During their life, a person goes through many development stages, each associated with specific activities. At the moment, like many of my acquaintances, I am in my early adulthood. This period is significantly different from the previous stage, adolescence, primarily due to the many opportunities that open up (Huffman et al., 2018). By this time, a person has already acquired sufficient independence, so the range of activities is expanding dramatically. Personally, I spend a lot of time with friends and study topics that interest me. However, simultaneously, the individual faces the need to secure their future by choosing a career and undergoing training that takes a lot of time and effort. Because of this, people in early adulthood are in the middle between adult stability and adolescent dependence (Huffman et al., 2018). In this regard, the main problems are the combination of work and personal life, self-identification, and the search for a balance.
Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development can provide an additional perspective on the problems and challenges associated with this age. According to this framework, I’m currently in stage 6, which spans roughly 18 to 40 years (Lewis, 2020). Erikson introduces the concept of conflicts that correspond to each development stage. According to this theory, the central conflict of my age is intimacy vs. isolation associated with the dilemma of interacting with other people (Lewis, 2020). The main priority at this age is love and close relationships with other people, both friends and partners.
Intimacy vs. conflict isolation is quite severe since not resolving it can lead to depression and loneliness. However, I am confident I can successfully deal with it while remaining true to my ideals of a positive outlook on the world. By starting new relationships and sharing my emotions with others, I plan to create many meaningful connections that will last for many years, thereby achieving intimacy. From my perspective, this age is one of the best periods in a person’s life. By this moment, a person’s view of the world is already formed, and aspirations and desires appear. Simultaneously, many exciting opportunities are open before a person, leaving a field for research and receiving exciting emotions. Finally, and most importantly, a person still has the energy and desire to realize these opportunities, often lacking in older people. Therefore, from my perspective, it’s the combination of energy and freedom that makes this period of life so wonderful.
References
Huffman, K., Dowdell, K., & Sanderson, C. A. (2018). Psychology in action (12th ed.). Wiley.
Lewis, R. (2020). Erikson’s 8 Stages of psychosocial development, explained for parents. Healthline.