Frenetic lives: The survey found 25-35 year olds feel under pressure from their parents to succeed |
They may still be in the prime of their lives - but for many young adults, their 20s and 30s are now a time of panic and self-doubt as they suffer a 'quarter-life crisis'. Faced with too much choice, they are experiencing the traditional symptoms of a mid-life crisis earlier, research suggests. Today's young adults often struggle with the multitude of options available, driving them to feel anxiety, depression and a sense of being trapped or 'locked into' a marriage or a job that doesn't feel right. And the phenomenon appears to be more common than in the past, according to Greenwich University researcher Oliver Robinson. Dr Robinson, who interviewed 50 people aged between 25 and 35 about their difficulties coping, said: 'You are now more footloose to make changes in early adulthood than I think you once were.' 'There is greater fluidity in the job world, greater fluidity in marriage or alternatives to marriage. This fluidity has meant major life changes are more acceptable. 'In the past if a major life change were to occur it would happen in mid-life.' Pressure to meet parents' demands can add to the sense of crisis among today's young adults, he said. 'It is about people feeling a frenetic need to get a job, make money and be successful quickly,' said the researcher. 'It links to the demanding nature of people in their 20s and 30s who want it all. They are not happy with a mediocre, ploddy, conventional life.' While a major re-evaluation of life choices can be unsettling, it seems to be worth it in the end, the British Psychological Society's annual conference heard. Dr Robinson said 'setting the clock back on adulthood and starting again' brings with it a sense of freedom. And those who have suffered – or are in the midst of – a 'quarter-life crisis' will be glad to know that it cuts their odds of suffering a 'proper' mid-life crisis later on. Dr Robinson said: 'You'd be much less likely to [suffer another crisis] because the lifestyle that [you have] post crisis is intrinsically healthier than what you had before.' (Read by Nelly Min. Nelly Min is a journalist at the China Daily Website.) (Agencies) |
很多20和30多歲的年輕人也許還處于人生的黃金時期,但因為遭遇“青年危機”,他們正在恐慌和自我懷疑中掙扎。 研究指出,由于面臨太多選擇,他們正提早經(jīng)歷中年危機的一些傳統(tǒng)癥狀。 現(xiàn)在的年輕人時常要在眾多可能性中作出艱難的選擇,這讓他們感到焦慮和抑郁。他們感覺自己陷入或“被鎖進(jìn)了”錯誤的婚姻或工作。 格林威治大學(xué)的研究人員奧利佛?羅賓森說,和過去相比較,現(xiàn)在“青年危機”的現(xiàn)象更普遍了。 在調(diào)查了50位年齡在25歲到35歲之間的人應(yīng)對危機的情況后,羅賓森博士說:“如今在剛步入成年期時作出改變比以前要自由。” 他說:“職場和婚姻的流動性更大,替代婚姻的生活方式也更多。這一流動性意味著人們比以往更容易接受重大的人生改變。 “在過去,重大的人生改變一般在中年時期發(fā)生。” 他說,為了實現(xiàn)父母期望而產(chǎn)生的壓力增加了現(xiàn)在年輕人的危機感。 研究人員說:“這種危機感體現(xiàn)在急迫地要找到工作、賺錢以及迅速成功。” “二三十歲的年輕人的危機感和他們想要得到一切的苛求心態(tài)有關(guān)。他們無法滿足于平庸、枯燥的平凡生活。” 不過,這份在英國心理學(xué)會年會上提交的研究報告稱,盡管重新衡量人生選擇的過程會使人焦慮,但最后看來,似乎還是值得的。 羅賓森博士說,“把成年的時鐘指針往回?fù)懿⒅匦麻_始”將帶來自由的感覺。 有一點會讓那些曾經(jīng)經(jīng)受過或正在經(jīng)受“青年危機”的人感到安慰,那就是“青年危機”會降低他們以后遭受真正的中年危機的可能性。 羅賓森博士說:“你遭受另一場危機的可能性會大大降低,因為青年危機后的生活方式從本質(zhì)上來講比你先前的生活方式要健康。” 相關(guān)閱讀 畢業(yè)生可能遭遇的quarterlife crisis (中國日報網(wǎng)英語點津 陳丹妮 編輯:馮明惠) |
Vocabulary: footloose: free to go where you like or do what you want because you have no responsibilities(行動無拘無束的;自由自在的) frenetic: involving a lot of energy and activity in a way that is not organized (發(fā)狂似的;狂亂的) ploddy: 枯燥的,沉重的 unsettling: making you feel upset, nervous or worried 令人不安(或緊張、擔(dān)憂)的 odds: the degree to which something is likely to happen (事物發(fā)生的)可能性,概率,幾率,機會 |