Bring us books: Russians are buying literature about the midlife crisis

Until recently, it was believed that a turning point in life comes closer to the age of 45 and is manifested by buying a motorcycle, suddenly preparing for a marathon, or abruptly changing professions. Today, according to psychologists, the midlife crisis is increasingly coming as early as 30-35 years old and is especially noticeable in women. At the same time, there is a growing interest in literature on how to survive this period: over the past three years, the demand for thematic literature has reached record levels. Together with the experts, Izvestia investigated the problem.

What they read about the midlife crisis

According to the Litres book service, in the first seven months of 2026, revenue from books on how to survive the midlife crisis increased by 86% compared to the same period in 2023 and by 20% compared to January–July last year.

The most sought-after works were those of the American psychoanalyst James Hollis. The first two positions of the rating were taken by the non-fiction "The Pass in the middle of the road. How to overcome the midlife crisis" in audio and text format. Completing the top three is "Finding meaning in the second half of life. How to finally become a real adult" by the same author.

They are followed by "Diary of a farcical fool. Or how to stop trying and start living" by digital author Anna Smetanina. This is a frank and ironic story about an attempt to give up the constant race for success, reduce self-demands and learn to enjoy life without trying to meet other people's expectations.

On the fifth line is an audiobook by Chip Conley, an entrepreneur and founder of the world's first "School of Middle—age Wisdom", "Important 40+. 12 reasons why middle age is priceless."

The midlife crisis has become younger

Psychologists believe that the framework of the turning point has shifted today. This psychological phenomenon begins to manifest itself in Russians 10 years earlier: in men at the age of 30, and in women at 35.

— Previously, such experiences began at about 45, now people face them already at 30, 33 and 35 years old. Moreover, women face a crisis about one and a half to two times more often," Maria Ignatieva, a psychoanalytic psychotherapist, supervisor and director of customer support for the Yasno service, told Izvestia.

According to the expert, there are several reasons at once. A modern woman is a real Power Woman, a strong independent personality. By the age of 30, she manages to live several lives at once — to build a career, create a family, become a mother. It is at this moment that there is a feeling that the time has come to honestly answer the question: is everything really going the way it was once dreamed of?

To this is added the feeling of constant haste. The biological clock makes you think that there is less and less time left, and the generational mindset of unlimited possibilities often turns into a constant comparison of yourself with the ideal pictures of someone else's life.

If men in a midlife crisis are more likely to ask professional questions, then women have a maternal theme added to their thoughts, says Victor Dobromilsky, a gestalt therapist at Zigmund.online mental health care service.

— The absence of children in itself can be experienced as a crisis, and getting out of maternity leave can be a moment of rethinking one's place in life. If a woman is left alone with a child or does not understand how to build a relationship with him, this can also become a point of crisis," he said.

If the child appears early, the mother risks facing a midlife crisis at the age of 25, Viktor Dobromilsky emphasized.

Family psychologist Svetlana Tsareva noted that in the past, women's experiences related to the midlife crisis often remained unnoticed: today, ladies openly talk about them and seek help.

How social media provoke an internal crisis

It is important to understand that an internal crisis is not a disease, but a natural stage of rethinking the life experience that many people go through in middle age, Anastasia Kondratovich, a medical psychologist at the Department of Psychoprophylaxis at the V. P. Serbsky National Research Medical Center for Psychiatry and Narcology at the Russian Ministry of Health, explains to Izvestia. The main catalyst for the problem is social media: they have largely influenced the fact that young people are increasingly experiencing internal stress today. The culture of early success leads to the fact that by the age of 30 a person feels lagging behind if he has not reached the financial and career peak.

"The continuous comparison of one's real life with someone else's ideal showcase creates a syndrome of lost time and benefits, provokes an early reassessment of values," the expert added.

The risk of experiencing a midlife crisis is higher for those who are experiencing financial difficulties, do not see prospects for professional development, are experiencing relationship problems or are facing deteriorating health, Anastasia Kondratovich emphasized.

The external manifestations of the fracture also change. The usual notions of suddenly buying a sports car or radically changing your image are increasingly being replaced by emotional exhaustion, loss of interest in what used to bring joy, a feeling like you're not living your own life, and a desire to change everything in one drastic step.

— Today, the crisis is usually expressed in the desire to change the quality of life: to find a meaningful job, reduce chronic stress, reconsider the balance between career and personal priorities, abandon imposed goals or habitual lifestyle, — said existential psychologist, coach of PCC IC Elena Pakhomova.

This phenomenon can become not only a crisis of destruction, but also a crisis of rethinking, a point of transition to a more mature period of life, when a person begins to rely not only on external achievements, but also on their own values, Elena Pakhomova emphasized.

That is why psychology literature today is becoming the first step for many to understand themselves.

— A good book helps to give a name to something that has remained unconscious for a long time. And this is already a relief.: what is formulated is easier to comprehend. It is also important to feel that you are not the only one facing such conditions — this is especially clearly seen through the stories of the characters," explained psychoanalytic psychotherapist Maria Ignatieva.

Such reading can become a safe space for internal dialogue. However, if the feeling of confusion lingers and begins to interfere with life, it is worth seeking support not only in texts, but also from a specialist.