is showing more and more attention to the midlife crisis. Previously, people over 50 were already considered "old people." Today, the existence of the crisis is being recognized and actively discussed. There is a position that after this age interval a person is renewed. Society recognizes that people of this age have potential. There is no particular difference between men and women, except that men tend to move faster into action. Women are more inclined to keep everything to themselves. However, in both cases, fundamental changes take place in their lives. Their daily life begins to oppress them, they have a strong desire to give up everything.
