The silver-haired 50-something-year-old suddenly trading in his life in the suburbs, his wife of 25 years and his sensible car for a Harley motorcycle and a 21 year old girlfriend is certainly the stereotypical image of midlife crisis.
Obviously every period of doubt or depression that occurs in middle age is not connected with the panic about getting older. But how do you know if what you are experiencing is actually the anxiety of midlife crisis or not?
I recently read an article about 10 warning signs that say you might be going through midlife crisis. I'd like to share them with you here.
1) You have a growing sense of regret over unattained goals.
2) You have new feelings of being self-conscious around more successful colleagues.
3) You now place a new emphasis on remaining youthful when the effort previously seemed unimportant.
4) You desire to spend more time alone than previously, or with certain peers who could be characterized as youthful or as those who are comfortable in their own skin.
5) You have developed a new tendency to abuse alcohol.
6) You place a new importance on acquiring unusual or expensive items when the same purchases were previously considered frivolous or impulsive.
7) You are experiencing a sharp increase in self-criticism with a corresponding decline in self-compassion.
8) You now obsess over your physical appearance in areas where you previously didn't pay that much attention because everything was okay.
9) You place an unusual amount of pressure and stress on your children to excel in a variety of fields.
10) You enter relationships with younger partners than previously considered viable.
Even though midlife crisis is usually and traditionally associated with middle-aged men, it certainly applies to women, too. Now, where did that 25-year-old bronzed stud of a lifeguard disappear to (she asks as she slowly rakes her gaze across the men at the swimming pool)?
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