Almost 25% of people experience a midlife crisis caused by aging, lack of achievement in life, and problems or regrets about things from the past. People have to accept this and move on with life or take steps to match their expectations with reality.
We know that watching your spouse struggle with a problem can be painful. Therefore, we study the signs of this crisis and how to act, so you know what to do to help your loved one.
Signs Your Spouse Is Having a Midlife Crisis
Declining Happiness And Life Satisfaction
While people start their lives full of enthusiasm and energy, by mid-life many of them report that life satisfaction is at the lowest point of their lives.
Researchers say that throughout life, happiness takes a U-shaped curve, and the moment it bottoms out is the sign of a midlife crisis. The good news is that after the crisis, joy and satisfaction with life increase again.
Change In Behavior
For all mental breakdowns, it is typical to see changes in someone’s habits. The person may change their sleep routine, begin to care less about hygiene, or simply eat differently.
Sometimes these changes are more abrupt and obvious, for example, there is a stereotype that men, in this period, begin to buy luxury items, such as expensive cars.
Feelings Of Emptiness
Another sign that your spouse is going through a rough patch is the fact that you may think your life lacks excitement and meaning. Thinking about the inevitable aging they face, it can seem like the last chance to do something cool and crazy, to make life memorable.
For some, it can lead to reckless and harmful actions, for others it is the opportunity to fulfill a lifelong dream.
Questioning Long-held Beliefs
Both men and women are likely to reevaluate their life options. A person who appeared to be happily married could file for divorce. Or, someone who used to enjoy life in a rural area might want to move to a big city.
If your loved one begins to change their life values, be patient. It may be just a phase, or with the help of this crisis, they will understand each other better and have a more conscious life.
Intense Feelings Of Nostalgia
While the lives of 40-year-olds have settled in more or less permanent ways, they can become nostalgic for the past. From cool toys you had as a teenager to times when there was more freedom and less responsibility, there are many things a person can miss.
Going through a midlife crisis, a person can get caught up in the idea that the past was better.
What You Can Do To Help Your Partner
This crisis is different from depression, it gets better with time, so be patient with your loved one. Some things you can do to help them get through this midlife transition:
- Listening to your loved one without judgment and trying to have a healthy conversation.
- Give them the time and space to resolve their feelings.
- Pursue your own interests. When your partner is going through a crisis, it might be depressing, so it’s the perfect time to focus on yourself more.
- Seeing a therapist with a spouse who is experiencing a midlife crisis can be very beneficial.
Do you know someone who has gone through this phase? In your opinion, what is the most effective way to overcome these difficult times?
