Just What is Midlife and Does There Have to Be a Crisis? Part One - It's Not All About Age

Just what is midlife? Many people define midlife byone and one's success in later stages really depends
chronological age - some say it starts at 35 and endson how well the previous stage was navigated.
at 50; others say 40-60 and still others 45-65. ButErikson delineated five distinct stages and crises of
age alone does not accurately portray the definitionchildhood: Infancy (Trust vs. Mistrust), Early Childhood
of midlife. Midlife - or Middle Adulthood - is a normal(Trust vs. Mistrust), Preschool (Initiative vs. Guilt),
developmental life stage, and as with all stages ofSchool Age (Industry vs. Inferiority) and Adolescence
human development from infancy through old age, it(Identity vs. Role Confusion). He divided the stages
can be defined by the developmental tasks that areof adulthood into Young Adulthood (Intimacy vs.
associated with it rather than just chronological age.Isolation), Middle Adulthood (Generativity vs.
It's funny...when you search online for a definition ofStagnation) and Older Adulthood (Ego Integrity vs.
midlife what you get are a lot of negativeDespair).
connotations associated with it; for example, youI will get into more specifics about midlife in Part Two
may immediately find the term midlife crisis thrown inof this series but first let me lay the groundwork for
there. Does there always have to be a crisis inthe developmental tasks associated with the three
midlife? I'll examine this issue of "midlife crisis" later instages of adult life.
the series. But a short answer to this question is "No"In Young Adulthood, the challenge or crisis is to find
and I think we do this rich stage of life a disserviceand create significant and meaningful relationships. It is
when we portray only the downside of it.the time of finding a spouse or life partner, creating a
Here is where focusing on the developmental tasksfamily and developing friendships. As a result of doing
of midlife is really helpful; these tasks allow us to seeso, a person achieves intimacy, the positive outcome
the positive as well as the negative side of midlife. Asof this stage. If a person doesn't develop these
a student of human development, I especially like torelationships, the negative outcome is isolation.
look at the work of Erik Erikson, a GermanIn Middle Adulthood, the developmental task is to
psychologist/ psychotherapist whose work spannedcontinue to work creatively and productively on the
many decades of the 20th century. He divided lifecareer and family one has created. During this time,
into eight stages that extended from birth to death.we pass along values and norms to the next
His theory was revolutionary as most developmentalgeneration. Our focus begins to grow beyond the
theories only covered childhood. Psychological-Socialimmediate focus of family and friends and extends
(psychosocial) development continues throughout theout into our communities, the nation and the world.
life span and is not only specific to childhood.Meaningful work is very important in this stage of life.
Each stage of life, Erikson theorized, has a crisisThose who successfully navigate these
associated with it and the crisis would either result indevelopmental tasks will achieve a sense of
a positive outcome or in a negative one.accomplishment and purpose. Erikson referred to the
For example, the developmental crisis of Infancy ispositive outcome as generativity - a sense that we
Trust vs. Mistrust. If an infant's physical and emotionalare contributing to the world. The failure to
needs are met sufficiently, the infant successfullysuccessfully accomplish these tasks will result in the
experiences the positive outcome of this crisis - thenegative outcome of this developmental crisis which
ability to trust others. The infant becomes a securelyis self-absorption or stagnation.
attached toddler and enters the next developmentalOlder Adulthood is focused on reflecting back on life.
crisis of Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt having aIf we can look back on our lives and appreciate our
solid foundation.accomplishments and our contributions, feel a sense
The negative outcome of this stage was sadlyof satisfaction and few regrets, then we will achieve
experienced on a significant scale in the 1990's whena positive outcome of this stage's developmental
the stories of the developmental deficits ofcrisis - what Erikson called ego integrity - a sense of
Romanian adoptees hit the media. Most of thesewholeness and completeness. If we feel our lives
children were warehoused in orphanages and neverhave no meaning, or our lives have been wasted and
received the nurturing and the interaction from theirtherefore we have many regrets, we will experience
caretakers that all babies need in order for theirthe negative outcome of this developmental crisis
brains to develop. The damage caused by neverwhich is despair.
achieving trust in their caretakers and theirMidlife is a rich stage of life that has more to do with
environment was permanent and resulted ingrowth and possibilities rather than reaching a certain
attachment, learning and behavioral problems to nameage and having a crisis. Part Two of this series will
just a few.focus on the crossroads of midlife and successfully
Each developmental stage scaffolds on the previousand satisfyingly navigating beyond them.