Sport cars, weird fashion choices and spontaneous career choices – midlife crisis? Well, these are the classic symptoms of midlife impasse. However, they are also an indication of a new dilemma – Quarter-life crisis!
Researchers today say in popular psychology, a quarter-life crisis is a crisis “involving anxiety over the direction and quality of one’s life” which is most commonly experienced in a period ranging from a person’s twenties up to their mid-thirties.
As one ventures out into the new world, full of endless possibilities and choices, most millennials and young adults change their outlook on life. They adopt a more realistic approach and start to feel as though they have not achieved the things they should have, at that time, and fear they never will.
And thus, quarter-life crisis!
According to employment-oriented service LinkedIn’s official blog, almost “75 per cent of 25 to 33-year-old individuals have experienced a quarter-life crisis”.
And in the UAE, five out of six people have felt like they were going through something similar.
Research also claims Britons begin evaluating their existence and direction much earlier, pin-pointing the so-called quarter-life crisis at just 26 years and nine months.
Research suggests around 60pc of people are anxious about their careers or “what to do next.” Most young people starting out are “frustrated about their career options” and worried about “not earning enough.’
UK-based clinical psychologist Dr Alex Fowke believes the quarter-life crisis has become increasingly prominent in recent years due to the substantial pressures younger generations face, especially when compared to older generations.
Youngsters in the UAE are no strangers to the possibility of having a quarter-life crisis.
Clinical counsellor based in Dubai Christina Burmeister blames the use of social media for it.
“People post about their achievements and progress and others start comparing themselves to it. Youngsters especially post about what cars they are driving, what they are doing on the weekend or what jobs they have,” she says.
This can have an impact on a youngster’s self-worth when constantly exposed to such content professionals say.
“Literature suggests that key challenges faced by people aged between 18 and 35 can include identity confusion, internal conflict (failing to reach the expectations set for themselves) and uncertainty,” says Dr Fowke.
The problem, apparently, is that many are being brought up to be ambitious, but feel like they can’t get anywhere, and struggle to find a career path that’s right for them.
But is this a crisis? Or just bumps in our pathway of life?!