Early and Middle Adulthood - Essay Example

Gender & Sexual Studies, Essay Topic: Early and Middle Adulthood Describe the changes that occur physically, cognitively, and sociemotionally during early and middle adulthood. Changes in multiple areas occur in the phase of transition from childhood to adulthood. Early and middle adulthood is a period of developmental transition. Psychological, sociological and legal definitions for attaining adulthood vary. David Bainbridge (2012) in his book, “Middle Age: A Natural History,” writes, “If you ask a doctor to define middle age, they will probably talk about the menopause.

If you ask a sociologist, he may mention empty nests and tolerating teenagers. If you ask an economist, she will explain career-peaking, natural return to work, and provision for old age.”(p.2) Unanimous opinion exists that adolescence is a period of developments viewed from all ends, physical, cognitive and psychological growths. Many risks are involved in this phase. Behavior patterns go haywire and the adolescents take up to smoking, drinking alcohol, sexual and gang activity, drug abuse and other types of adventurous activities.

This is the period when the nature of youth turns combustible. The end of childhood marks noticeable physical changes that impact the adolescent psychologically. Hormonal changes trigger puberty that affects behavior and moods. They attain the capacity to reproduce. Sex organs enlarge and secondary sex characteristics appear. As for physical and mental health, unless negative lifestyles are adopted, adolescent years are relatively healthy. The responsibility of school study adds to the worries of the adolescents, and they have less time to sleep.

With the internet and communication revolutions, they spend more time in front of computers and televisions. They become figure-conscious and girls especially, take to obsessive dieting. The image building phobia constantly worries them. They may also encounter three common eating disorders, obesity, bulimia nervosa and anorexia nervosa. This is the period of cognitive maturation. Brain maturation and environmental stimulation, school and cultural environments leave their impact. Adolescents enjoy wordplay and create their own dialect for communication.

Their moral control is based on twin influences of external control and internalized societal standards, socialization and guidance from the parents, intimate friends, and teachers. Working part-time and full time during vacations also creates varied impressions in the minds of the adolescents. Examine the impact of health habits during early and middle adulthood. Eileen S Sweet (1991) in her book, “Special Problems in Counseling the Chemically Dependent Adolescent,” argues, “Adolescence is a time of change and turbulence.

Each individual experiences adolescence in a different and unique way, depending on the circumstances and the environment surrounding this period of development.”(p. xi) The problem of entering into and maintaining close association is complicated and confusing. Young adults struggle with the problems of love, and if not negotiated properly that may affect their mental and physical health. Early adulthood is when the attention of an individual is divided between love life and an attempt to establish in the area of career goals.

Ego and desire to attain fame play their roles while choosing the direction of movement though which the life has to pass through. Implementation of the ideas, the struggles associated with it and the possibilities of stabilization, all these work to settle and unsettle the mind of the individual during early adulthood. The changes are taking place in the societal norms. The young adults are not in a hurry to marry, as society accepts premarital sex, birth control and co-habitation. The same is the case with the women who are not inclined to have babies early after the marriage, thanks to scientific advancements again.

They are career oriented and have access to reproductive technology, in the event of pregnancy getting delayed beyond the fertile period of their life. In middle adulthood, the perspectives change. The urge for physical intimacy is on the reduced scale, and pure friendship takes its place. Discuss the evolvement of social and intimate relationships during early and middle adulthood. Early and middle adulthood is the combustible period of one’s life. This is the time when one seeks good wishes and good dishes.

By good wishes, I mean an individual desires to build relationships. Such relationships relate to both male and female. Intimate love connections, broken hearts are a distinct possibility during this stage of life. The beginnings of some long-term relationships are also possible. The vital career decisions that will have far-reaching impact on one’s life are done at this age. Those intending to settle down in life will marry and beget children. The possibilities of cohabitations are also possible.

The process of molding the personality takes place during this period. If married, with the increase in the responsibilities, an individual learns how to manage stress. The issues of stress are many like child care, job stress, to and fro journey from office environment to the place of residence, maintaining the existing social circle with the possibility of increasing it, working to achieve something in the area of creative activities etc. This is the time when an individual makes constant self-assessment to improve one’s prospects, and think of making savings to secure for future contingencies in life.

With the psychological change taking place at this phase of life, the health habits may take a firm footing. If the changes are for the better, the individual may be free from negativities like smoking, drinking and taking doses of drugs. A weak and stressed mind may fall into the traps of these vices. This is also the period when an individual attempts high risk activities, such as extreme sports, experimenting and sexual proximity. In view of this, the concerned adult has to be cautious about contracting sexually transmitted diseases.

Examine early and middle adulthood development of an individual in relationship to their psychological adjustment to aging and life style. Erik H Erikson (1998) in his book, “The Life Cycle Completed: A Review,” writes, “How difficult it is to recognize and have perspectives for just where one is presently in one’s own life cycle. Today is like yesterday until you sit back and take stock. Would we recognize old age as it crept up and the days rushed on?”(p.3) By middle adulthood physical development is undoubtedly complete and the process of declining in the various bodily functioning commences.

This is the time for internal growth of the person. An individual begins to take active care of children, possibly grand parenting on the secular front, and one has reached the career goals, and makes up the mind for life after retirement. With the advancing age many changes take place at the physical and psychological levels, like musculoskeletal changes (gradual loss of bone), pulmonary changes leading to less breathing capacity, Endocrine changes with the possibility of diabetes mellitus after the age of forty, gastrointestinal changes, physiological changes, that may lead to coronary heart disease, hypertension, arthritis, integumentary changes like wrinkling ,graying drying of the skin, change in complexion, hair fall of thinning of hair, hardness of nails, cardiovascular changes like thickening of the arteries, rage and the rhythm of the heartbeat etc.

An individual faces varied conflicts as for the level of various bodily functions. Weight begins to change and it is redistributed to the stomach, hips and trunk, if one does not care about regular physical exercises. One is quick to react, and downward slide in physical stamina occurs. References Bainbridge, David (2012) Middle Age: A Natural History. Portobello Books Ltd. Print. Erikson, Erik H. (1998) The Life Cycle Completed: A Review. W. W. Norton & Co. Print. Sweet, Eileen S. (1991) Special Problems in Counseling the Chemically Dependent Adolescent.

Routledge. Print.