Crises of human life
According to theory famous psychologist Eric Ericsoncrises of human life is divided into 8 steps. And at each of them a crisis awaits. But not catastrophic. There’s just a turning point coming that you should prepare for...
Crises of human life 18 - 20 YEARS OLD
Life passes under the motto “You need to break away from your parents’ home.” And at the age of 20, when a person has already truly moved away from his family (institute, military service, short trips etc.), another question arises: “How to stay in the world of adults?”
Crises of human life 30 YEARS
The thought is overwhelming: “What have I achieved in life?” There is a desire to tear out the past piece of life and start all over again.
A lonely person begins to look for a partner. A woman who was previously content to stay at home with her children is eager to go out into the world. And childless parents should have children.
Crises of human life 35 YEARS OLD
After 30 years, life becomes more rational and orderly. We are starting to settle down. People are buying houses and making dramatic moves to move up the property ladder.
Women tend to reach the peak of their sexuality. But at the same time they demand that men have respect for them first of all. Men understand that when it comes to sex, they “are no longer the same as when they were 18.” They show the first signs of aging more clearly than women.
Crises of human life 40 YEARS OLD
By the age of 40, the “age of youth” of young scientists, aspiring writers, etc. ends.
Reaching the middle life path, we can already see where it ends.
Time begins to shorten. Loss of youth, fading physical strength, changing habitual roles - any of these moments can lead to a crisis.
40-year-olds are unlikely to make new friends.
To achieve the highest achievements, breakthrough abilities are also required. At the age of 40, the last chances to get ahead disappear.
Those who have not yet been noticed will be passed over in subsequent promotions.
Crises of human life 45 YEARS OLD
We begin to seriously think about the fact that we are mortal. And if we do not hurry to decide, life will turn into performing trivial duties to maintain existence. This simple truth comes as a shock to us. The transition to the second half of life seems very tough and too fast for us to accept.
Impassive statistics state: the number of divorces among people aged 40-45 is increasing.
Crises of human life 50 YEARS
The nervous system becomes iron: many already react weakly to external stimuli such as a boss shouting or a wife grumbling. And in his professional field remain valuable employees. It is at this age that they are able to separate the main from the secondary and fully concentrate on the main issues, which gives good results.
By the age of 50, many people seem to rediscover the joys of life - from cooking to philosophy. And literally one day they can decide to change their lifestyle, implementing it with enviable pedantry.
The obvious advantages are greatly overshadowed by a significant disadvantage: many 50-year-old men have noticeably weakened potency.
Crises of human life 55 YEARS OLD
Warmth and wisdom come during these years. Especially those who managed to occupy high leadership positions. Friends and personal life become more important than ever. Those who have lived to 55 years of age most often say that their motto now is “don’t deal with nonsense.” And some develop new creative abilities.
The crisis comes when a man realizes that he is, after all, doing nonsense.
And the woman comes to a crossroads. Someone complains: “I could never do anything for myself. Everything is just for the family... And now it’s too late..."
And some gladly accept that they are able to live for others, enjoy their garden or get used to the role of a grandmother.
Crises of human life 56 YEARS AND BEYOND
Surprisingly, this age is found in almost all scientists who have achieved fame. There are many artists who have created their own best works over the age of 70 years.
According to legend, the Japanese artist Hokusai said that everything he created before the age of 73 was worth nothing. Titian painted his most breathtaking paintings at almost 100 years old. Verdi, Richard Strauss, Schutz, Sibelius and other composers worked until they were 80 years old.
By the way, writers, artists and musicians can often do their work longer than scientists and businessmen. The reason is that in old age a person plunges deeper and deeper into inner world, while the ability to perceive what is happening in the outside world weakens.
BY THE WAY…
How to measure psychological age
You need to ask the person to answer the question: “If the entire content of your life is conventionally taken as one hundred percent, then what percentage of this content has been realized by you today?” And already knowing how a person evaluates what he has done and lived, we can establish his psychological age. To do this, it is enough to multiply the “realization indicator” by the number of years that a person hopes to live.
For example, someone believes that their life is half fulfilled and expects to live only 80 years. His psychological age will then be equal to 40 years (0.5 x 80) regardless of whether he is actually 20 or 60 years old.
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Chapter 2. Crises of age periods of human life
We are entering different ages our lives, like newborns, without any experience behind us, no matter how old we are.
F. La Rochefoucauld
The problem of prevention and therapy crisis conditions is one of the most relevant for modern psychiatry. Traditionally, this issue is considered from the perspective of G. Selye’s theory of stress. Much less attention is paid to the issues of age-related personality crises and the existential problems of a person are practically not touched upon. Meanwhile, speaking about crisis states and their prevention, one cannot help but touch upon the issue of the relationship between “I”, “MINE” and “DEATH”, because without considering these relationships it is impossible to understand the genesis of post-traumatic stress disorders, suicidal behavior and other neurotic, stress-related and somatoform disorders.
Description psychological characteristics person in different periods his life is an extremely complex and multifaceted task. In this chapter, the emphasis will be on problems characteristic of certain periods of a person’s life, which often underlie anxiety, fears, and other disorders that potentiate the development of crisis conditions, as well as on the age-related dynamics of the formation of fear of death.
The problem of understanding the origins of personal crisis and its age dynamics have been studied by many authors. Erik Erikson, the creator of the ego theory of personality, identified 8 stages of psychosocial personality development. He believed that each of them is accompanied by " crisis - a turning point in the life of an individual that arises as a consequence of achieving a certain level psychological maturity and social demands placed on the individual at this stage" Every psychosocial crisis is accompanied by both positive and negative consequences. If the conflict is resolved, then the personality is enriched with new, positive qualities; if not resolved, symptoms and problems arise that can lead to the development of mental and behavioral disorders (E.N. Erikson, 1968).
Table 2. Stages of psychosocial development (according to Erikson)
At the first stage of psychosocial development(birth - 1 year) the first important psychological crisis is already possible, caused by insufficient maternal care and rejection of the child. Maternal deprivation underlies “basal mistrust,” which subsequently potentiates the development of fear, suspicion, and affective disorders.
At the second stage of psychosocial development(1–3 years) a psychological crisis is accompanied by the appearance of a feeling of shame and doubt, which further potentiates the formation of self-doubt, anxious suspiciousness, fears, and an obsessive-compulsive symptom complex.
At the third stage of psychosocial development(3–6 years) a psychological crisis is accompanied by the formation of feelings of guilt, abandonment and worthlessness, which can subsequently cause dependent behavior, impotence or frigidity, and personality disorders.
