What Exactly Is a Quarter-Life Crisis; Surviving It
Quarter-life crisis happens to young adults who are in their 20s to early 30s, it may lead to depression. Some signs that you may be suffering from it include depressive episodes, acting on impulse, self-isolating, having a hard time in making decisions also having no direction.
This article breaks it down for you by giving you actionable and practical solutions to help you navigate this period.
Here are the 4 phases of a quarter-life crisis
Do you experience any or all of the signs listed at the beginning of this article? If you answered yes to this question then continue reading. The main reason why this crisis exists is that society has modeled everyone to follow a standard path. You are expected to go to school, get a job, have a family, and make children within certain ages to be considered successful.
Many young adults within the mid-20s to early 30s age bracket complain of societal pressure. Social media adds to this, considering latest trends to get a large following involve making big life announcements. Posts like “I bought a new car at 25 years old” or “Bought my first house at 24” are common today and this is something older generations did not have to deal with.
The following are the four phases you go through;
· A feeling of being trapped. While you are at this stage you cannot move forward with any of your plans. You feel directionless and are unable to function in your daily life and be productive.
· You will (un)consciously separate yourself from others, leading to loneliness. This is the beginning of self-destructive behavior because human beings are social animals. We need each other’s company.
· The next stage could go in two ways depending on the direction you choose to take: self-acceptance (this is great for you) or denial (this will lead you down the rabbit hole fast and should be avoided).
· The final stage depends on the previous action taken. It is referred to as the destructive or constructive stage of overcoming the quarter-life crisis.
The way forward; How to navigate this challenging period
It is not easy experiencing this new feeling. We have come up with practical solutions to help make you feel better during this time. Doing the following guarantees, you positive results and a better outcome for your mental health as well as overall wellness.
1. Seeking counseling services could be your best move. The best thing about this generation is that topics related to mental health are not taboo. Young adults are more open to sharing and speaking about it. This is good for all the people involved.
2. Master your emotions. This will need time and practice but eventually helps.
Final thoughts
The quarter-life crisis affects almost every young adult worldwide. It is high time you take action and master your emotions and realize that you are not alone. Following all the steps in this article guarantees you success in this journey.
