Midlife Crisis - Treatment and Prevention

Treatment and Prevention

Dealing with a midlife crisis may take time and energy but it is important to understand that there are many coping skills that can help as well as lifestyle changes that can be made earlier in life. It is very important for a person to explore and share their feelings by either trusting a friend or seeing a therapist. A person in midlife needs to reevaluate and think of what their life goals can be.

Exercise and a good diet are also lifestyle decisions that can help. Most of all it is important to embrace midlife, and not fear it. By improving your lifestyle behaviors, many problems in life can be reversed. Physical activity can reduce an extreme amount of tension and reduces a good amount of stress one may be feeling. A balanced, nutritious meal plan is also important along with sleep and rest.

A psychotherapist can be helpful during a mid-life crisis because it provides an opportunity to enter the next step of your life with a greater awareness of who you were, who you are, and who you want to be. With the help of this therapist, one's issues and problems that have been building up can be worked on. Additionally, they will help you set up a plan to take the next step in your life, without bringing up your negativity from the past.

There are also life changes that can be made early in life to prevent a midlife crisis. Susan Krauss Whitbourne found in her research that those who switched jobs earlier in life had a greater sense of generativity.

Dr. Prabha Chandra, a professor of psychiatry, believes that a midlife crisis can be prevented. It is recommended to treat it as a transitional phase. In other words, view it as an opening for new opportunities and positive growth. Also, it can be beneficial to accept aging early. Mental preparation may reduce overwhelming feelings that lead to crisis.