The dreaded midlife crisis doesn’t strike everyone, but it’s a common enough occurrence that everyone is familiar with the concept. If you find yourself in the middle of one, your own concern is finding your way out. There are many theories about what causes this common phenomenon in one’s older adult years. Many cultures, including Japanese and Indian, don’t seem to suffer from midlife crises. At least part of the issue seems to be influenced by culture.

A midlife crisis occurs in middle age and usually affects one’s self-confidence or identity. There may be a significant amount of regret over how you’ve lived your life, and an intense desire to correct it as soon as possible. There is often a precipitating event that causes the sufferer to examine their life from a new perspective.

A variety of trigger events can start the ball rolling and begin a midlife crisis. 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!