Mid-life crisis?

Here's a question for you:  If indeed you believe there is such a thing as the mid life crisis, would a person know if they were having one"? What are the signs that someone such as my good self - soon to be staring the grand old age of 42 in the face, and contemplating the future - be looking out for? 

On typing 'mid life crisis' in to Google, I am presented with these top 5 results:
  1. Midlife Crisis Wikipedia
  2. Male Midlife Crisis - Live Well - NHS Choices
  3. Top 40 Signs of a Midlife Crisis Revealed: Telepgraph, article based on an unreferenced study
  4. Midlife Crisis - Depression or normal transition? WebMD
  5. What is a midlife crisis? - Divorce Support - About.com
The combination of these results would suggest  a number of interesting things.  Firstly, I am too young to be experiencing midlife crisis.  Afterall, according to Wikipedia, 46 is the average age of onset and the good new for us women is that we are likely to suffer for a shorter period of time than men will. Only fair really, given that we live with the menstrual cycle and do all the pregnancy stuff. On saying that we'll also have to live with our 'midlife men' in crisis for up to some ten years. Hmmm...

Apparently the NHS recognise 'midlife crisis' as a condition, but only for men.  Thanks NHS, perhaps you consider it enough for women to have to deal with menopause?  The Telegraph, tell us about a study that would reveal that I have quite possibly been having a midlife crisis since I was about 19 - more on that shortly.  Maybe it's just another of life's transiitions, this time into middle age?  Depression with a life stage title - thank you WebMD.  Either that, or, according to About.com, my marriage could be short lived, potentially cracking under the pressure of the crisis of middle age.

If the Telegraph's top 40 signs are to be believed, then 'desiring a simpler life', 'still going to music festivals', listening to Radio 6', and 'taking up a new hobby', all add to up to be my kind of crisis!  I can't recall a time when I didn't desire a simpler life...little did I know in my formative years just how complex life can become.

I'm less keen on the idea of 'wanting to ditch my friends in favour of new ones',  contemplating having a hair transplant or plastic surgery', "not being able to envisage a time when I can retire' and 'realising I may never pay off my mortgage'.

I'm choosing to overlook " obsessively compare your appearance with others the same age", "dread calls at unexpected time from your parents (fearing the worst)", "dream abut quitting your job and  buying a B&B or a pub", 3 day hangovers" and "look up your medical symptoms on the internet".

Right, you'll have to excuse me, I can't stick around here chatting all day...I need to take my newly transplanted hair to go and make some new friends to take to Glastonbury with me next year, if I can get time off away from the new Pub that is...

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