Identity crisis as a problem of adolescence. article on psychology (9th grade) on the topic

Who are we? What is our place in this world and why are we where we are? Civilized humanity has been looking for answers to these questions from the very beginning of its existence. However, you don't have to dive that deep to find answers to rhetorical questions. Sometimes even the seemingly simple question “Who are you?” puts a person into a stupor. This is because sometimes self-identification is more difficult for us than solving an example from higher mathematics for a first grader. Identity crisis is an acute social phenomenon. This is both the process of a person’s movement through the stages of his development and a signal of inhibition. This article will help you understand the causes, signs and reveal the hidden meaning of an identity crisis.

Identity as the main component of personality

The term “identity” (from the Latin Identitas – “identical”) is often replaced by the simpler and more understandable word “self-determination”. The importance of identifying an individual with a separate social group is difficult to overestimate, since a person who is lost for himself is lost for the whole society.

Identity is a function of the psyche that determines which social group, local community and role in it a person tends to identify himself with.

Identity helps:

• Enter into symbiosis with society for productive interaction and exchange of experience;
• Find harmony between personal and social life;
• Maintain your authenticity and uniqueness, regardless of changes in the external environment.

In other words, identity helps us maintain a connection with a like-minded group, as well as identify ourselves with a standard that we want to emulate. This manifests itself not only on the internal level (beliefs, morals, life principles), but also on the external (style, demeanor). Thus, the impression of a person is formed based on how he defines himself and what he wants to convey to society through his own self-concept.

It is worth separating the concepts of “identity” and “identification”. From a psychological point of view, they differ, while in everyday life they are almost synonymous. The latter implies identifying oneself with a specific social group, the desire to imitate its adherents and meet the standards established in the community. As for identity, here we are talking about the result of identification, when a person has already joined a community close to his spirit and is a component of it.

What is identity? Definition

Identity is one of the properties of the human psyche. Thanks to the presence of this quality, people are able to identify or relate themselves to something, to identify.

Identification can concern any phenomenon, state, or object. For example, a person identifies himself with a certain social status, this is identity. If people declare belonging to a religious denomination or nationality, this is also identity.

The term is used in psychology and related sciences. For example, sociology has its own definition of this concept and idea of ​​it. However, identification does not at all negate the presence of such a quality as personal integrity.

Age-related identity crises

The concept of “personal identity” was introduced by the German psychoanalyst Erik Erikson. According to his theory, the formation of identity is determined by the need to overcome age-related crises. If the crisis has been identified and successfully resolved, the person rises to a higher level in his development. Otherwise, what happens is what people call “confused in oneself.” This is why some people's physical age does not match their inner perception. Erik Erikson noted: the result, that is, identity, arises where the process, that is, identification, ends.

Erikson identified 8 age-related identity crises that ideally every person should go through.

Age from birth to 1 year

Marked by a crisis of trust/mistrust. A new person, finding himself in an unfamiliar environment, determines for himself on a subconscious level whether he has reason to trust the world. During this period, the attention and love of the mother cannot be overestimated. The character and well-being of the child’s life scenario depends on it. When a crisis is successfully resolved, hope is found.

1-3 years

Age of resistance to autonomy and the formation of feelings of shame. This is a period of a person’s awareness of his own body and its functions. The child learns to control his urges, learns information about why this is necessary, and studies the body and its capabilities. When a crisis is successfully resolved, will is formed.

4-6 years

The period of opposition between initiative and guilt. The child builds his first personal boundaries and wonders how independent he can be from those closest to him. The age of new discoveries, exploration and first conscious experience. When successfully overcoming a crisis, a sense of purpose is formed.

7-12 years

A crisis of feelings of inferiority, a crisis of hard work. The child learns to evaluate his abilities and talents, looking for an answer to the question of whether he is capable of certain actions and deeds. When you successfully overcome a crisis, self-confidence is formed.