The creator of the concept of birth trauma, O. Rank (1952), said that anxiety accompanies a person from the moment of his birth and is caused by the fear of death associated with the experience of the separation of the fetus from the mother during birth. R. J. Kastenbaum (1981) noted that even very young children experience mental discomfort associated with death and often parents do not even suspect it. A different opinion was held by R. Furman (1964), who insisted that only at the age of 2–3 years can the concept of death arise, since during this period elements of symbolic thinking and a primitive level of assessment of reality appear.
M.H. Nagy (1948), having studied the writings and drawings of almost 4 thousand children in Budapest, as well as conducting individual psychotherapeutic and diagnostic conversations with each of them, found that children under 5 years of age view death not as a finale, but as a dream or departure. Life and death were not mutually exclusive for these children. In subsequent research, she identified a feature that struck her: the children spoke of death as a separation, a certain boundary. Research by M.S. McIntire (1972), conducted a quarter of a century later, confirmed the identified feature: only 20% of 5-6 year old children think that their dead animals will come to life, and only 30% of children of this age assume the presence of consciousness in dead animals. Similar results were obtained by other researchers (J.E.Alexander, 1965; T.B.Hagglund, 1967; J.Hinton, 1967; S.Wolff, 1973).
B.M. Miller (1971) notes that for a child preschool age the concept of “death” is identified with the loss of a mother and this is often the cause of their unconscious fears and anxiety. Fear of parental death in mentally healthy preschoolers was observed in 53% of boys and 61% of girls. Fear of one's death was noted in 47% of boys and 70% of girls (A.I. Zakharov, 1988). Suicides in children under 5 years of age are rare, but in the last decade there has been a tendency towards their increase.
As a rule, memories of a serious illness that threatens death at this age remain with the child for life and play a significant role in his future fate. Thus, one of the “great apostates” of the Viennese psychoanalytic school, psychiatrist, psychologist and psychotherapist Alfred Adler (1870–1937), creator individual psychology wrote that at the age of 5 he almost died and that later his decision to become a doctor, that is, a person struggling with death, was determined by these memories. In addition, the event he experienced was reflected in his scientific worldview. He saw the inability to control the timing of death or prevent it as the deep basis of an inferiority complex.
Children with excessive fears and anxiety associated with separation from significant loved ones, accompanied by inadequate fears of loneliness and separation, nightmares, social withdrawal and recurrent somato-autonomic dysfunctions, need consultation and treatment of a psychiatrist. The ICD-10 classifies this condition as Separation Anxiety Disorder in Childhood (F 93.0).
School age children, or 4 stages according to E. Erikson(6–12 years old) acquire knowledge and skills at school interpersonal communication, defining their personal importance and dignity. The crisis of this age period is accompanied by the emergence of a feeling of inferiority or incompetence, most often correlating with the child’s academic performance. In the future, these children may lose self-confidence, the ability to work effectively and maintain human contacts.
Psychological studies have shown that children of this age are interested in the problem of death and are already sufficiently prepared to talk about it. The word “dead” was included in the dictionary text, and this word was adequately perceived by the vast majority of children. Only 2 out of 91 children deliberately bypassed it. However, if children aged 5.5–7.5 years considered death unlikely for themselves personally, then at the age of 7.5–8.5 years they recognize its possibility for themselves personally, although the age of its expected occurrence varied from “through a few years to 300 years.”
G.P. Koocher (1971) examined the beliefs of non-believing children aged 6–15 years regarding their expected state after death. The range of answers to the question “what will happen when you die?” was distributed as follows: 52% answered that they would be “buried”, 21% that they would “go to heaven”, “I will live after death”, “I will undergo God's punishment", 19% "are organizing a funeral", 7% thought that they would "fall asleep", 4% - "reincarnate", 3% - "cremated". Belief in the personal or universal immortality of the soul after death was found in 65% of believing children aged 8 to 12 years (M.C. McIntire, 1972).
In children of primary school age, the prevalence of fear of death of parents sharply increases (in 98% of boys and 97% of mentally healthy girls 9 years old), which is already observed in almost all 15 summer boys and 12 summer girls. As for the fear of one’s own death, at school age it occurs quite often (up to 50%), although less often in girls (D.N. Isaev, 1992).
In younger schoolchildren (mostly after 9 years of age), suicidal activity is already observed, which is most often caused by minor mental illness, but situational reactions, the source of which are, as a rule, intra-family conflicts.
Teenage years(12–18 years old), or fifth stage of psychosocial development, traditionally considered the most vulnerable to stressful situations and for the emergence of crisis conditions. E. Erikson identifies this age period as very important in psychosocial development and considers pathognomonic for him the development of an identity crisis, or role displacement, which manifests itself in three main areas of behavior:
the problem of choosing a career;
selection of a reference group and membership in it (reaction of grouping with peers according to A.E. Lichko);
alcohol and drug use, which may temporarily impair emotional stress and allows you to experience a feeling of temporary overcoming of insufficient identity (E.N. Erikson, 1963).
The dominant questions of this age are: “Who am I?”, “How will I fit into the adult world?”, “Where am I going?” Teenagers try to line up own system values, often coming into conflict with the older generation, subverting their values. Classic example is the hippie movement.
The idea of death among adolescents as a universal and inevitable end of human life approaches that of adults. J. Piaget wrote that it is from the moment he comprehends the idea of death that a child becomes an agnostic, that is, he acquires a way of perceiving the world characteristic of an adult. Although, intellectually recognizing “death to others,” they actually emotional level deny it to themselves. In adolescents it predominates romantic relationship to death. They often interpret it as a different way of existing.
It is during adolescence that the peak of suicides, the peak of experiments with substances that disrupt consciousness and other life-threatening activities occur. Moreover, adolescents who had a history of repeated thoughts of suicide rejected thoughts of a fatal outcome. Among 13–16 year olds, 20% believed in the preservation of consciousness after death, 60% in the existence of the soul, and only 20% in death as the cessation of physical and spiritual life.
This age is characterized by thoughts of suicide, as revenge for an insult, quarrels, and lectures from teachers and parents. Thoughts like: “I’ll die to spite you and see how you suffer and regret that you were unfair to me” prevail.
Investigating the mechanisms of psychological defense for anxiety potentiated by thoughts of death, E.M. Pattison (1978) found that they are, as a rule, identical to those of adults from their immediate environment: intellectual, mature defense mechanisms are more often noted, although in a number of cases neurotic ones were also noted forms of protection.
A. Maurer (1966) conducted a survey of 700 high school students and answered the question “What comes to your mind when you think about death?” revealed the following responses: awareness, rejection, curiosity, contempt and despair. As noted earlier, the fear of one’s own death and the death of parents is observed in the vast majority of adolescents.
