Causes of a Midlife Crisis

The most common age for a midlife crisis is between 40 and 60, with 45 being the most common age. Men and women can both face this issue, but the causes and reactions tend to differ. In men, a midlife crisis is most commonly energized by career issues.

In women, changing relationships or roles are most often the factor. It may be due to children leaving the home to live their own lives or the realization that their marriage wasn’t all they had hoped for.

There are several factors that can precipitate a midlife crisis:

1. Death or significant change in health status of parents.

On one level, we’re all aware that our parents won’t live forever. But down deep, we fail to truly process the issue until one of them takes a turn for the worse.

This is a reminder of our own mortality, which causes the mind to begin asking questions regarding one’s own life. You realize that a lot of time has already passed by, and a limited amount of time remains.

2. Career issues.

Perhaps you always dreamt of being a CEO, but you’re 50-years old and still a department manager. Or maybe you always wanted to be doctor and always believed there would be time to go back to school.

• While nearly anything is possible, age does bring certain limitations that can be more effort to overcome than they’re worth.

• It’s not easy to accept that your life isn’t going according to plan, and that some dreams have to die.

3. Aging.

At 30, most adults believe they could get back into the kind of shape they enjoyed at 20, true or not.

At 40, most adults still believe it’s a possibility, but acknowledge that it would be very challenging.

Around the age of 45, the writing is on the wall. It’s not even a remote possibility.

A receding hairline, bags under the eyes, age spots, wrinkles, and undesirable distribution of body fat become a reality sooner or later.

Obvious signs of aging are another notification by the universe that you won’t live forever.

4. Relationship with significant other.

The death of a spouse or divorce can trigger a midlife crisis, since the remainder of your life becomes much less clear.

This isn’t limited to married couples. The change of any long-term romantic relationship can serve to begin a midlife crisis.

It’s also possible that you always imagined yourself with a spouse that loved the arts and wanted to travel, but find yourself with someone that prefers watching TV and never wants to leave the house.

The lack of a spouse or significant other can also be a cause. You may have always wanted to be married, but now it seems that it will never happen.

5. Children.

Those pesky kids. They’re simultaneously your greatest source of joy and grief. Children growing and leaving the home is enough to throw anyone for a loop.

So much of your time is spend caring for your kids that it can be hard to readjust how you’ll spend your time and attention.

The lack of children can be another cause. A time arrives when older adults reach the conclusion that they’re too old to have kids.

If you’ve imagined a life with kids and grandchildren, this can be hard to handle.

These are the most common triggers leading to a midlife crisis. You’ll notice that all are related to either one’s mortality or a significant change.

It isn’t that your job stinks, but that you believe it’s too late to make the most desired alternative a reality.

While having a life that avoids having a midlife crisis is ideal, it’s better to have one sooner rather than later.

It’s a wakeup call to address the changes that are occurring in your life. You can do more with a midlife crisis at age 40 than you can at age 60!

“There was a time in my 40s where I thought, oh, it's all over - not just work, but I'm never going to feel young again, I'm always going to feel like I know what's going to happen, I'll know what to expect. Looking back, I don't know if that was a midlife crisis, I don't know - but I don't feel that now. There's possibilities. It gets better.”

- Paul Weller

Learn more about your health online when you read the rest of our information here about: midlife crisis management guide

Warren Tattersall has been a full time nutritional consultant for over 35 years and works with people all over the world to help them improve their health, increase their personal energy levels and to use supplements to assist with diet related health issues.

Just send him a note on the form here - Contact Us - to request a personal no obligation one-on-one consultation with Warren

New order website for Australian customers:

For all the subscribers that don't want to talk to anyone, just want to buy their products direct, I'm creating these websites that process orders for you once you register with them.


The Australia GoHerbalifeSite is the first one completed, other countries will come along soon...
Australian customers: Click this link or tap on the banner below to check it out and get registered to place your orders... and remember your 15% discount code: HLIntro15




Did you find this post fun, informative and useful? If so, please share it with others!

If you have a comment, question or suggestion, please leave a comment below!