13-19 years old

Crisis of role confusion, ego-identity crisis. One of the most difficult and important stages of personality formation. During the period of teenage crisis, a person is looking for an answer to the questions “Who am I? What am I? When successfully overcoming a crisis, loyalty to significant people, ideals, and beliefs is formed.

20-25 years

Crisis of intimacy, crisis of isolation. A person is looking for an answer to one of the most important questions: “Will I be able to love and build mature, close relationships?” When successfully overcoming a crisis, the ability for unconditional love is formed.

26 years - 64 years

Productivity crisis, stagnation crisis. We are not talking about stagnation in a purely negative way, although this outcome is also possible (midlife crisis). The period of summing up and evaluating the results. Finding answers to the questions “Have you achieved everything you wanted? What else is worth achieving? Has the meaning of life been found? Provided that the crisis is successfully overcome, caring is formed as a skill.

From 65 years old

A crisis of hopelessness, a crisis of integrity. The main questions that concern a person who has reached this age are: “Did my life have meaning?” The power gained through a favorable resolution of a crisis of integrity is wisdom.

How productively a crisis will be processed depends on the success of working with the previous one. The main factors of success are a sufficient level of spiritual development of the individual and the moral norms of the society in which this personality was formed.

How does a psychological crisis manifest itself?

Manifestations of an identity crisis have characteristic features regardless of what causes its manifestation. The state of crisis of ethnicity or gender identification is similar to the process of personal maturation during adolescence. The main signs of a critical condition are as follows:

• a person’s idea of ​​the world around them is negative, negative emotions predominate;
• characterized by hysterical reactions and causeless aggressive behavior;
• panic states accompanied by a feeling of fear;
• there is a feeling of one’s own inferiority;
• weakened will and ability to plan actions;
• there is a feeling of no way out of the current situation.

To overcome a critical condition, you may need the help of a qualified psychologist. Professional intervention is necessary for prolonged pathological conditions.

Identity structure according to E. Erikson

The psychoanalyst identifies four components of identity, which in symbiosis form the overall structure:

1. Uniqueness of personality. The ability to recognize one's individuality and experiences, which distinguish a person as a separate social unit.
2. Integrity. A person’s feeling of meaningfulness, identity and coherence with his existence. Integrity provides a connection to past experiences that carry over into the present and shape the future. Thus, a person understands what he was and what he wants to become.
3. Unity. Internal harmony of the personality, which is formed from childhood images transferred into adulthood.
4. Social solidarity. A person’s support for the ideas of a particular community. Expectation of approval and support from the referent group.

If all these elements in the personality structure develop harmoniously, overcoming crises occurs with relative ease and productively.

Identity by species

In psychology, social identity is understood as the tendency of an individual to classify himself as a member of a certain “interest” group. Let us examine the characteristics of the main social groups in more detail.

By gender

Not to be confused with sexual and sexual. When they say “gender,” they mean a complex of characteristics of a female (feminine) and male (masculine) image. Gender identity is a set of established stereotypes and expectations from society about how a person is obliged to express himself depending on his belonging to a certain gender. In reality, this correspondence is not always reflected. Gender is not a direct message regarding sexual orientation. Gender self-determination refers to the role a person plays in society. In reality, most men and women correspond to the characteristics of their gender.

By gender

Everything is simpler and clearer here, since a person’s gender is assigned from birth. A person first becomes aware of their gender at 2-3 years of age. It is then that people begin to understand whether they were born in their body or whether nature played a cruel joke on them.

Sexual identity

Here sexual orientation takes place (heterosexual, gay, bisexual). As a rule, a person becomes aware of his belonging to one of the groups in adolescence and youth.

Ethnic identity

We all have deep genetic roots, nationality and ancestry. Each person belongs to a specific ethnic group, which basically depends on the culture of the class and society. Ethnic identity manifests itself at the level of values, emotions and cognitive behavior.

