Spouses may have some severe circumstances and crises, and the midlife crisis is one such crisis where the age of the partners begins to increase, affecting many thoughts and beliefs and seeking changes in life in all its aspects.
In this article we will learn about the female midlife crisis, why do men have midlife crises? and how long does the midlife crisis last?

What is the midlife crisis?

The midlife crisis occurs between the ages of 40 and 60 years approximately, and may last between 3 and 10 years for men and between two and five years for women. A common belief about this stage is to face some changes about your identity and your life choices. It is a transitional period affecting men and women.
It is true that some studies show a decrease in life satisfaction and happiness with middle age, but this is not the norm. In some studies, people’s life satisfaction seems to increase as they enter middle age and then decline as they enter their later years so the middle age does not pose a crisis for all people.
It depends on your outlook and your vision of life at this age.

Midlife crisis symptoms

Men’s midlife crisis symptoms differ from women’s, most notable:

1. Mood disorders
2. Feeling bored, losing meaning or purpose in life
3. Feelings of nostalgia and overthinking
4. Changes in libido
5. Feeling remorse
6. Constantly comparing oneself to others.
7. female midlife crisis symptoms may worsen due to menopause
8. In men feelings may be more angry or upset

Causes of middle age crisis

The causes of the midlife crisis are multiple psychological and physical causes. The psychological causes are the lack of acceptance of certain matters and feelings of incomprehension. The physical factors are chronic diseases such as stress and diabetes, which are an important factor in entering the crisis; They stimulate feelings of despair and fear of the future, as well as some physical changes that occur in men’s and women’s bodies such as menopause and associated changes in mood, psychological and sleep disorder, as well as a decrease in testosterone in the man’s body at the beginning of this age from the symptoms of depression.

How to overcome the midlife crisis?

There are many options available to help individuals cope with the symptoms of a middle age crisis These include:

1. Maintaining health through exercise: Increasing your physical activity level may increase your mood normally, while also making you feel more in control of your health.
2. Change the view of life: Expand your view of midlife as a new period of life full of new and different challenges and activities and get out of the cycle of overthinking about old age, regret and fear.
3. Share your feelings with others: Feeling ashamed and isolated is a common symptom of the midlife crisis, and may make it difficult to reach others for support, yet talking with a friend or psychiatrist helps you relieve symptoms and provide comfort.

This phase can be the beginning of the journey of self-discovery and reassessment of goals and ambitions, and trying to understand that middle age is not the end of the journey but the beginning of it to achieve new dreams and to meet different challenges helps to successfully overcome the crisis.

You can contact Dr. Mona Reda, a psychiatrist and sexual therapist to ensure better mental health.

References:
What is the middle age crisis?
Signs of a midlife crisis
Causes of midlife crisis