The №1 Trigger for a Midlife Crisis, a Psychologist Says

“Ithink he’s having a midlife crisis,” my client said. She was referring to her partner of 12 years who had started dieting, cycling and piling self-improvement books beside the bed. He’d also become more critical of her and was constantly picking fights over trivial things. “I don’t think he’s having an affair,” she said, answering the question before I could ask. “But something’s different. He doesn’t seem happy with himself or me. He’s hard to live with. “What’s going on?” <blockquote> “If you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.” — Friedrich Nietzsche </blockquote> <h1>Midlife crisis or just great marketing?</h1> The phrase “midlife crisis” was popularized way back in the 1960s by the Canadian psychoanalyst Elliott Jaques who apparently had a gift for catchy names. The midlife crisis is most commonly pitched as the change in identity and self-confidence that strikes people between 35 and 55ish, prompting them to splash out on hot sports cars or trade in their partners for newer, shinier models. But it’s all a myth, according to science. There’s no such thing as a midlife crisis. While it’s true many experience psychological or emotional turmoil in midlife, there’s no scientific evidence of age being the trigger for it. But… As a psychologist, I’ve had many clients struggle with these feelings— and if they want to call it a midlife crisis, I’m fine with that. <a href="https://medium.com/on-the-couch/the-1-trigger-for-a-midlife-crisis-a-psychologist-says-c0fbcf349981">Read More</a>