Fears that relate to the environment are common and valid, as can be many fears related to age or aging. However, if these subjects cause distress that becomes challenging to manage, it may be a sign that it’s time to approach them differently. How might a midlife crisis and environmental fears go together, and how can you address worries that connect to the present and future state of the environment?
The Definition of Midlife Crisis
First and foremost, what exactly is a midlife crisis?
The dictionary.com definition of a midlife crisis is “a period of psychological stress occurring in middle age, thought to be triggered by a physical, occupational, or domestic event, as menopause, diminution of physical prowess, job loss, or departure of children from the home.” During a midlife crisis, someone might worry about whether or not they have time to achieve what they want to, feel nervous about growing older or needing more help later down the line, and may feel down.
As for when this might take place? “Midlife” typically refers to the time in a person’s life that takes place from around age 40 to age 60 or so. That said, it’s noted among experts and researchers that the aforementioned psychological distress may not actually be contingent on age. In other words, an individual may face these feelings as well as various life transitions and fears at virtually any time. Still, there are common occurrences that may exist among those aged 40 to 60.
How Midlife Crises And Environmental Fears Go Together?
Although it may seem like two separate topics, and as much as some fears and thoughts a person might have related to age may differ, environmental fears can pair with aging in some ways. It’s not uncommon for people facing what one might call a midlife crisis to worry about the state of the world and what the quality of life will be like for the future generations that will live in it. Particularly, if you are a parent, guardian, or have children in your life otherwise, you may be concerned with what the world will be like for them as time goes on and things like climate change continue to progress.
It is true, however, that people of any age can be concerned about the environment to the extent that it causes considerable distress and impacts their day-to-day mental health and life. In this case, you may want to know, regardless of age, how to address them in a way that supports your emotional, psychological, and social well-being.
Addressing Fears Related To The Environment
Here are some tips to use to address your fears related to the environment:
- Care for the environment in your day-to-day living choices. Employ sustainability practices in your personal life and, if applicable, in your family and workplace.
- Promote sustainability in and beyond your community. Get active in campaigns, organizations, and other ways you can spread environment awareness that are accessible to you, whether those opportunities are online or in person. Spreading awareness to other people and letting them know how they can help may be rewarding.
- Be cognizant of what you can and cannot do. Try to shift your energy toward the things that you can control, such as your own personal actions and involvement. Make sure to employ self-care and speak to yourself gently at times when there are things you can’t change. You may utilize tools like cognitive reframing and radical acceptance.
- Find others with the same passion. Volunteer work supports mental health, and having people to talk to who share the same environmental fears and concerns may be advantageous. If there is a way to meet people through volunteering, local efforts, groups, or even people you can bond with over this common interest, it may be supportive.
If you find that your worries about age, the environment, or other topics start to impact your quality of life, take up a great deal of mental space, impose on your physical and mental well-being and relationships, or if you simply want a place to talk and find solutions, mental health support may offer an advantage. Additionally, if practices like radical acceptance are challenging to adapt to, a therapist or counselor could be able to help.
If you find that your worries about age, a midlife crisis, the environment, or other topics start to impact your quality of life, take up a great deal of mental space, impose on your physical and mental well-being and relationships, or if you simply want a place to talk and find solutions, mental health support may offer an advantage. Additionally, if practices like radical acceptance are challenging to adapt to, a therapist or counselor could be able to help.