National identity

This side is formed as socialization skills develop. National identity directly depends on the rules of the society that surrounds a person. They involve studying the native language, customs, behavior patterns, and other distinctive features of the ethnic group. This is how the mentality of the individual is formed. It is worth noting that national identity is sometimes difficult to define due to the mixture of several nationalities.

Professional identity

Identifying the skills and talents that will be used in the future is a complex process. Not everyone manages to decide on a profession and successfully realize themselves in it. Some people mistakenly believe that finding a calling involves only a young age. Life shows that professional self-determination is not limited by age and can vary depending on external circumstances and internal changes. Today, changing the type of activity is a common phenomenon, fortunately there are all the conditions and opportunities for this.

Cultural identity

A feeling of belonging to the traditions of a particular community. An individual identifies himself with his views on values, aesthetics, attributes of a given culture and norms of behavior within it. A striking example: modern youth subcultures, including radical ones. Each of them has its own specificity, which does not allow its followers to merge with the crowd or confuse them with any other. The problem of cultural identity in society raises many questions due to its ambiguity. It is inextricably linked to ethnic, religious, sexual and gender identity, and these components often conflict with each other.

Ego identity and group identity

These two factors cannot be considered separately, since their formation occurs simultaneously. Group identity is formed from the first days of a person’s life. Basic skills of interaction with the surrounding reality are laid in the child's consciousness. The first contact group in a child’s life is his family, then friends. Further, the number and directions of contact groups will expand along with the development of the child’s communication skills and horizons.

As for ego identity, in parallel with group identity, it is positioned as a feeling of solid ground under one’s feet. If development occurs harmoniously, moral and psychological stability, as well as integrity (inner core), are built into the personality. The presence of these qualities ensures normal self-esteem of one’s own appearance, character and behavior, as well as psychological stability of the individual.

Ego identity is formed throughout a person's life. This happens through age-related crises. In turn, each of them poses a task put forward by society to a person. It is for this reason that it is advisable to consider ego and group identities together.

National identity

In every social group over the past century, the crisis of national identity has become increasingly evident. An ethnos differentiates itself by national character, language, values ​​and norms of the people. This crisis can manifest itself both in an individual and in the entire population of the country.

Among the main manifestations of the crisis of national identity are the following:

1. The historical past is not valued. The extreme form of this manifestation is mankurtism - the denial of national symbols, faith and ideals.
2. Disappointment in state values.
3. Thirst for breaking traditions.
4. Distrust of government power.

All of the above is caused by a number of reasons, such as the globalization of various spheres of life, the development of transport and technology, and the increase in population migration flows.

As a result, an identity crisis leads to people abandoning their ethnic roots, and also creates conditions for the fragmentation of the nation into many identities (supranational, transnational, subnational)

Loss of identity: causes, symptoms and dangers

The expressions “I’m confused in myself”, “I don’t understand myself”, “I don’t see the meaning of my existence” are inextricably linked with the loss of self-determination. At such moments, a person loses faith in his own potential, expresses doubt about the future, and therefore loses control over his life. The loss of integrity and the breakdown of the inner core is not a death sentence, but only part of the path that everyone must overcome. Unfortunately, not everyone succeeds. For example, people who are prone to various types of mental disorders or addictions. The most striking negative example is the notorious Napoleon or God complex.

Why is identity lost?

The main causes of a personal crisis:

• A sharp change in social ideals and priorities. In particular, this process has had a significant impact on the society of the post-Soviet space;
• Sharp negative changes in fate (bankruptcy, divorce, loss of loved ones, serious illness, etc.);
• Age crises.

The main reason for loss of identity is stress. By the way, it does not always have a negative connotation. For example, disorientation can occur on the eve of such a significant event as a wedding, a long trip, a radical change of residence, a promotion or the birth of a child. Mental shock takes a person far beyond his comfort zone, which invariably leads to stress. Here it is important to control yourself in time and restore inner balance.

