“I think I might be having a mid-life crisis.”
“I don’t recognize myself anymore when I look in the mirror.”
“I accomplished all the things I thought I wanted and I’m not sure I’m satisfied.”
“With my children gone, I feel sort of like I’m drifting.”
During midlife, individuals often begin to reexamine their lives. This may be prompted by physical aging, social changes such as children going to school or leaving home, professional changes such as moving into leadership roles, divorce, caring for older parents, and changing friendships, and changes in the brain–similar to changes that occur during adolescence.
People in midlife tend to reflect more deeply on their relationships, their identity, their work, and the meaning of what’s happened in their lives. They compare the goals they had, with what’s happened, and what they want for the rest of their lives.
A transition to mid-life looks different for each person. For some, it may be simply a time of reflection. For others it may feel more like a “crisis”-a sense of not feeling satisfied with who they are, what they believe, how their relationships are going, or what they are doing. Here are some interesting facts about mid-life:
● About 1/3 of adults report an experience with a mid-life crisis
● A mid-life transition occurs between 37-50’s for women, and a bit later for men, typically in their later 40’s early 50’s.
● A mid-life transition or crisis can last a few weeks to a few years. On average it is typically 2-7 years.
● Common symptoms include; boredom, questioning, depression, disorientation, restlessness, dissatisfaction, and more.
If you are at mid-life and you are feeling a little “out of sorts” you are not alone! And, you’re normal. Almost every adult experiences some version of a midlife transition. While a midlife transition (or crisis) can feel disorienting, it can also be an important, and even an exciting time to re-evaluate, reorient, and reinvent ourselves. At midlife, we are in a much more resourced position to navigate an identity shift than we were in adolescence. We have life experience, a developed brain, and often more time and money to explore things.
Here at Momentum, we have clinicians who are in mid-life, who specialize in mid-life and who can help you navigate this phase of life. We get it and we know how to help you feel better and get back to thriving. Together we can work to overcome:
Anxiety
Relationship issues
Empty Nester Syndrome
Depression
Career changes
Challenges of caregiving for aging parents - “the sandwich generation”
Goal setting/re-evaluating
Finding Your Purpose
Grief Work
Identity
Self-Concept Work
Transition
Please reach out for a free 15-minute consultation with one of our clinicians who specialize in this area.