Summary critiq 1 feb5 - Essay Example

Summary Critique What is so frightening about middle adulthood? I always wondered about this question as I grew up because the talks about middle adulthood life focused more on the negative than positive aspects. However, I am now in the middle adulthood stage, and I can prove that the perception about this stage is all wrong. For me, this is a stage where one graduates from a more complicated form of life to one that is less complicated. This is because a person in middle adulthood has learnt from their mistakes; thus, thinks positively and is not prone to making mistakes.

In fact, I love being in the middle adulthood because it offers the best opportunities in life including self-focus and clarity of the direction one is headed. Erikson describes middle adulthood as a stage of midlife crisis and is characterized by some unpleasant experiences such as white hair, lack of sharp vision, risk to diseases such as obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, menopause in women, among others (Santrock, 2003). In addition, there are mental, physical and emotional changes that take place, which may make life a bit complicated.

Nevertheless, these negative experiences are easily manageable with the lifestyle that a person chooses to live. Healthier eating, exercising and proper diet will go a long way in curbing diseases that crop up during the midlife crisis. I believe Erikson provides a better explanation of middle adulthood than Helson and Levinson, though his theory excludes women. This is because everybody goes through midlife crisis in one way or the other, but the magnitude of the effect depends on a person’s lifestyle and attitude towards life.

ReferenceSantrock, J. W. (2003). Life-Span Development. Retrieved from McGraw-Hill Learning Solutions, South University: http://digitalbookshelf.southuniversity.edu/books/0077733908/id/id_0078035325_001_000634