Scientists revealed when ‘middle adulthood’ officially starts and people can’t get over it
Bec Oakes
Featured Image Credit: Getty Stock Image
As somebody who's quickly approaching their 30th birthday, my fears about ageing have started to kick in.
While I don't have any grey hairs sprouting from my head just yet, I've admittedly started investing in any and all skincare designed to prevent wrinkles - hello retinol!
While Gen Z will soon call me ancient, I'd like to think I'm still pretty young in the grand scheme of things. And, if you thought you had more time before becoming middle aged, think again...
According to the American Psychological Association, 'middle adulthood' officially starts at 35 and ends when you're 64 years old when you enter into 'later adulthood'.
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Meanwhile, it's not just Americans with the concept of a 'middle adulthood' - as a 2010 survey conducted by The University of Kent found that Brits considered 35-years-old to be when you say goodbye to your youth and hello to middle adulthood.
However, the survey results also showed a massive difference in opinion amongst different age groups.
Those aged 15 to 14 thought youth ended at just 28 - making me desperately old and decrepit - while people in their eighties were a lot more generous, regarding the start of middle adulthood as 42.
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Professor Dominic Abrams, the psychologist who ran the survey, said (via The Telegraph): "This evidence shows that what counts as young and old is very largely down to the age of the beholder."
It also found that the majority of respondents thought age prejudice was a big problem.
Abrams continued: "The survey showed that age prejudice – being treated as "too young" or "too old" – is perceived to be a serious or very serious issue by 63 per cent of respondents, so it is obviously important to know what these age labels mean to people."
And people are horrified by the results as in the comments below an Instagram post on the topic: one person wrote: "Wym 35 is the new 25."
Another said: "I'm turning 35 this year and I feel like a f***ing teenager..."
And a third simply commented: "GOODBYE."
However, it seems that like with all things, time can heal all wounds as a 2012 survey by Love to Learn found that people didn't think of themselves as elderly until 55 years old.
According to the BBC, 19 percent of the 1,000 participants believed it's more about the way you feel rather than your actual age.
Director of the site, Gill Jackson, said: "More than half said they have more confidence and experience than younger people and are less afraid of making mistakes."