In young age(or early adulthood according to E. Erikson - 20–25 years old) young people are focused on getting a profession and starting a family. The main problem that may arise during this age period is self-absorption and avoidance of interpersonal relationships, which is psychological basis to create feelings of loneliness, existential vacuum and social isolation. If the crisis is successfully overcome, then young people develop the ability to love, altruism, and moral sense.
As adolescence passes, young people become less and less likely to think about death, and they very rarely think about it. 90% of students said that they rarely think about their own death; personally, it has little significance for them (J. Hinton, 1972).
The thoughts of modern Russian youth about death turned out to be unexpected. According to S.B. Borisov (1995), who studied female students at a pedagogical institute in the Moscow region, 70% of respondents in one form or another recognize the existence of the soul after physical death, of which 40% believe in reincarnation, that is, the transmigration of the soul into another body. Only 9% of interviewees clearly reject the existence of the soul after death.
Just a few decades ago, it was believed that in adulthood a person had no significant problems associated with personality development, and maturity was considered a time of achievement. However, the works of Levinson “Seasons of Human Life”, Neugarten “Awareness” mature age”, Osherson “Sadness about the lost “I” in mid-life,” as well as changes in the structure of morbidity and mortality during this age period forced researchers to take a different look at the psychology of maturity and call this period the “crisis of maturity.”
In this age period, the needs of self-esteem and self-actualization dominate (according to A. Maslow). The time is coming to sum up the first results of what has been done in life. E. Erikson believes that this stage of personality development is also characterized by concern for the future well-being of humanity (otherwise, indifference and apathy arise, unwillingness to care about others, self-absorption in one’s own problems).
At this time of life, the frequency of depression, suicide, neuroses, and dependent forms of behavior increases. The death of peers prompts reflections on finitude own life. According to various psychological and sociological studies, the topic of death is relevant for 30%–70% of people of this age. Non-believing forty-year-olds understand death as the end of life, its finale, but even they consider themselves “a little more immortal than others.” This period is also characterized by a feeling of disappointment in professional career and family life. This is due to the fact that, as a rule, if by the time of maturity the set goals are not realized, then they are no longer achievable.
And if they are implemented?
A person enters the second half of life and his previous life experience not always suitable for solving the problems of this time.
The problem of 40-year-old K.G. Jung dedicated his report "The Milestone of Life" (1984), in which he advocated the creation of " higher schools for forty-year-olds, who would prepare them for the future life,” because a person cannot live the second half of his life according to the same program as the first. To compare the psychological changes that occur in different periods of life in the human soul, he makes a comparison with the movement of the sun, meaning the sun, “animate human feeling and endowed with the moment human consciousness. In the morning it emerges from the night sea of the unconscious, illuminating a wide, colorful world, and the higher it rises in the sky, the further it spreads its rays. In this expansion of its sphere of influence associated with the rising, the sun will see its destiny and see its highest goal in rising as high as possible.
With this conviction, the sun reaches an unforeseen midday height - unforeseen because, due to its one-time individual existence, it could not know in advance its own climax. At twelve o'clock in the afternoon sunset begins. It represents the inversion of all the values and ideals of the morning. The sun becomes inconsistent. It seems to remove its rays. Light and heat decrease until they completely disappear.”
Aged people (late maturity stage according to E. Erikson). Research by gerontologists has established that physical and mental aging depends on a person’s personal characteristics and how he lived his life. G. Ruffin (1967) conventionally distinguishes three types of old age: “happy”, “unhappy” and “psychopathological”. Yu.I. Polishchuk (1994) studied 75 people aged 73 to 92 years using a random sample. According to the studies obtained, this group was dominated by people whose condition was classified as “unhappy old age” - 71%; 21% were people with the so-called “psychopathological old age” and 8% experienced a “happy old age”.
“Happy” old age comes to harmonious personalities with a strong balanced type of higher nervous activity engaged in long time intellectual work and who did not leave this activity even after retirement. Psychological condition These people are characterized by vital asthenia, contemplation, a tendency to reminisce, tranquility, wise enlightenment and a philosophical attitude towards death. E. Erikson (1968, 1982) believed that “only those who have cared in some way about things and people, who have experienced triumphs and defeats in life, who have inspired others and put forward ideas - only he can gradually mature fruits of previous stages." He believed that only in old age does true maturity come and called this period “late maturity.” “The wisdom of old age is aware of the relativity of all knowledge acquired by a person throughout life in one historical period. Wisdom is awareness unconditional value life itself in the face of death itself." Many prominent figures created their best works in old age.
Titian wrote The Battle of Leranto when he was 98 years old and created his best works after 80 years. Michelangelo completed his sculptural composition in the Temple of St. Peter in Rome in his ninth decade. Great naturalist Humboldt worked on his work “Cosmos” until he was 90 years old, Goethe created the immortal Faust at the age of 80, and at the same age Verdi wrote “Falstaff.” At the age of 71, Galileo Galilei discovered the rotation of the Earth around the Sun. Darwin wrote The Descent of Man and Sexual Selection when he was over 60 years old.
Creative personalities who lived to a ripe old age.
Gorgias (c. 483–375 BC), other - Greek. rhetorician, sophist - 108
Chevrolet Michel Eugene (1786–1889), French. chemist - 102
Abbott Charles Greeley (1871–1973), Amer. astrophysicist - 101
García Manuel Patricio (1805–1906), Spanish. singer and teacher - 101
Lyudkevich Stanislav Filippovich (1879–1979), Ukrainian composer - 100
Druzhinin Nikolai Mikhailovich (1886–1986), sov. historian - 100
Fontenelle Bernard Le Beauvier de (1657–1757), French. philosopher - 99
Menendez Pidal Ramon (1869–1968), Spanish. philologist and historian - 99
Halle Johann Gottfried (1812–1910), German. astronomer - 98
Rockefeller John Davidson (1839–1937), American. industrialist - 98
Chagall Marc (1887–1985), French. painter - 97
Yablochkina Alexandra Alexandrovna (1866–1964), Russian Soviet actress - 97
Konenkov Sergey Timofeevich (1874–1971), Russian. owls sculptor - 97
Russell Bertrand (1872–1970), English. philosopher - 97
Rubinstein Arthur (1886–1982), Polish - American. pianist - 96
Fleming John Ambrose (1849–1945), English. physicist - 95
Speransky Georgy Nesterovich (1673–1969), Russian. owls pediatrician - 95
Stradivari Antonio (1643–1737), Italian. violin maker - 94
Shaw George Bernard (1856–1950), English. writer - 94
Petipa Marius (1818–1910), French, choreographer and teacher - 92
Picasso Pablo (1881–1973), Spanish. artist - 92
Benois Alexander Nikolaevich (1870–1960), Russian. painter - 90
“Unhappy old age” more often occurs in individuals with traits of anxious suspiciousness, sensitivity, the presence somatic diseases. These individuals are characterized by a loss of meaning in life, a feeling of loneliness, helplessness, and constant thoughts about death as “getting rid of suffering.” They have frequent suicidal thoughts, possible suicidal actions and recourse to euthanasia methods.