Signs of loss of identity

You can identify symptoms of loss of self-determination in yourself or a loved one without the help of a psychologist. This requires observation and subtle internal analysis.

Symptoms of personal disorientation:

• Uncertainty when making decisions on a scale from serious issues to small things;
• Doubts regarding the choice of place of study, work, marital status, sexual orientation, belonging to a particular community;
• A painful search for the meaning of life and one’s place in it;
• Fears for the future;
• Indecisiveness, unwillingness to take any steps to change an uncomfortable situation;
• Increased anxiety with the risk of becoming chronic;
• The collapse of the old value system and difficulties in forming a new one.

The loss of identity, as a process, among people who are strong in spirit goes unnoticed by those around them. For those with a fine mental organization, it is visible to the naked eye.

How does this manifest itself:

• A person spends a lot of time inactive;
• Falls into despondency and melancholy;
• Stops in intellectual, spiritual and professional development;
• Isolated from society;
• Suffering from moral and physical exhaustion;
• Finds solace in alcohol, drugs or promiscuity;
• Breaks the law;
• In severe cases, he decides to take his own life.

A person who has lost his sense of identity experiences the entire spectrum of negative emotions from passive melancholy and emptiness to violent hysteria and aggression. The lack of a constructive way out of this situation entails dire consequences.

Identity crisis and its manifestations in adolescence

Every person during his life faces certain turning points when he is acutely aware of his helplessness in the face of the unknown of existence and the definition of his role in it. These stages are characterized by a rethinking of values ​​that were previously considered unshakable, a search for the meaning of life and the formation of ideas to achieve it. An identity crisis, according to psychologists, is an important starting point in the process of establishing a person as a full-fledged individual who is able to resist society, having his own views and beliefs.

What this personal crisis is, what provokes it and how to emerge victorious from it, we will tell you in this article.

Some definitions

A personal crisis is a stage in a person’s life caused by a certain critical situation when it is not possible to realize previously set life goals. A critical situation can be caused by both external reasons and internal prerequisites. At this stage of life, a person cannot quickly solve the problem that has arisen. The methods that were acceptable previously no longer work. New decisions are needed, which people are often not ready to make. Moreover, sometimes there is a feeling that it is impossible to do this.

A mental crisis becomes a stage after which the entire course of a person’s life changes. His further existence will depend on how a person gets out of a situation that at first seems deadlocked.

In psychology, there are several stages that a person goes through during this stage.

1. The emergence of a critical situation. Circumstances arise in life that cause frustration, that is, the inability to realize life’s plans, a feeling of collapse and deception. This state is perceived as a loss, which cannot be compensated for by any opportunity, challenge or threat.
2. Stressful state. The person experiences severe emotional stress. Attempts are being made to resolve the situation using old, proven methods.
3. Problem situation. If attempts to neutralize the unpleasant consequences of a critical situation using proven methods are unsuccessful, the psychological state is depressed. The person experiences uncontrollable anger, anxiety, and possible depression. Due to emotional stress, thought processes slow down, so it becomes difficult to express thoughts, formulate and analyze the current situation. The search for new ways to solve the problem begins.
4. A crisis. Without finding a way out of the current situation, a person loses motivation, his emotional state deteriorates sharply, and a feeling of impasse is created. Memories of a critical situation become more acute, and all events that happened after are perceived as its continuation.
5. Plunging into crisis. Physical and mental health is impaired. The emotional state is unstable. The person focuses on his experiences and falls into deep depression.
6. Recovery. The stage when ways to solve the problem are found. A person either changes his attitude towards the current situation or eliminates the reasons that caused it. The general physical condition improves, appetite and sleep are restored, and new behavioral stereotypes begin to work. A personal crisis is a difficult period that not all people can cope with on their own. Therefore, at this stage, it is important for loved ones to take care of timely psychological assistance.

