Why The Midlife Crisis Is More Real Than Ever
Despite living safer and healthier lives, people in the US experience midlife crises at greater rates due to a lack of mental health support.
This article is more than 2 years old
Often, the term midlife crisis will pop up in sitcoms or in an irreverent manner to talk about a period of confusion in one’s life. Though it’s often brought up facetiously, this type of existential crisis is far from funny. In western countries, a combination of factors leads to more severe consequences for people in their later stages of life.
According to a new paper published in the National Bureau of Economic Research, America’s midlife crisis is far more substantial than previously believed. The factors found in older people in wealthier countries include immense job strain, suicide, sleeping problems, alcohol dependence, and extreme depression. This combination of negative impacts has lessened the life expectancy of Americans, indicating a more significant problem in the west’s current sociopolitical dynamics.
Researchers described their findings as “paradoxical and troubling.” Though many adults living in prosperous nations are more financially stable and have fewer health problems at the 40 or 50-year mark, mental instability and strain are overarching issues. The research uncovers the juxtaposition of the midlife crisis; even though people may be living in safe areas and have a stable income, social and mental elements aren’t being addressed.
The paper dives deep into the mental stress provoked by rigorous working environments. These researchers found that a person’s maximum-reached work-level pressure appears at age 45, which weighs significantly on an individual’s mental health, blood pressure, and physical functionality. This level of stress appearing later in life could exacerbate existential dread and depression in employees.
The study surveys over 500,000 adults from Canada, the UK, and the United States. Though the paper hasn’t been peer-reviewed, its findings are synonymous with real adults’ experiences working and living in these countries. Overall job satisfaction has been consistently documented in America, which researchers found as a critical factor that drives midlife crises. Elongated stress also affects a person’s life expectancy, with the US rate decreasing for the second consecutive year.
Other studies showcase the severity of American workplace environments and their effect on workers nationwide. According to Gallup’s 2022 State of the Workplace survey, 50% of adults experienced “a lot” of stress the previous day in their work environments. The ongoing pressure and strain adults feel at their jobs later in their career has issued in a resignation era, with a 34% increase in resignations for 50 and 60-year-olds this quarter. Though many look at younger folks for leaving their jobs frequently in 2022, older people are also resigning at a similar rate.
Many adults are searching for better opportunities with fewer stress factors this year. There was a 57% escalation in resignations for workers who had jobs for more than 10 or 15 years. Not only were more adults looking for higher-paying jobs, but there was an increase in independent business creation as well.
Though the pandemic might have been responsible for some changes in worker mentality, stress, and mental health issues, it doesn’t change the overall increases in depression, anxiety, and alcohol usage dating back to 1965. For 50 years, there’s been an uptick in adults experiencing midlife crisis ramifications, devoid of COVID-19’s effects.