An illustration can be found in old age worldwide. famous psychotherapist Z. Freud, who lived 83 years.
In the last decades of his life, S. Freud revised many of the postulates of the theory of psychoanalysis he created and put forward the hypothesis that became fundamental in his later works that the basis mental processes is the dichotomy of two powerful forces: the instinct of love (Eros) and the instinct of death (Thanatos). The majority of followers and students did not support his new views on the fundamental role of Thanatos in human life and explained the turn in the Teacher’s worldview with intellectual fading and sharpened personality traits. S. Freud experienced an acute feeling of loneliness and misunderstanding.
The situation was aggravated by the changed political situation: in 1933, fascism came to power in Germany, whose ideologists did not recognize the teachings of Freud. His books were burned in Germany, and a few years later in ovens concentration camp 4 of his sisters were also killed. Shortly before Freud's death, in 1938, the Nazis occupied Austria, confiscating his publishing house and library, property and passport. Freud became a prisoner of the ghetto. And only thanks to a ransom of 100 thousand shillings, which was paid for him by his patient and follower Princess Maria Bonaparte, his family was able to emigrate to England.
Mortally ill with cancer, having lost his family and students, Freud also lost his homeland. In England, despite the enthusiastic reception, his condition worsened. On September 23, 1939, at his request, the attending physician gave him 2 injections, which ended his life.
“Psychopathological old age” is manifested by age-organic disorders, depression, psychopathic-like hypochondria, neurosis-like, psychoorganic disorders, senile dementia. Very often such patients express a fear of ending up in a nursing home.
A study of 1,000 Chicago residents revealed the relevance of the topic of death for almost all older people, although issues of finance, politics, etc. were no less significant for them. People of this age have a philosophical attitude towards death and tend to perceive it on an emotional level more as a long sleep than as a source of suffering. Sociological studies have revealed that 70% of elderly people thought about death in preparation for it (28% have made a will; 25% have already prepared some funeral supplies and half have already discussed their death with their closest heirs (J. Hinton, 1972).
This data, obtained from sociological survey elderly people in the United States contrast with the results of similar studies of residents in the UK, where most of the subjects avoided this topic and answered questions as follows: “I try to think about death and dying as little as possible,” “I try to switch to other topics,” etc.
In experiences associated with death, not only age, but also gender differentiation is quite clearly manifested.
K.W.Back (1974), studying the age and gender dynamics of the experience of time using the method of R. Knapp, presented to the subjects, along with “metaphors of time” and “metaphors of death.” As a result of the study, he came to the conclusion that men treat death with greater aversion than women: this topic evokes in them associations imbued with fear and disgust. In women, a “Harlequin complex” has been described, in which death seems mysterious and in some ways even attractive.
A different picture psychological attitude to death was received 20 years later.
National Agency for the Development of Science and space research France studied the problem of thanatology based on materials from a sociological study of more than 20 thousand French people. The data obtained were published in one of the issues of “Regards sur I’actualite” (1993) - official publication French government documentation center, which publishes statistical materials and reports on the most important issues for the country.
The results obtained indicated that thoughts about death are especially relevant for people aged 35–44 years, and in all age groups women more often think about the finitude of life, which is clearly reflected in Table 3.
Table3. Distribution of frequency of occurrence of thoughts about death by age and gender (in %).
In women, thoughts about death are most often accompanied by fear and anxiety; men treat this problem more carefully and rationally, and in a third of cases they are completely indifferent. Attitudes towards death in men and women are reflected in Table 4.
Table 4. Distribution of thoughts about attitudes towards death by gender (in%).
The subjects who treated the problem of death with indifference or calm explained this by the fact that, in their opinion, there are more terrible states than death (Table 5)
Table 5.
Of course, thoughts about death gave rise to conscious and unconscious fear. Therefore, the most universal desire among all those tested was a quick death from life. 90% of respondents answered that they would like to die in their sleep, avoiding suffering.
In conclusion, it should be noted that when developing preventive and rehabilitation programs for persons with neurotic, stress-related and somatoform disorders, along with the clinical and psychopathological characteristics of patients, it is necessary to take into account that in each age period of a person’s life, crisis conditions are possible, which are based on specific age group psychological problems and frustrated needs.
In addition, the development of a personal crisis is determined by cultural, socio-economic, religious factors, and is also associated with the gender of the individual, his family traditions And personal experience. It should be especially noted that for productive psychocorrectional work with these patients (especially with suicide victims, people with post-traumatic stress disorder) specific knowledge in the field of thanatology (its psychological and psychiatric aspect) is required. Very often sharp and/or chronic stress potentiate and aggravate the development of an age-related personality crisis and lead to dramatic consequences, the prevention of which is one of the main tasks of psychiatry.
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Age crises [Greek. krisis - decision, turning point] - special, relatively short-term periods of transition in age development to a new qualitatively specific stage, characterized by sharp psychological changes. Age-related crises are caused primarily by the destruction of the usual social development situation and the emergence of another, which is more consistent with the new level of human psychological development.
Age crises accompany a person throughout his life. For some they go smoothly, for others they find no place at all. The form, duration and severity of crises can vary depending on the individual characteristics of a person, social conditions, and the characteristics of upbringing in the family. Age-related crises are natural and necessary for development. This helps a person find a new, relatively stable form of relationship with the outside world.
Much less studied are the age-related crises of mature periods of life and old age. They occur noticeably less frequently than in childhood, and, as a rule, occur more covertly, without pronounced changes in behavior. The processes of restructuring the semantic structures of consciousness and reorientation to new life tasks occurring at this time, leading to a change in the nature of activity and relationships, have a profound impact on the further course of personal development
The first such crisis occurs around the age of 16-20. At this age, a person is already formally considered an adult. Moreover, he considers himself an adult, and accordingly tries to prove it to himself and the rest of the world. In addition, this is a time of real, adult responsibility: the army, the first job, the university, perhaps the first marriage. Parents no longer stand behind them, and a truly independent life begins, imbued with numerous hopes for the future.
Next age crisis occurs around the 30th birthday. At this time, a person evaluates what has been done and looks into the future much more soberly. He begins to want peace and stability. Many at this age begin to “make a career,” others, on the contrary, devote more time to their family in the hope of finding some “meaning in life,” something that would seriously occupy their mind and heart.