A personal crisis can be caused by several reasons, based on which the following types of turning points are distinguished:

• A crisis of age-related development, which is associated with the stages of a person’s physical and psychological maturation;
• A situational crisis that is caused by certain tragic events in life: divorce, illness, serious injury, death, loss of a loved one. The duration and intensity of any difficult stage depends on how strong a person’s will is.

Breaking Situations

When planning their lives, only a small number of people think about the unpleasant “surprises” that it can present.

Dismissal from work, career failure, unexpected deterioration in material well-being, betrayal of a loved one or divorce - no one is immune from such unpleasant events.

A person begins to find out the reasons for what happened and does not find them. The suddenness of the onset of changes frightens and forces you to look within yourself for the reason. The feeling of guilt because not everything was done to prevent the situation does not go away. The person falls into deep depression.

A mental crisis appears as a concomitant phenomenon with unresolved internal conflicts. The desire to understand one’s feelings and spiritual capabilities, rethinking one’s life position in connection with age-related and situational changes are important components of the development of personal qualities.

The features of these turning points are associated with worry not only for one’s own life, but also for the lives of other people.

Age-related changes

Age-related crises of personality development are a natural need of the human psyche. They are short-term and ensure the correct course of personality development. Each of these periods is associated with changes in human activity and the development of his mental capabilities.

• Neonatal crisis is caused by changes in life activities outside the womb;
• The turning point in the first year of life is associated with an increase in the child’s needs and capabilities;
• Three years is the starting point in determining one’s own “I”;
• At seven years old, the child begins a new type of activity related to schooling;
• The teenage stage is associated with the process of puberty and physical changes;

• At the age of 17, an identity crisis arises, which is the need to make independent decisions and the beginning of an independent adult life;
• At 30 years of age, the turning point is associated with the impossibility of realizing the life goals set earlier;
• In forty-year-old people, a fracture is characterized by unresolved problems of the previous stage;
• Retirement is perceived as a change in the usual way of life, a rethinking of past years and a feeling of uselessness and unfulfillment.
• The correct reaction of a person to age-related changes can not only lead him out of prolonged depression, but will also allow him to reach a higher level of development.

The beginning of personality formation

Despite the fact that the three-year-old crisis is preceded by 2 more stages, it is this age that is considered to be the beginning of the formation of personality. This is the time when the baby realizes his importance and wants to “grope” the boundaries of what is permitted, the period of determining his role in the life of society.

Psychologists have identified a seven-star crisis, which is an important indicator of the beginning of a child’s manifestation of independence. These signs indicate complex processes of growing up, which should not be confused with disobedience and self-will.

The “I myself” crisis is associated with the desire to exist independently within the framework of society, which is represented by the family and relationships within it. The child begins to demand independence, which he does not know what to do with.

Complex mental contradictions are expressed in whims, disobedience, negativism and rebellion.

If parents react incorrectly, a so-called crisis of trust appears, which manifests itself in isolation or aggression, low self-esteem and unwillingness to put up with the generally accepted principles of social life.

Youth stage of personality development

The personality crisis in adolescence largely determines the course of other turning points in life, related not only to age, but also to life circumstances.

At this age, self-determination in life is the main direction of personal development. A change in the usual type of activity, the desire to conform to generally accepted norms, but at the same time to have individuality, gives rise to fear of a new life.

The identity crisis that appears during adolescence indicates either an awareness of one’s low social status or a denial of the value of society.

This period is associated with increased attention to one’s appearance and the achievements that have already been achieved. A critical perception of reality leads to an underestimation of one’s own capabilities and psychological discomfort. The desire to explore the world and choose your own niche in it is reflected in the choice of a future profession.

An identity crisis in youth has the following manifestations:

• Fear of getting close to other people;
• The desire to isolate yourself from others;
• Uncertainty in one’s own capabilities, which is expressed in a categorical refusal of educational activities or in the manifestation of special zeal for it;
• Inability to manage time;
• Fear of the future life, desire to live “today and now”;
• Active search for ideals, copying their style and lifestyle.

