Life Twists When You Are At Forty

| Swati Bajpai, MSW, LCSW , Thought Leader, US - 25 Apr 2020

The global burden of disease predicts that depression will be the second-leading cause of disability worldwide by 2020. It will increase more due to pandemic novel corona virus worldwide. And It may impact women more in all age groups especially in India where 1.3 billion population lives. Swati Bajpai, a US based practicing Psychotherapist outlines how to deal with depression in different ages and especially when you attained the age of forty.

By SWATI BAJPAI, ILLINIOIS, US

Recently I was talking with someone who was deep in depression as she had turned 40. She felt that life was over.

It made me think how I feel being in 40s. This is an awesome phase of my life. I am finally comfortable in my mind and body. I am no longer interested in either impressing others or care what others think about me.

When I look back I feel that in 20s, life, love, opportunities seemed limitless. We felt empowered entering the adulthood we dreamt of Believing that we are going to leave a mark of our existence. We thought that, if this does not work out, there is so much more to be explored. We took big leaps believing in infinite faith in our capacity to bring about change. The years were turbulent as we wanted to control, people, situations and surroundings. The thirst to leave an imprint on the world, gave the courage to do some unthinkable, daring feats. Some were successful while the others were not. The failures were the stepping stones to contemplation, self growth, the lessons of life.

HOW I VIEW THEM

20s were about life, love, and opportunities seemed limitless

40s are a wiser, matured, mellow and contemplative version of me.

The 30s were ‘adjusting’. We adjusted in careers, marriages, parenthood, society. These years also made us questions some of the ‘status quos’ as we bent backwards to make everything work. But the questions had started surfacing infrequently. About the meaning of life.

The 40s are a milestone. Even though touted as the new 20, it’s a wiser, matured, mellow and contemplative version of myself. I look around at my friends and colleagues and marvel at the journey. We have raised children, handled the complexities of matrimony (some resulting in divorces). We are no longer in a hurry and have learnt to let life take its course, while we still strive to give our best efforts.

The children have started becoming our guides to the newer world and sometimes we feel jaded while at other times ripe with life experiences. Sometimes life seems so close while at other times, slipping out of hands like sand at the beachfront.

The 40s are a milestone. Even though touted as the new 20, it’s a wiser, matured, mellow and contemplative version of myself.

This article was first published on Aug 30, 2019 on shethepeople.tv, being reproduced here with courtesy to shethepeople.tv and also with the consent of the writer.

Image credit - psychcentral.com / depression-hotline-numbers / South China Morning Post/

Swati Bajpai, Thought Leader, Illinois, US

A Journalist turned Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW); Master of Social Work degree at Jane Addams College of Social Work, University of Illinois, Chicago; Worked with the Public Health in US; Worked with PTI and Times of India; Has experience working with people with severe and chronic mental illness, including mood, behavioral, psychotic personality and geriatric disorders. swatibajpai2001@gmail.com