Next, the age crisis occurs at 40-45 years. A person sees old age ahead, and behind it the worst thing - death. The body loses strength and beauty, wrinkles appear, gray hair appears, and diseases overcome. The time is coming for the first battle with old age, the time when they either fall into love affairs, then throw themselves into work, or begin to do extreme things like skydiving or climbing Everest. During this period, some seek salvation in religion, others in various philosophies, while others, on the contrary, become more cynical and angrier.
The next age crisis occurs at 60-70 years. During these years, a person, as a rule, retires and has absolutely no idea what to do with himself. In addition, health is no longer the same, old friends are far away, and some may not be alive, the children have grown up and have been living their own lives for a long time, even if in the same house with their parents. A person suddenly realizes that life is coming to an end and he is no longer in the center of its cycle, that his life is ending. He feels lost, may become depressed, and lose interest in life.
How to recognize them and what to do to cope, explains family psychologist.
With the first cry, when the baby’s lungs open, it becomes difficult for him - he experiences his first life crisis, as psychologists say. And for the rest of your life, in order to breathe freely, you need to go through a series of other psychological crises. You shouldn’t be afraid of them, they help you become wiser and stronger.
0 years
Born - and immediately get to work: get your own food by opening your mouth, breathing and screaming louder. And there is no turning back to that warm and protected place that you considered home. This is how the biggest change in a person’s life and the first crisis begins.
The baby still sees and hears very poorly, and its largest organ is the skin. Therefore, until six weeks it is very important that mother and baby have constant skin-to-skin contact - says family psychologist Ekaterina Dolzhenko.- The future well-being of the baby depends on how gently the mother touches.
Often a mother, tired of pregnancy and childbirth, does not immediately become involved in motherhood. If she postpartum depression or fatigue is overwhelming, loved ones should change it and take care of the child, advises Gestalt therapist Radmila Mavlieva.
1 year
I" because he realized his "separateness" from the adult.
The world attracts the baby and frightens him at the same time, says Radmila Mavlieva. - Therefore, it is important that he has somewhere to return after his research - to his parents’ rear, ready to accept and help.
Limit prohibitions - allow everything that is not dangerous to health and life. Engage your child with play. If the baby is capricious, do not scold, but try to divert attention. And if it doesn’t work out, calm down. Maintaining contact with parents at such moments is more important than getting what is required.
3 years
I want,” instead he knows “I must,” and in the future he will have problems,” explains Ekaterina Dolzhenko.
7 years
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During this period, powerful hormonal changes occur: a man or woman awakens in the child.
Now puberty occurs earlier: at the age of 9 pre-puberty begins, and at 11 there is already a crisis, says Ekaterina Dolzhenko. - “I’m not a child anymore!” - the child screams. His main task is to devalue the values of his parents and build his own on their ruins.
In the eyes of a teenager, parents are mastodons; they don’t live that long. Objectively speaking, the world is changing so quickly that parents may really understand little about what is interesting to teenagers, says Radmila Mavlieva. - So admit it, don’t be the second teenager and be offended. Meet a new person.
At this age, it is especially important to become a friend to a child. Every now and then he experiences doubts about himself, about his attractiveness. It is important to maintain it and build healthy self-esteem.
The worst thing about puberty is its absence. If a child does not “say goodbye” to his parents, he remains dependent on them, and sometimes for life. Children today are at risk of missing out on their important crisis.
Children have stopped walking on the street; instead, they spend time in the virtual space,” explains Ekaterina Dolzhenko. - It turns out that the connections with the father and mother are weakened, there is very little communication. And the teenager experiences an “erased” puberty.
Subsequently, he often remains a teenager from virtual reality - infantile and dependent.
17 years
sex, drag and rock 'n' roll," and I want to try everything at once. The responsibility is also new - other requirements for study, the first part-time job. I start thinking about the meaning of life and my place in it.
We need to let teenagers see the consequences of their actions. Usually this is very alarming for parents, their expectations are catastrophic, they paint monstrous pictures in their imagination: that their child has become a homeless person or a prostitute,” says Radmila Mavlieva. - But if you increase pressure and control, it will not work. Believing that the child can cope and that he does not want to die will help overcome anxiety.
30 years
Is that where I'm going?"
And then comes dissatisfaction with the profession, family or lack thereof.
Disappointment is sometimes difficult to cope with, and this can be expressed in the desire to show your best sides in virtual life, create an image of “100% success,” says Radmila Mavlieva.
Try to approach the thirty-year mark with joy, prepare for it like important event as if it were New Year and tomorrow is the first day of a new life. Decide how you will live in it now. For example, remember the activities that brought you pleasure ten years ago and bring hobbies back into your life: dance, draw, play sports. And stop comparing yourself to others. Believe in your path.
40 years
If he weren’t like that... If she understood me... everything would be different.” It’s because of this “otherwise” that new partners are made. Men often find younger lovers.
60-70 years
Thank you for everything, have a well-deserved rest!" At the same time, health deteriorates and the realization comes that death is not so far away. The result is despondency, a feeling of worthlessness, fears, and suspiciousness.
If old man feels needed and useful in the family, the restructuring will go smoothly. Relatives help you develop a positive attitude towards old age: the time has finally come to live for yourself. You can read books, take a walk, do things you never had time for, and finally delight yourself with the thought that all the crises have passed and there are still many years of a calm life ahead.
Help cope with critical situation It will help to realize that you are not the only one experiencing the impact of the crisis.
The very first life crisis is the crisis of one year. At this stage of life, a person develops a general opinion about the world around him, deciding whether everything that surrounds him deserves trust, and whether people deserve love. This stage is the basis that determines further development personality.
The next crisis period occurs at the age of three years. The crisis manifests itself in the fact that the little person begins to “show character”, show stubbornness, try to show himself as an individual, since it is at this age that the baby begins to perceive himself this way.
Seven years is a very important and difficult period in a child's life. On this life stage take place social definition person. Here, two ways of personality development appear: either the child begins to consider himself an exceptional person, deserving of all benefits and praise, or he acquires an inferiority complex due to the failure of his first experience of communicating with peers.
At the age of twelve to fourteen years, a child first begins to clearly understand his belonging to one gender or another. The struggle with parents for their own freedom and independence begins. The child is trying hard to prove to his dad and mom that he has already grown up and does not need help and advice, and all restrictions on his freedom are perceived sharply and aggressively.
Young people between the ages of eighteen and twenty have not escaped the crisis either. During these years, a person finally leaves childhood, leaving this wonderful period of his life behind. At the same time, a person understands that it is necessary to fight for “his place in the sun” and he enters into this difficult struggle, having previously determined the direction of movement.
