![]() Yet, on that day, Ben’s response arose from a place of existential uncertainty: “I would say that I’m just drifting.”īorrowing on insights gained during sessions with my therapist brings to light a simple question that can embody the existential confusion of the Quarter-Life Crisis. On a good day, such a question for someone in their early 20s might elicit an effortless or even sarcastic response. ![]() In one scene, his father asks his son a simple question: “Ben, what are you doing?” In the 1967 film, The Graduate, the protagonist Ben (played by Dustin Hoffman) is a recent college graduate who finds himself struggling with the vicissitudes of early adulthood. This is particularly triggering when the perception of lack was preceded by a stretch of time in which there was a perception of consistent or abundant validationĮven if these events in and of themselves may not be the immediate cause of a Quarter-Life Crisis, they can still the groundwork for such an existential crisis to develop days, weeks, months, or years later. Lack of reward – a perceived lack of validation from meaningful others, such as from our loved ones, friends, colleagues, or even acquaintances or social media followers. Life change leading to isolation – new and isolating experiences which break up our comfort zone and familiar support systems, such as moving to an unfamiliar city, graduating from school, or transitioning careers That said, here are a few examples of general life events/circumstances which can create the conditions to trigger a Quarter-Life Crisis:Īn un-integrated loss – Experiencing a sense of significant loss, such as the death or estrangement of a loved one or friend, the loss of physical or mental health, the loss of an important job, loss of wealth or income, or the loss of a valued material possessionsĮxcessive self-expectations – the perceived failure to live up to our own or an important other’s expectations, particularly those tied to timelines of age, such as being married, buying a house at a certain date, or earning a certain promotion/status/wealth marker by a certain birthday or new yearĬomparisons to others – feeling an acute sense of lagging behind others whom we perceive as moving ahead – particularly those that we know or feel are similar in background to us and in areas that we value, such as career or relationship milestones The cause of a Quarter-Life Crisis may also not be a single straw, back-breaking event – it may be due to smaller, accumulative stressors, or the penultimate straw before an unrelated, final push. The reasons will naturally differ based on a multitude of factors, such as a person’s unique background, life situation, privilege or exposure to opportunities in life, and the various innate and cultivated nuances of one’s sense of self. There are many reasons for why this challenging chapter in one’s life may arise. What can cause a Quarter-Life Crisis to arise? So what is one to call a period of major existential questioning and disenchantment with life that happens between the ages of 25 and 35? The phenomenon known as the Mid-Life Crisis occurs just before or between the ages of 45 and 60.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |