The crisis of 40, what is it and how does it appear in women and men?

When we are in school they say that "every living being is born, grows, reproduces and dies", this means that as time goes by we acquire more mental and chronological age (the latter expressed in years of life). For this reason, it is necessary to learn to recognize the changes inherent to each stage of the life cycle, to live them and learn how to adapt on a personal, family and social level.

Today we are going to talk about the Crisis of the 40s, a topic mentioned in several places, but little known by those who are really close to experiencing it..

Contents

• Basic characteristics of a Crisis of the 40s
• 40s crisis in women
• 40s crisis in men
  • In conclusion…
  • Bibliography

Basic characteristics of a Crisis of the 40s

According to the dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy, a crisis is defined as "a profound change, which has important consequences ...", based on this conception, some experts state that there are 2 types of age-specific crises: evolutionary ones, produced by all the set of physical and psychological changes linked to the normal development of every human being, that is to say, unavoidable changes typical of our species. On the other side we find circumstantial crises, which are the result of any situation that occurs around us (at the economic, work, family, emotional or social level)..

Thus, the crisis of 40 is a type of evolutionary crisis that each person experiences differently, but always recognizing that life as well as it has a beginning has an end, something that some people find it difficult to assimilate and understand (especially when they are between 40 and 50 years of age), but how does it present in women and men?

40s crisis in women

When a woman is 40 years old (approximately) she can identify if she is presenting this crisis if she shows any (or more) of the following symptoms:

• Harsh criticism is made about the life he wanted to live vs the life he has been living, this is accompanied especially by a negative feeling, asking himself deep and constant questions about his professional, personal and / or family life, analyzing what he likes, what not, and this causes discomfort.
• Decides hastily or without thinking things, which leads her to act on impulse and can produce serious consequences.
• Difficulty sleeping, in this case associated with hormonal changes.
• Perception of boredom, you have the idea that you can no longer perform those activities that caused you some fun.
• ATTENTION because obsessions with your physique appear, sadly some women spend hours looking negatively in the mirror, wrinkles, blemishes, and other changes make you want to be young again and make unwise decisions.

40s crisis in men

Men sometimes find it as difficult (or even more) to be able to face in a positive and constructive way the changes typical of the 40 years and over. In addition to having the symptoms mentioned above in common in women, a man with a crisis of 40 may present:

• Noticing that your body resistance has changed in a noticeable way, as well as your physical appearance.
• Remember that their children are already older, responsible and independent (sometimes so much that they do not maintain contact with their parents).
• Sadness because people with whom you have lived have died (family, friends, neighbors, others).
• Make decisions contrary to your way of being, for example: if you are separated or even a widower, actively seek the love of a woman who is younger to make you "feel younger".
• Some men go into denial, that is, they find it difficult to accept these changes and show certain signs: increased alcohol consumption, infidelity, excessive and irrational concern about their appearance, uncontrollable desire to experience new emotions and / or sensations.

In conclusion…

It should be clarified that this symptomatology in both men and women can present all, some aspects or simply assimilate this arrival at 40 years as something normal and positive. Let's learn to look at the past with gratitude and the future with hope, no matter what stage we are living ...

Bibliography

• (1) Dolors M. (2014). Psychology of the crisis of the 40s: fear of getting older or of stopping being young ?. Extracted from: https://www.siquia.com/2014/11/psicologia-de-la-crisis-de-los-40-miedo-a-hacerte-mayor-o-a-dejar-de-ser-joven/
• (3) Royal Spanish Academy (2019). Crisis. Extracted from: https://dle.rae.es/crisis