Between the ages of twenty-seven and twenty-nine, a person usually begins to compare his dreams and reality, which very rarely coincide. Usually, it is during this period that the last fundamental changes occur in a person’s life, both in the personal sphere and in the sphere of professional activity.
When a person reaches the age of thirty-five to thirty-seven years, he enters a crisis period, known to everyone as a midlife crisis. In these difficult times, all achievements are called into question, a person overestimates his life, internal values and life priorities change.
At fifty-three to fifty-five years of age, a person faces the so-called pre-retirement crisis. This period of life is one of the most difficult and difficult to overcome. People at this age are very acutely aware of the loss of attractiveness, and, in addition, they are very frightened by change. social status and financial situation.
The ages from sixty-five to sixty-seven years can be characterized as a period of preparation for death. A person becomes freer in his preferences, needs, creativity and personal life. At this stage of life, all your achievements are collected into a “bundle”. This period is also characterized by the fact that a person seems to exist in two dimensions, being in two worlds at the same time.
At the age of one hundred a person faces the last crisis In my life. This period in a person’s life is characterized by terrible fatigue from life, a feeling of emptiness and no desire to live life to the fullest. An obsessive desire to die appears in order to end this “meaningless” life.
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Crises of human life
Crises of human life
According to the theory of the famous psychologist Erik Erikson, crises in a person’s life are divided into 8 stages. And at each of them a crisis awaits. But not catastrophic. There’s just a turning point coming that you should prepare for...
Crises of human life 18 - 20 YEARS OLD
Life passes under the motto “You need to break away from your parents’ home.” And at the age of 20, when a person has already truly moved away from his family (institute, military service, short trips, etc.), another question arises: “How to stay in the world of adults?”
Crises of human life 30 YEARS
The thought is overwhelming: “What have I achieved in life?” There is a desire to tear out the past piece of life and start all over again.
A lonely person begins to look for a partner. A woman who was previously content to stay at home with her children is eager to go out into the world. And childless parents should have children.
Crises of human life 35 YEARS OLD
After 30 years, life becomes more rational and orderly. We are starting to settle down. People are buying houses and making dramatic moves to move up the property ladder.
Women tend to reach the peak of their sexuality. But at the same time they demand that men have respect for them first of all. Men understand that when it comes to sex, they “are no longer the same as when they were 18.” They show the first signs of aging more clearly than women.
Crises of human life 40 YEARS OLD
By the age of 40, the “age of youth” of young scientists, aspiring writers, etc. ends.
Having reached the middle of life's journey, we already see where it ends.
Time begins to shorten. Loss of youth, fading of physical strength, change in usual roles - any of these moments can lead to a crisis.
40-year-olds are unlikely to make new friends.
To achieve the highest achievements, breakthrough abilities are also required. At the age of 40, the last chances to get ahead disappear.
Those who have not yet been noticed will be passed over in subsequent promotions.
Crises of human life 45 YEARS OLD
We begin to seriously think about the fact that we are mortal. And if we do not hurry to decide, life will turn into performing trivial duties to maintain existence. This simple truth comes as a shock to us. The transition to the second half of life seems very tough and too fast for us to accept.
Impassive statistics state: the number of divorces among people aged 40-45 is increasing.
Crises of human life 50 YEARS
The nervous system becomes ironclad: many already react weakly to external stimuli such as a boss’s shout or a wife’s grumbling. And in their professional field they remain valuable employees. It is at this age that they are able to separate the main from the secondary and fully concentrate on the main issues, which gives good results.
By the age of 50, many people seem to rediscover the joys of life - from cooking to philosophy. And literally one day they can decide to change their lifestyle, implementing it with enviable pedantry.
The obvious advantages are greatly overshadowed by a significant disadvantage: many 50-year-old men have noticeably weakened potency.
Crises of human life 55 YEARS OLD
Warmth and wisdom come during these years. Especially those who managed to occupy high leadership positions. Friends and personal life become more important than ever. Those who have lived to 55 years of age most often say that their motto now is “don’t deal with nonsense.” And some develop new creative abilities.
The crisis comes when a man realizes that he is, after all, doing nonsense.
And the woman comes to a crossroads. Someone complains: “I could never do anything for myself. Everything is just for the family... And now it’s too late..."
And some gladly accept that they are able to live for others, enjoy their garden or get used to the role of a grandmother.
Surprisingly, this age is found in almost all scientists who have achieved fame. There are many artists who created their best works over the age of 70.
According to legend, the Japanese artist Hokusai said that everything he created before the age of 73 was worth nothing. Titian painted his most breathtaking paintings at almost 100 years old. Verdi, Richard Strauss, Schutz, Sibelius and other composers worked until they were 80 years old.
By the way, writers, artists and musicians can often do their work longer than scientists and businessmen. The reason is that in old age a person becomes increasingly immersed in the inner world, while the ability to perceive what is happening in the outer world weakens.
How to measure psychological age
You need to ask the person to answer the question: “If the entire content of your life is conventionally taken as one hundred percent, then what percentage of this content has been realized by you today?” And already knowing how a person evaluates what he has done and lived, we can establish his psychological age. To do this, it is enough to multiply the “realization indicator” by the number of years that a person hopes to live.
For example, someone believes that their life is half fulfilled and expects to live only 80 years. His psychological age will then be equal to 40 years (0.5 x 80) regardless of whether he is actually 20 or 60 years old.
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55-year-olds most often say that their motto now is “don't deal with nonsense”
All age-related life crises: from 1 year of age
The objective maturation of our body also affects our psychological well-being. But age-related crises are not only suffering and danger, but also an excellent opportunity for an “upgrade.”
Probably many people know the curious fact that with Chinese language The word “crisis” is translated ambiguously. It consists of two hieroglyphs - one is translated as “danger”, and the other is “opportunity”.
Any crisis, be it on a national or personal level, is a kind of new start, a staging area where we can stand, think and set new goals for ourselves, analyze everything we can do and everything we want to learn.
Sometimes this happens consciously, sometimes unconsciously. Crises are not always very precisely tied to a specific age; for some, they occur earlier or later by six months to a year and proceed in varying degrees intensity. But in any case, it is important to understand the reasons for their occurrence and typical scenarios in order to survive them with minimal losses and maximum benefit for yourself and your loved ones.
