How to Get Over an Identity Crisis as an Adult

An identity crisis often occurs when something happens that shakes your sense of who you are. Identity crises are common in adolescents who need to try on many identities before discovering who they really are, but they also regularly occur in adulthood. Some factors that may provoke an identity crisis in an adult include job loss, children leaving home, and infidelity.

Instructions

• 1

  Reassess your life. Look at what resources you have and what abilities you have. Just because your circumstances may have changed does not mean that you have lost everything, and reminding yourself of what you do have helps you figure out who you are.

• 2

  Accept the changes that have occurred. After a major change that leads you to question your identity, you may be filled with an urge to go back to the way life was. While this is a normal reaction, accept that it is impossible, and realize that it is time to move forward.

• 3

  Explore your other interests. For example, a lost job may be the prompt you need to explore other professional opportunities.

• 4

  Talk it out. An identity crisis can leave you feeling lost and adrift, so allow the people you know and trust to anchor you. Talk to your friends and family and bounce ideas at them, and let them comfort you. An identity crisis is rough, so open yourself to the loved ones who are there for you.

• 5

  Seek out professional help if necessary. An identity crisis can seriously disrupt your life, and an outside observer may be able to give you the insight you need to solve the problem.