"Because of longer life expectancies, the onset of symptoms thankfully was not static at 35, but regardless of when people entered their midlife crisis, evidence of the phenomenon was observed around the world. Jaques himself was Canadian-born, and he first presented his thesis in 1957 to the British Psycho-Analytical Society in London. But in the decades since, as some countries have taken steps towards reducing the burden of midlife depression in their society, mental health for the middle-aged has become a distinctly American problem."
"While middle-aged adults in many modern nations are seeing their health and well-being stabilize or even improve, Americans born between the 1930s and 1970s are comparatively faring much worse, according to a study published Monday in the journal Current Directions in Psychological Science, led by researchers at Arizona State University. Leading the list of afflictions are unprecedented levels of loneliness, depression and cognitive decline."
Midlife crisis emerged in the late 1950s as a yearslong depression in mid-30s triggered by confronting mortality. Longer life expectancy moved onset beyond 35, and evidence of midlife malaise appeared globally. In recent decades many countries have stabilized or improved middle-aged well-being, but Americans born between the 1930s and 1970s are faring worse than peers in Mexico and 15 European countries. The predominant issues are unprecedented loneliness, depression, and cognitive decline. The crisis reflects systemic factors more than lifestyle choices, and the core struggle centers on getting through daily life and preserving mental health.
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