{"id":121148,"date":"2020-12-03T11:00:16","date_gmt":"2020-12-03T11:00:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/?p=121148"},"modified":"2023-03-09T15:06:35","modified_gmt":"2023-03-09T15:06:35","slug":"midlife-crisis-depression","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/midlife-crisis-depression.htm","title":{"rendered":"Midlife Crisis, Depression, or Anxiety? How to Tell the Difference"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"midlife

photo by Dylan Nolte<\/p><\/div>\n

By Andrea M. Darcy<\/span><\/p>\n

Somewhere between aged 40 to 60 and not been feeling yourself? Uncertain if it\u2019s a midlife crisis, anxiety, or depression<\/a>?<\/p>\n

Midlife and mood disorders<\/span><\/h2>\n

A midlife crisis is a standalone issue<\/strong>, as are depression and anxiety. <\/span><\/p>\n

But they can be bedmates.<\/strong> Midlife can involve difficult realisations about mortality<\/a> and what we haven\u2019t achieved that canlead to bouts of anxiety<\/a> and\/or depression<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

So then why does the difference matter? It’s a question of knowing when to<\/strong> seek support, and of what kind of support will help.<\/p>\n

The definition of a midlife crisis<\/span><\/h2>\n

A midlife crisis is really a sort of extended identity crisis, <\/strong>often triggered by a life change<\/a>. This could be a big birthday<\/a>, loss of a loved one<\/a>, redundancy<\/a>, or your kids leaving home<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

We suddenly see ourselves from an all new<\/strong> perspective<\/a>— that of someone whose mortality is looming closer than we thought. What have we really achieved? What matters and doesn\u2019t<\/a>? Who do we want to be with the time we have left?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

While some researchers challenge that a midlife crisis is an actual phenomenon<\/span><\/a>\u00a0[1] newer research suggests we might even have a genetic tendency for them. British economist David Blanchflower\u00a0 studied data from across 145 countries<\/a><\/span> and concluded that both humans and even primates tend to have a happiness low point in life, which in Western countries occurs around aged 47. [2]<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Symptoms and signs of a midlife crisis<\/h2>\n

There can be positives to midlife. We can make commitments to<\/strong> new values<\/a>, and to finding a more meaningful life path<\/a>. But before that, we might have to work through some issues.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Symptoms of a midlife crisis can include:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n