Childhood - problems and guidelines
In children, crises are also associated with certain changes in their worldview, the acquisition of new skills, and knowledge of the world around them. The most popular age-related crises in childhood are Lev Vygotsky, Soviet psychologist and the founder of the cultural-historical school in psychology, called:
- newborn crisis - separates the embryonic period of development from infancy;
- crisis of 1 year - separates infancy from early childhood;
- crisis of 3 years - transition to preschool age;
- the 7-year-old crisis is the connecting link between preschool and school age;
- teenage crisis (13 years old).
It turns out that a little person, having just been born, is already going through a crisis. But regarding further crises in children, the opinions of psychologists differ. Thus, A. Leontyev argues that “In reality, crises are by no means inevitable companions of a child’s mental development. […] There may not be a crisis at all, because mental development child is not spontaneous, but a reasonably controlled process - controlled upbringing."
Crisis periods In children, they are more tied to age than in adults, as they are associated with the development of cognitive abilities and individual character traits.
In children under 7 years of age, crises are associated primarily with the desire for independence associated with the development of cognitive needs, and the accompanying prohibitions of adults.
But at the age of approximately 7.5-8.5 years, the child develops a so-called sense of psychological autonomy (later, student-aged youth often experience something similar). The most difficult thing for parents is to determine necessary measure independence for children during these age-related crises. Gross violations of a child’s personal boundaries, severe restrictions on his attempts to understand the world and make independent decisions, as a rule, have sad consequences in adult life.
According to psychologists, such children, as a rule, grow up to be very indecisive, uninitiative and shy people who turn out to be uncompetitive in the labor market and unadapted to adult life, and also avoid responsibility for their actions. Therefore, the main advice is to find compromises with the child, develop the ability to negotiate, justify prohibitions, and most importantly, show respect and attention to children, their desires and choices.
Teenagers - transition to adulthood
The first more or less “adult” crisis is considered to be the teenage one. Erik Erikson, the author of the ego theory of personality, calls age the most vulnerable to stressful situations and the occurrence of crisis conditions. Boys and girls are faced with a choice - profession, identification of themselves in some social group.
A typical example from history is various informal movements (hippies, punks, goths and many others), the fashion for which changes periodically, but some part remains constant, or interest groups ( different types sports, music).
The teenage crisis is a period accompanied by excessive care and control on the part of parents. And also prohibitions, quarrels arising from attempts to circumvent them, and much more. All this prevents the child from getting to know himself and identifying the characteristics that are unique to him - as an individual.
During this period, the risk of drug and alcohol consumption increases - for teenagers this is not only a way to become “one of the people” in the company, but also to relieve constant emotional stress. After all, due to hormonal “swings” and other physiological changes in the body, young people constantly experience overwhelming emotions when their mood changes a hundred times a day.
It is during this period that thoughts about the future also come, which expose boys and girls to additional stress. Who do I want to become and what do I want to do as an adult? How to find your place in the sun? The school system, unfortunately, does not really help to find answers to these questions, but only aggravates the crisis of choice, since it sets certain deadlines for the process.
Among foreign experiences, interesting examples are of teenagers in South Korea and the USA. True, in the first country they are rather unoptimistic. There it is believed that only graduates of just a few of the most have good job prospects. prestigious universities. Therefore, it is quite common for teenagers to drive themselves to exhaustion and nervous breakdowns (and often to suicide) due to the upcoming graduation and preparation for courses. This problem forced doctors to sound the alarm and raise the issue at the state level.
But among American teenagers and their parents, a more sensible approach is common - at this age it is normal not to know what exactly you want. That’s why many teenagers, after graduating from school, take a year off to think (the so-called gap year) - to travel, work, gain new experience and make the right decision for themselves without outside pressure.
In the post-Soviet space, there are still frequent cases when parents themselves determine which university and what specialty their child will enroll in.
The outcome is not difficult to predict - the imposed profession may not be the one the applicant dreamed of. There may be a lot of further scenarios, but for a teenager most of them will not help student years for the benefit of oneself and self-determination.
In the United States, they have compiled a list of the most popular crisis reasons why teenagers drop out of school: alcohol and drug addiction, pregnancy, loss of interest in school, financial difficulties, bullying by peers, sexual harassment, mental disorders, problems/cruelty in the family.
A teenager's acceptance of his appearance is also associated with a crisis of self-identification. For girls, this moment can become especially acute - comparing oneself with idols, models from glossy magazines is depressing and can cause violations eating behavior. Unfortunately, the most common patients in specialized departments for anorexics are young girls.
That’s why it’s so important for a teenager to feel the support of his family, which is ready to accept his choice, when he’s growing up. Just as in childhood, it is not recommended to harshly cut off a child’s desire for independence. The main advice from psychologists to parents comes down to one simple maxim - remember yourself when you were a teenager, your dreams and aspirations, conflicts with adults, and put yourself in the place of a child.
By the way, the teenage crisis still stands on the line between children's crises, which are more or less regulated by age, and adults, who are tied not to a certain time, but to the process of choice.
Childhood crises mean the collapse of a system that previously existed in the child’s mind, and adults imply the independent construction of this very system by a certain individual. The first serious choice for a teenager (university, profession) is the very symbol of the transition to adulthood.
“A quarter of a century” and new questions
Scientists attribute the next age crisis to age period approximately (according to other classifications - 30) years. The already mentioned Erich Erikson calls it “early maturity,” since at this time young people are already beginning to think about further fateful decisions in their lives - building a career, starting a family, and also summing up their first results.
The main issues remain the same questions of self-determination, self-actualization; the need for self-esteem arises. Famous American psychologist, the founder of humanistic psychology, Abraham Maslow, considered the movement towards self-actualization to be the key to psychological health.
In general, he described self-actualization both as a process of personal growth and development, and as a method of this growth, and as a result of this growth. He considered the latter a privilege for people of mature age, but the psychologist attributed the start of the process itself to a young age.
The crisis of 30 years today has “crept” to more early age, but the current generation of 30-year-olds has been dubbed the “Peter Pan generation” for their reluctance to grow up, while 25-year-olds are experiencing a crisis of self-actualization to the fullest.
The search for oneself during this period is inevitable without comparisons with others - be it the person’s environment, or the heroes of favorite films and TV series of the same age. But here the temptation arises - to find a role model, or, on the contrary, to deny everything generally accepted norms. In both cases constructive solution it cannot be, because sooner or later you will have to make your own choice, and the later, the more likely that the crisis will drag on.
The quarter-century mark in today's realities has shifted the problems of former 30-year-olds in their direction. Many life values and opportunities have undergone significant changes in recent years.
Until the age of 25, young people manage to work several jobs, because the tradition of not changing employers has been forgotten for decades (except, for example, the Japanese model of society). But at the same time they remain lost - what would they still like to stop at? In this case, making lists and setting priorities can help - in life in general and in its individual areas. This way it will be easier to put specific tasks and decide on the steps towards their implementation. This will be the most important step on the path to self-actualization.
