Exact Answer: 3 To 5 Years
A midlife crisis refers to the transition in the personality of people in their middle age and at the threshold of old age. Generally speaking, the midlife crisis occurs in people between 40 to 60 years of age and it marks a change in the identity and the self-confidence of the person. It is a psychological phenomenon taking place due to various reasons.
The midlife crisis can be a result of some unfulfilled expectations from life, a change in career, sexual life, new responsibilities, and a change in health. Overall, a midlife crisis is a transition resulting in due to several socioeconomic conditions in the middle age of a person.
How Long Does A Midlife Crisis Last?
| Gender of the Person | Lasts For |
| Males | 3 to 7 |
| Females | 2 to 5 |
The midlife crisis lasts for different periods for different people. However, on a broad range, the midlife crisis in all people lasts for 3 to 6 years until the person accepts their old age and gives up the yearnings for youth. It marks the end of youthfulness and the beginning of old age.
Males experience midlife crises for a prolonged period than women for 3 to 7 years. It may be noted that here ‘males’ refer to the biological males and not their sexuality. Male midlife crisis is mostly influenced by unfinished business, changes in mood including anger and frustration, inability in pursuing desires, and new affairs.
In contrast to this females have a shorter midlife crisis of about 2 to 5 years. Here, ‘females’ refer to biological females and not their sexual orientation. The female midlife crisis results in decreased sexual desires, doubts about one’s appearance, and how other people may observe it.
In addition to that, women also feel their midlife crisis being intensified due to the menopausal change they undergo. Menopause is a condition in females when they stop menstruating when they are between their 40s and 60s. Menopause brings about several hormonal changes which further lead to physical and sentimental distress.
Midlife crisis is not similar for all humans. Different people experience it at different periods of their life. If a person gets exhausted sooner in their life due to several reasons, they would experience the crisis sooner than others.
Why Does A Midlife Crisis Last So Long?
The midlife crisis begins as the realization of one’s self dawns upon oneself. It is a result of a refusal to adapt to a person’s aging self. Change is the only constant in this mortal world and one should not hold oneself to the restricted feelings and experiences of youth.
As the well-known poet Max Ehrmann had put it, “Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth”. The effects of a midlife crisis are least felt when a person surrenders to his age and does not worry about it. A midlife crisis is a situation where your body and mind forces you to leave the things of youth and move on to old age if a person does not adapt themselves.
When a person refuses to move forward in their life and tries to move away from old age, they would increasingly worry about the same. This increased worry would make them experience the symptoms of old age much before they become old. This is what a midlife crisis is precisely is. A person feels afraid of aging and wants to continue experiencing youth.
Dissatisfaction with the youth spent by is a major cause resulting in midlife problems. People want to accomplish more and are not satisfied with what they have attained. People who are at such loose ends experience a midlife crisis quite early in their life.
Conclusion
A midlife crisis is the refusal to acknowledge the things of old age while clinging on to youth. It is experienced by people who are between 40 to 60 years of age but people who have accomplished much and retire early might experience it early. Usually, males feel it for 3 to 7 years while females feel it for 2 to 5 years.
The midlife crisis results in effects like a declining charm, sexual longing, energy, and an increase in anger and irritation. Feeling aimless or without any purpose is another symptom of a midlife crisis.
References
- https://www.proquest.com/openview/f9476a7b199b82fe3f5698dac1a6fd81/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=35193
- https://philpapers.org/rec/SETTMC
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