Is Astronaut Lisa Nowak having a midlife crisis?

By now you have heard about Lisa Nowak's breakdown. She's the NASA astronaut charged with the attempted murder and kidnapping of a fellow astronaut that she considered her rival for the romantic attention of a third astronaut.

A few people have asked whether Nowak's behavior could have been part of a midlife crisis.

We know two things: that she had a severe crisis, and that at 43 she is in midlife. But people can have all forms of crises and breakdowns in middle age -- and not all are "midlife crises." (To understand more about the types of midlife crises, we suggest you read this post).

Unlike the popular conception that midlife crises result from feelings of mortality or people realizing that they will not accomplish certain goals, studies have shown that midlife crisis are more often "associated with aging -- such as declining health, or menopause -- or with major life events such as a death in the family or marital difficulty or divorce." Women's midlife crises, in particular, are more likely than men's to begin with family events or problems.

Lisa Nowak was having martial problems. Whether these problems were the cause or the result of her psychological upheaval will have to be determined by those now caring for her.

We don't want to attempt to diagnose her from afar, but her case is an opportunity to promote awareness of mental health issues. For every Lisa Nowak who makes the front pages for their breakdown, there are millions of others who fight their mental health issues in obscurity.

The lesson from Nowak's case is that even the most accomplished, apparently together person might need help -- 'midlife crisis' or no.

tag: lisa nowak