The midlife crisis as commonly understood—a period of sharply worsening mood and dissatisfaction with life around age 40—is not supported by scientific evidence. Studies have found no direct link between reaching this age and negative psychological changes. Psychologist Margie E. Lachman discussed this in an interview with Women's Health magazine.

According to Lachman, viewing midlife as an inevitable crisis can itself be harmful. Social stereotypes lead people to see age-related changes as signs of decline, even though they do not necessarily mean poorer health or a lower quality of life.

“These attitudes can also affect medical care. For example, doctors may dismiss the complaints of a woman over 50 as age-related changes and overlook symptoms of a disease. Research also shows that a person's attitude toward aging is linked to their health and life expectancy,” she warned.

According to Lachman, people with a more positive view of aging live longer on average than those who hold negative stereotypes about old age.

At the same time, Lachman does not deny that midlife often becomes a time to reassess one's values and life goals. However, this process does not necessarily involve severe emotional upheaval and may take relatively little time.

The psychologist compared midlife to halftime in a sports game: some important events have already taken place, but the game is not over yet. In her view, this period should be seen not as an inevitable crisis, but as an opportunity to reflect on how far one has come and decide what one wants next.