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Contributor
Posts: 62
Registered: ‎01-13-2011

I was wondering if anyone feels they have gone through a mid life crisis of sorts as their children get older and their spouses seem busy. I am struggling a bit and don't know what is going on with me but I a have become sensitive, needy and feel lonely. I don't know if I need an antidepressant but I am exploring that with my therapist. I am not looking for answers here just opinions so I can ask the right questions to myself and the professionals that I see. I am in my later forties and I just started feeling it in the past 2-3 years and it's getting worse.  Thanks to anyone that can offer an opinion. 

 

Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,513
Registered: ‎10-27-2010

You've probably done a wonderful and selfless job of being a mom and now you are feeling a bit empty and lost. You probably have not had much time while raising your family to think about yourself and your own interests. You may even have felt guilty thinking of yourself. But now it's time! What are you interested in? Maybe you want to read, take a night class, learn to paint? Are you the type of person who gains energy by yourself or with others? Some of us relish having tone alone for reading, music, or whatever, while some of us need to get out to see people, volunteer, join a book club, take on a part time job. I apologize that these are obvious ideas, but on my first day after taking early retirement, I remember getting up in anticipitation and then thinking, "Now what?" You're at a kind of "Now what?" stage of life. You are wise to talk about this with your therapist and you are simply human to feel a bit needy and lost. Don't panic. Your feelings are ok and quite logical! You have an opportunity to explore. And as a mom, you will still be teaching your kids some wonderful lessons about moving on in life. They are watching you and learning from your example, whether you realize it or not. Use that as motivation to teach them about moving through the stages of life. When my aunt as widowed years ago at about age 60, she began traveling after she found her footing. In retirement, I have indulged my passion for books, history, and my piano and our cats. That's just me. You may be more of an extrovert than I and need to be out with people more than I do. Chat about it with your therapist and have hIm/her give you a basic personality test which will guide you a bit. See what you discover about what's inside you! Take your time, try new things, think, dream a little, and keep talking it out as you go. I am excited for you.

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 5,546
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Mid Life Crisis

[ Edited ]

Meh, you don't need to get a script & run to Walgreens.

 

Get yourself a Mustang 5.0 ltr engine, a BF at least 10 yrs younger with swag & a bottle of bubbly.

 

You'll feel like a new woman in no time.

 

 

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Registered: ‎06-14-2015

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Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,842
Registered: ‎04-23-2010

@three4me wrote:

I was wondering if anyone feels they have gone through a mid life crisis of sorts as their children get older and their spouses seem busy. I am struggling a bit and don't know what is going on with me but I a have become sensitive, needy and feel lonely. I don't know if I need an antidepressant but I am exploring that with my therapist. I am not looking for answers here just opinions so I can ask the right questions to myself and the professionals that I see. I am in my later forties and I just started feeling it in the past 2-3 years and it's getting worse.  Thanks to anyone that can offer an opinion. 

 


You are probably starting your peri menopausal  time. It is difficult....

That is why women in their mid forties find themselves drinking every day or getting addicted on whatever meds.

 

i have been through what you describe, I am 54 now and much better. Walking, yoga, Pilates ,dancing and daily glass of wine helped. Also I upped my Magnesium, Vit D3, calcium. Massages help tremendously.

 

Feel better! You are not alone, cheers! 🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷

Honored Contributor
Posts: 32,682
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Change, whether good or bad, is very stressful for all of us.  And at different times of life life itself brings challenges as well as external factors and stresses from friends and family.

 

Humans are adaptible however, and most often we learn to cope and weave into our lives things that may seem unbearable at first.  

 

No widsom for you I am sorry to say, but good wishes and remember there is HOPE!!!

Honored Contributor
Posts: 14,917
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

@three4me I think that you were so busy raising your family that you forgot about you and now that it is all about you...you just don't know what to do about it.I think that as someone else suggested joining a gym is a great way to beat the blues and if you take  some of the classes you will meet many new people.I go to the morning sessions at my gym and have met the greatest people and some of them are now special friends, I have become so busy that I am finding it hard to get stuff done around the house and yet a couple of years ago I could have written exactly what you did.

 

Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,753
Registered: ‎08-16-2016

Re: Mid Life Crisis

[ Edited ]

Yes, I have felt like that. Probably we all have. And we all find our way past it, if we want to, and it all works out, and it will for you!

 

The great thing is, we get to choose. What makes sense to me is that in every single minute (if I can remember!), I can reach inside myself for the next best feeling from wherever I am at the moment. Yep, I do mean that you can choose how to feel, even if it doesn't seem like it. It's kind of a habit, reaching for the next best feeling. You can get it with practice. 

 

And yes, by all means do what strongly appeals to you as a positive step to take. For me, I never wanted meds, even when they were offered. It sounded sensible, but felt icky. But it might be just the thing for you, to interrupt the habit you have of spirialing downward. Nothing wrong with temporary relief! Do anything that feels better! Do everything that feels better! How do YOU feel about it? Does it feel good to think about doing it? Or not so good? Seems to me that's the only thing that matters! 

Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,627
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Yup, I've been there.  I was dissatisfied with everything.  I wanted to move and wanted to totally shake up my life.  I just couldn't find peace and was very restless.  it was during the last few years of peri-menopause/early menopause.  I'm 58 and it's just about gone.  Not sure even when it actually left, lol.

 

I have a very wise doctor who told me to hang on.  That it was a mid-life crisis and it would resolve.  And it did.

 

Am I still a little dissatisfied with some things.  Sure.  I don't think anyone wouldn't like to make some changes.  But, I'm not obsessed about them anymore.  I'm finding more and more peace and satisfaction in my life.

 

I've also made some new friends over the past couple of years, and found some long lost friends and family members.  We stay in touch and get together.  This was probably the biggest thing that helped me through, at the end.

 

My husband was just confused LOL!

"I've been here since October 2006. Wow!"
Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,446
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Yes, I've been there and it is difficult.  You're raising your chidren for so many years and barely have time to sit down and then all of a sudden you have all this time on your hands.  People have shared some very good ideas.  I got a part time job and made some new friends, something I didn't think would happen.  I also work out at the gym and talk long walks when the weather is good.  It still a little difficult since DH is about to retire and we'll be going through another change and will have to make some decisions.  Maybe, for me, life was easier when I knew what I had to do or needed to do and I just did it.  Now we have to make decisions and the decisions we make can affect the future and I don't want to make any mistakes.  I do feel blessed as we're in a good place and our children are on their own.  As my husband has said no a bad problem to have!  Good Luck!