The 3 Stages Of Adulthood (and Their Characteristics)
Adulthood is a stage of human development that begins after adolescence, being the stage in which fulfillment is achieved both physically and psychologically, as well as in other areas of life, being a stage in which the one in which people try to take advantage of different opportunities that arise along the way to direct their lives in the desired direction.
The three main stages of adulthood are the following: early adulthood, middle adulthood and late adulthood, all of which are differentiated from each other in terms of various aspects; It should be noted that we will talk about the characteristics of each stage at a general level, since they may vary from one person to another.
In this article we will talk about the three main stages of adulthood but first it is convenient to talk in general terms about what adulthood is and what this broad stage in people’s lives entails.
Adulthood is that stage of people’s lives that begins when they approximately reach the age of majority, being a period that begins with the end of people’s development on a physical level above all, although there are also some notable changes on a physical level. emotional and psychological.
However, it is worth noting that Coming of age does not strictly mean the arrival of adulthood but the fact of being a person considered a responsible actor before the law, since adulthood could come a few years later because, in many cases, when a person reaches the age of majority they have not yet reached a sufficient level of maturity to be considered an adult, although it is true that both adulthood and coming of age begin around almost even ages, depending on the country and culture (between approximately 18 and 21 years of age).
Furthermore, adulthood involves an important step towards building an independent and complete being, thanks to the beginning of the development of a certain maturity, being marked by the values ​​and beliefs of each person. Likewise, at this stage people begin to have greater financial independence, whether to a greater or lesser extent depending on each particular case, a sense of responsibility, the development of commitment in various areas and also the completion of the academic and /or the beginning of development at a professional level.
Another important aspect of adulthood is that people generally tend to develop more stable relationships, both romantically and in terms of their friendships.
The different stages of adulthood
Adulthood is a much longer phase of life than the previous ones (childhood and adolescence), so a wide variety of circumstances arise around it, as we will see later.
It is important to note that this phase is the one in which full intellectual and physical maturity is reached as well as a plenitude of social duties and rights is usually obtained, being the stage in which people usually carry out the most important objectives of their life (e.g., developing a professional career, raising children, learning constantly and about a wide variety of fields of knowledge with great use for oneself, traveling, etc.).
In short, it could be said that in adulthood human beings normally reach fulfillment at different levels: physical, biological and mental, being also the stage in which people have the greatest burden of responsibilities and tasks.
Nevertheless, Adulthood is a very long stage and can be divided into 3 stages all of them quite different from each other in various aspects, so it is convenient that we explain them in greater detail.
1. Early adulthood (18-40 years old)
The first of the stages of adulthood is what is known as early adulthood, a period that begins after completing the developmental stage of adolescence, covering an age range that goes from 18 years old, coinciding with the beginning of the majority. approximately, up to 40 years old. Nevertheless, Many experts consider that adulthood evolutionarily begins at age 21, being the age at which the period of adolescent development normally ends. Therefore, the beginning of adulthood ranges between 18 and 21 years of age.
At this stage, people find themselves in a period full of expectations for the future, being a period of their lives that begins with training at the higher education level and/or with entry into the world of work.
Therefore, during this stage people usually find themselves wanting to discover what fulfills them enough to dedicate yourself in the long term, although it can also be a stage to experiment in different areas until you find which one best fits you, depending on
Some of the main characteristics of early adulthood are the following:
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2. Middle adulthood (40-60 years)
Another stage of adulthood is middle adulthood, which begins when people turn 40 years old and ends when they reach approximately 60 years old, being the stage prior to late adulthood or old age.
Broadly speaking, in this evolutionary period of people’s lives It is characteristic that they focus on the education of their children, ON their work, and even preparing for a future retirement, in the last years of this stage. However, this can vary from person to person, as well as from generation to generation.
The most notable characteristics of middle adulthood are those we are going to mention below:
It should be noted that both decline at both a cognitive and physical level which usually begins throughout middle adulthood, can vary considerably depending on each person depending on various factors, among which it is worth highlighting their lifestyle, their eating habits, the level of physical activity they usually carry out in their life. day by day, as well as other very important habits to keep the mind active, such as daily reading or having a job that requires a lot of mental exercise.
For all these reasons, to prevent the progressive decline that normally tends to develop throughout the stages of middle and late adulthood, it is crucial to reinforce both physical and mental training.
You may be interested: “How do psychologically mature people act? 10 keys”
3. Late adulthood (from age 60 onwards)
Finally, among the main stages of adulthood we can find late adulthood, which begins around 60 years of age, a phase that by some theorists is considered that of old age and, in more advanced ages, as the stage of old age or third age.
This stage begins with preparing people for retirement, a transition experience that is not well received by everyone, since many people do not find a way to occupy the free time they have left after finishing their work period. Therefore, it is essential that people prepare little by little during their last years of working life and find activities that they find enjoyable to stay active and busy.
A good way to begin the entry into late adulthood with optimism and with a high state of mind is to enjoy moments in the company of close people, staying active on a physical and mental level, and practicing activities that keep people busy and excited. . Therefore, it is important to try maintain a daily routine that keeps people active and with goals to meet in order to find a purpose to maintain a stable life until the end.
Furthermore, as occurs in middle adulthood, physical and mental decline can be considerably reduced if the person maintains a healthy lifestyle, eating a balanced diet, getting enough rest, routinely practicing physical exercise and exercising memory. through reading, learning new skills or through mental games, among other factors.
