The Quarter-Life Crisis is a weekly newsletter bringing you human stories, expert advice, information, and inspiration on mental health and mental illness. According to the World Health Organization, depression, anxiety, and behavioral disorders are among the leading causes of illness and disability among young people around the globe. It aims to help young people overcome stigma, access evidence-based guidance, and feel supported in their mental health journey.
Buying a sports car, making questionable style choices, dating someone half one’s age... We’re all familiar with these cliché signs of a midlife crisis. These days, however, the crisis is coming sooner. And saddled with student debt, stagnant wages, and a rising cost of living, buying a fancy car isn’t a viable coping strategy, and dating someone half your age? Well…let’s not go there.
You can always dye your hair, or maybe quit your job and move to another country – as close to clichés as we have for the relatively new phenomenon of the “quarter-life crisis” – but that will only get you so far.
You might make the tough decision to put your limited income toward food and shelter rather than therapy, and instead, turn to the oh-so reliable internet for advice. How could that go wrong?
The Collins English Dictionary defines the quarter-life crisis as a “crisis that may be experienced in one's twenties, involving anxiety over the direction and quality of one's life.”
One clinical psychologist described the phenomenon to The Independent as a “a period of insecurity, doubt and disappointment surrounding your career, relationships and financial situation." A quick Google search will reveal an impressive volume of articles, blog posts, and social media posts on the topic – some useful, and some baselessly offering solutions to all of your problems.
This newsletter provides no easy answers, but access to information, expert knowledge, and a message of solidarity from a few other twenty-somethings who have no idea what they’re doing with their lives.
That said, we hope that this newsletter will be useful to you no matter who you are, and whether you’re experiencing a quarter-life crisis or not.
We recognize that the so-called quarter-life crisis is, in many ways, a crisis of privilege. We understand that the simple notion of the quarter-life crisis does not in itself encapsulate the enormity of the larger mental health crisis facing young people around the world – suicide is now the fourth leading cause of death among 15-29-year-olds and around 20 percent of the world’s children and adolescents have a mental health condition. Still, we hope this helps.
________________________________________________________________________
⚠️The content of this newsletter is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have questions about any medical matter, you should consult your doctor or other professional healthcare provider.
If you are in crisis or you think you may have an emergency, call your doctor or your local emergency line immediately.
________________________________________________________________________
Comments