The fifth stage of Erikson’s Psychosocial theory is the “identity vs. identity confusion” stage. This stage typically occurs in adolescence; individuals strive to answer the question “who am 1? “. I didn’t achieve this stage until the end of my high school career. In middle school, I was not very popular, I was intimidated by those who were. I was a very shy and weird person, I tried fitting in and changing myself to be liked and have friends. I succeeded in gaining popularity when I began high school and became best friends with a girl who was extremely wild.
I wanted to fit in and not spend my high school career alone, but it was a mistake. My eyes finally realized how bad of an influence she was when she convinced someone to skip school and miss an opportunity to complete a graduation requirement, just to go to the beach. I spent three and a half years of my high school career following her and becoming like her. I finally figured out who I was, my senior year of high school, I had let my toxic friendship die and began seeking friends who were as goofy and goal driven as I was. I was focused on my own well-being and began caring less about what others thought.
I traveled to Mexico every summer and it was an amazing getaway. I would spend the whole trip with my family and could show my true self without the fear of judgment. One of the best memories I have from Mexico was traveling to an island where the natives spoke a different language but we all still gathered and danced the entire night as if we were family. While in high school I joined an organization that ran most of the school’s activities, it was phenomenal and a great opportunity to get involved. This organization helped me graduate with high honors and in the top of my class. I have uccessfully accomplished this stage and have found my own identity.
Those who do not achieve this stage grow up to become confused about themselves and insecurities are more likely to occur. The sixth stage of Erikson’s Psychosocial theory is the “intimacy vs. isolation” stage. This stage begins in early adulthood, it determines whether an individual will be intimate, work with others and work towards a career or be isolated and create a barricade around oneself. I fell in love when I was in high school, we have been together for a little over three years now and I couldn’t ask for a better partner.
He is the reason I was able to find my true identity, he was in love with who I was and he helped bring out my true self. He helped me leave my toxic friendship and advised me to make new and better friends. I am extremely happy in my relationship and am also elated that my family loves him as well. I am attending college to become a registered nurse and then I am aiming for a master’s degree to become a nurse practitioner. My family and boyfriend all support me and constantly praise me for being able to maintain good grades and also work a full-time job at the same time.
The love I receive is immense and I could not ask for a better support system. I hope to continue to live my life filled with love and appreciation. Love is one of the most important things in life, everyone needs it. Without love, a person may feel alone and insufficient. I have successfully achieved this stage and am overjoyed with all the love I have received. A person who does not achieve this stage usually cannot keep a relationship going for very long, they also may suffer from loneliness and depression. The seventh stage of Erikson’s Psychosocial theory is the “generativity vs. tagnation” stage.
This stage occurs in middle adulthood and this is where families begin to form and concern develops outside the familiar walls. We begin to care more about others than we have before. I wish to become a nurse and help other people. Working in the medical field is very rewarding and great for self-esteem. One will feel great by helping other families recover from an injury or a disease. I hope my career will help me achieve generativity when I reach that stage. I would also like to become like my grandmother. She is an amazing woman and will always put her family before her own self.
She will spend hours making a family dinner and will serve everyone before she sits down and joins. My grandmother looks after all her grandchildren and never says “no” when someone seeks help. She is selfless and a great role model to all her children and grandchildren. I wish to become as selfless as she has by the time I reach this stage. I would love to enjoy living happily surrounded by family rather than be alone and angry at the world. As I mature and age 1 would love to help those less fortunate, since I was a child, I have always wanted to start my own homeless shelter.
Ifl excel in my career and obtain my masters, I would love to start a homeless shelter in an area where it would benefit many people. As I was growing up, I have seen and met many amazing individuals who were homeless. Life is unfair and sometimes one wrong turn can close all doors. If I am able to do this, then that would be another step towards generativity. If an individual does not achieve generativity but rather stagnation, then they are not contributing to the community. These individuals do not work to help others but rather become isolated.
The eighth stage of Erikson’s Psychosocial theory is the “integrity vs. despair” stage. This stage occurs typically in late adulthood; it focusses on the overview of one’s life. The individual is either satisfied by looking at the past or they feel a sense of despair. I haven’t experienced this stage yet, but if I continue with my career plan into the medical field, I believe that I will feel satisfied with my life by helping others. I would like to become like my father, he is happy with his life, he has three smart children, a happy wife, and two homes.
He never attended high school and never had a high paying job, but he is healthy and living life to the fullest. Rather than being upset at not achieving more, there is always something to be happy about. It takes more muscles to frown than it does to smile. I do not want to grow up and become unhappy with my life choices. Turning to a drinking vice to forget. There is so much to be happy about and I am determined to live a life full of joy. A person who does not successfully accomplish this stage usually lives with bitterness and regret.
They become desperate and continue to live an unhappy life. The last stage of Erikson’s Psychosocial theory is the “hope and faith vs. despair” stage. There were originally only eight stages of the theory, but Erikson’s wife published the last stage when Erikson began to experience a new stage towards the end of his life. This stage begins at a very old age, the outcome is to either feel a new sense of wisdom and transcendence or to feel despair and regret for many of life’s choices. I have not experienced this stage vet, but when I do. I would like to feel hope and faith as my grandfather did.
He knew his time was coming and he would talk about death and what he wanted to be done after his death. He was able to find peace with himself and not live his final moments fearing death. I want to be happy with my life and leave this earth in peace. If | am successful in the rest of the stages, I believe that I will be able to find that peace. I do not want to live my last few years as my neighbor is, she sits outside her home and yells at anyone who steps as little as a centimeter onto her property. She hates almost everyone; her kids never visit her and she has no other family.
Her husband passed away recently consequently causing her to be absolutely alone, but nevertheless, that doesn’t stop her from yelling and screaming at children. When we first moved into the neighborhood, we helped mow her lawn every week during the summer. But that all changed because one day my brother was playing soccer and his ball rolled into her driveway and she screamed at him and frightened him. It was absolutely awful; I would like to leave this earth in peace rather than by spitting venom on everyone around me. A person who doesn’t successfully complete this stage usually will die experiencing desperation and fear.
Erik Erikson’s Psychosocial theory is widely used and determines a person’s social well being. I successfully accomplished all the positive aspects of every stage. In the first stage, I began to trust people because my parents took care of me. In the second stage, I was loved and given an incredible amount of love causing me to have a grand self-esteem. In the third stage, I asked many questions and my family had the patience to answer most of my questions, I had accomplished the initiative stage. In the fourth stage, I achieved good grades and made friends at school, I no longer needed my parents as much as I did before.
In the fifth stage, I found my own identity and became the person I wanted to be. In the sixth stage of Erikson’s theory, I fell in love and put my trust and well-being into another person. When I encounter the seventh stage I wish to be happy with my career and start a family. In the eighth stage, I wish to have integrity and care immensely about others similar to the way my grandmother puts everyone before her own well-being. In the final stage, I wish to have lived a beautiful life, have no regrets and to not fear death.