In addition, during this period, the feeling of loneliness, existential vacuum and social isolation, which are associated with the above-described problems of self-actualization and self-determination, often intensifies. Top tip, which psychologists give to 25-year-olds - do not compare yourself with others.
In this aspect, you will have to comprehend Zen, since in the era of social networks, where everyone posts only the most better side of their lives, such a skill can be considered a superpower. The most important thing is to understand and highlight what is necessary and interesting to you, and not imposed by your environment, friends, and family. This will help organize your thoughts and determine further vector movements - from reconsidering your hobbies and habits to conquering the career ladder.
A quarter-life crisis is most often a reassessment of values and summing up the first results, which do not lead to clinical depression, but are a platform for new starts and endeavors.
Middle age is like a flashback. Middle age crisis
Perhaps this is the most popular crisis that has been reflected in art - a lot has been written about the midlife crisis art books, films were made, performances were staged (Zozhnik also did not bypass him - we published “How to overcome a midlife crisis”). There are a number of clichés about him - from buying a pointlessly expensive sports car to having affairs with younger partners and trying to drown his sorrows in alcohol.
The term “midlife crisis” itself was introduced into psychology by Canadian researcher Elliot Jacques to designate the period of life between 40 and 60 years, when a person begins to rethink what he has lived and loses interest in what is happening around him, figuratively speaking, everything loses color.
Carl Gustav Jung, in his report “The Milestone of Life,” even proposed creating for forty-year-olds special schools, which could prepare them for their future life, since, according to him, it is impossible to live the second half of life according to the same scenario as the first.
Jung considers the biggest mistake to be the habit of looking back: “[...] for most people too much remains unexperienced - often even opportunities that they could not realize with all their desire - and thus they cross the threshold of old age with unsatisfied aspirations, which involuntarily makes them look back. For such people, looking back is especially harmful. They rather need a perspective, an aiming point in the future. […] I have discovered that a purposeful life is generally better, richer, healthier than an aimless one, and that it is better to go forward with time than backward against time.”
The film “American Beauty” perfectly illustrates all the stereotypes of a midlife crisis. At the time, the film created a sensation - in 1999 it received 5 Oscar statuettes, including the award for best film of the year.
The age boundaries of a midlife crisis are very blurry because they depend on a list of factors - for example, financial situation, career achievements, personal life, hobbies, and other sociocultural factors.
Stereotypes imposed by society also play against people experiencing this crisis (as well as the previous ones - teenage and quarter-century). Modern Russian scientist O. Khukhlaeva calls the following stereotypes:
- consequences of the “cult of youth”;
- negative stereotype of old age;
- stereotypical attitude towards children's qualities as negative;
- the belief that happy life– necessarily financially and socially successful;
- the need to actively master social roles in the first half of life.
The modern “cult of youth” is not only about appearance and attractiveness (although for women this also becomes a stumbling block), but also about manifestations of so-called ageism - discrimination based on age.
Middle-aged people often find it difficult to change jobs - somewhere they will be considered not energetic enough, somewhere they will be considered too qualified (in English language there is even a special term - overqualified). Which means that for rich experience, education, additional skills and other range of excellent indicators, a potential employee simply... will not be hired. After all, he will have to be paid according to his merits and skills, while a younger, less skilled, but easily trained employee can be hired for a vacant position. And thus save the company’s financial resources.
The stereotype of old age has also taken root in our society - changes are usually perceived negatively as a destabilizing factor. And even if a person during a midlife crisis accumulates dissatisfaction and a desire to change something, he can hold on to an established life that does not suit him to the last.
Also, any manifestations of “childishness” are perceived negatively by society. In fact, psychologists consider infringement of one’s inner Child at any age to be traumatic for the psyche. For example, the already mentioned Carl Jung believed that thanks to the Child within himself, every person can develop new capabilities, increase learning abilities and intensify creativity, learn to enjoy life again and perceive it positively, selflessly love themselves and the world around them.
The psychologist himself repeatedly conducted a kind of experiment - first he remembered which games brought him the most pleasure in childhood (cubes, building sand castles, houses made of bottles, etc.). Then, after resisting the attitudes, Jung decided to repeat the childhood game, and was surprised to find that the scientific questions that he had been thinking about for a long time were lined up into a system.
After which the scientist repeated this experiment many times when he had problems life difficulties, and it was during the game that he found answers to necessary questions. From this he concluded that the impulses laid down from childhood should in no case be muffled, but should be followed, despite public opinion.
As for the last two stereotypes named by O. Khukhlaeva (about the fact that a happy life is necessarily financially and socially successful), they are also controversial and often lead to disappointment. So, many financially successful people may at some point be surprised to discover that money does not automatically make them happy, because the process of earning it forces them to give up many things that bring pleasure. And apparent success in all social roles (for example, a successful businessman, a decent family man, a good son of his parents, and so on) brings frustration, doubts and distortions in personal development, resulting in constant overwork and tension.
Also in this age period there are independent variables - for example, a bitter awareness of mortality, because during this period of life people can often experience the loss of close relatives and friends, which provokes existential fear.
Many at this moment seek solace in religion and faith in other world, but, according to psychologists, focusing on this can lead to new disorders. Indeed, in essence, faith is not always able to resolve internal conflict and process it into productive actions.
Changes also occur at the physiological level - for example, women begin menopause, which is associated with both strong hormonal and psychological changes. Men also experience andropause, when there is a decrease in testosterone in the blood.
All of the above factors are certainly stressful. But their presence in general does not always mean the onset of a deep crisis that develops into clinical depression. In addition, the age limits are also not very strict - a midlife crisis in any form can happen either earlier or later. But it is important to catch both the moment of its onset and possible exacerbation, so that you can turn to a professional in time.
In general, the recommendations of psychologists come down to rather banal truths - do not be afraid of change and do not panic. It is also recommended to set up friendly relations with children, do something new, develop in previously untried directions.
Banal, but effective advice in the case of a mild midlife crisis, do not be afraid of change and do not give in to panic. Keep calm, in general.
1. Vygotsky L. S. Psyche, consciousness, unconscious // Kornilov, K. N. (Ed.). Elements of general psychology (Basic mechanisms of human behavior). M: publishing house BZO at Faculty of Education 2nd Moscow State University, 1930. Year 1. Issue. 4. pp. 48-61.
2. Leontiev, A.N. Selected psychological works: In 2 volumes / A.N. Leontyev. - M, 1983. // T. 2. – P. 288.
3. Erik H. Erikson. Identity, youth and crisis. New York: W. W. Norton Company, 1968
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