The term midlife crisis refers to a specific stage in a person’s life when he/she undergoes significant changes. According to the psychologist that first introduced this term, Daniel Levinson, the crisis is bound to occur in your midst 40s and is accompanied by crucial transformation in your life. However, not all psychologists are convinced that this major life alteration will appear spontaneously and simply because an individual turns 40.
In addition, the critics of the hypothesis claim that the midlife crisis is not a universal phenomenon. Essentially, the reasons why a person can be depressed at that age take on many shapes that do not necessarily have anything to do with this psychological imbalance. With this background in mind, let’s summarize the common myths surrounding the midlife crisis.
1. Men develop an irresistible attraction for fast red convertibles
However funny it may sound, the pseudo-fact that all men going through the middle crisis purchase red speedsters comes from the Hollywood classic “American Beauty”. However, if you were to take a peek at the shopping behavior of 40 years old men, you will soon realize that red convertibles are not among their top preferences. In addition, consumer behavior also seems to indicate that even young men prefer less-aggressive colors.
2. The crisis begins when both your parents have passed away
Many people assume that the starting point of the midlife crisis is triggered by the passing away of both your parents. On the other hand, psychologists suggest that subconsciously everyone prepares himself for this dramatic moment during adulthood. Furthermore, people learn throughout their lives to have normative expectations regarding that unpredictable and inexorable moment, meaning that they do expect to outlive their parents. Consequentially, these tragic circumstances will not automatically trigger a midlife crisis.
3. People with midlife crisis grow tired of manual labor
Granted, trends indicate an increasing number of adults who are enrolling in college classes. However, this behavior has nothing to do with the fact that they are experiencing a midlife crisis and they are tired of manual labor. More plausible explanation of why people in their 40s prefer to return to college include the pursuit of a promotion, getting a better salary or trying to improve their career.
4. Decrease of libido and sexual interest
In spite of the common belief, being in your 40s will not necessarily imply you lose all interest towards your spouse and stop having sexual encounters. . In fact, both men and women in this category mention they have an active and satisfactory sex life. The loss of sexual interest as well as the decrease of the libido is associated with other factors, such as stress and work-related exhaustion.
5. Midlife crisis demands you have an affair
The belief that all people going through the midlife crisis will seek out an affair entails another misconception introduced by Hollywood. In fact, the romantic movie plots when a midlife crisis male character is not search for “young flesh” can be counted on your fingers. On the other hand, surveys indicate that this not what people over 40 do or desire, as a large percentage prefers the relationship they have built over the years