If the identity crisis is properly overcome, it will allow young men and women to overcome psychological barriers and create favorable conditions for further development.

The self-identity crisis will be less painful if parents provide the necessary support to the developing personality. Excessive guardianship and the desire to impose one’s own opinion on a child, even if it is correct, should not be allowed. Let him make his own decisions and build his own destiny. It is important for parents to understand that a mental crisis is an integral part of development, and the course of other turning points in the life of a growing person will depend on how it passes in adolescence.

How to emerge victorious from a crisis

Personality development crises are necessary stages in the life of every person that accompany him throughout his life. During a crisis period, it is important not to isolate yourself, looking for new opportunities, showing a desire to move on.

There are many ways to overcome a crisis. The main thing is not to be afraid to explore your inner potential and try something new in your personal relationships or career. The ability to withstand life's adversities allows you to strengthen your character, strengthen your identity and achieve new heights that a person does not even think about in a calm, measured pace of life.

Identity crisis as a social phenomenon

It is by no means a pathology or mental disorder. Identity crisis is an integral part of spiritual growth, the path of which is associated with internal discomfort and pain. A person who runs away from these feelings risks stopping his development, becoming lost not only for society, but also for himself. In this case, diffuse identity will occur. It occurs when a physically adult individual retains an infantile teenage way of thinking, which blocks the process of his spiritual growth.

Signs of an unresolved identity crisis:

• Frivolity in relation to vital issues;
• Actions and behavior that are inappropriate for age (delayed maturation);
• Alienation from society;
• Antisocial behavior;
• Expectation that a difficult situation will resolve itself;
• Ignoring and neglecting public values;
• Fear of the opposite sex;
• The conviction that “it’s good where we are not.”

Surely, you have met such individuals in your environment. Their behavior is dictated by political, religious, cultural upheavals, as well as a lack of family education and a lack of loved ones who could help such a person effectively work through the crisis.

How to overcome personal disorientation?

A person lives his life year after year, but truly lives only a few hours. The word “truly living” refers to those moments in which one felt the true fullness of life and a clear understanding that it was filled with meaning. The rest of the time for most people passes in “autopilot” mode and in unconscious actions that do not require presence in the “here and now.”

To regain your presence in the moment and rise from the quagmire, turn on mindfulness. Remember when, where and under what circumstances you last felt happy. Find the reason why you don't feel that way today. Think about what or who will help you get closer to this state again. If you can't get it back, figure out what healthy alternative you can replace it with at this point in your life to get a similar dose of positivity. Working on yourself in a state of moral decline is very difficult and can take years. Therefore, for productivity it is better to seek help from a psychotherapist.

Experience is based on a series of mistakes and trials. We change professions, friends, partners, look for our own unique path in life, thus digging inside in search of ourselves. From the outside, society with its laws and dogmas, as well as our personal limitations and fears, puts pressure on us. But, thanks to all these trials, our souls are tempered, and we become wiser and stronger.

Senoi tribe

A small tribe of just 40 thousand people lives in the mountain jungles of Malaysia. People here live in family communities, engage in agricultural work, fish, and hunt.

Manifestations of cruelty are practically never found among them. They are extremely peaceful and kind to each other.

The most important activity for all tribes is the discussion of virtual reality (yes, yes, I was not mistaken). Their virtual reality is called "The Big Dream". The morning of every resident of this tribe begins with a discussion of the night's dream with the family. After breakfast, the senior members of the tribe gather for a general council, where on the agenda - what do you think?

Of course, dreams.

Sleep is a central aspect of the entire life of this tribe. Based on the analysis of their dreams, they plan work, leisure and creativity.

Meeting with higher powers through dreams, they ask them for a gift: a song, a dance, a work of art, they bring it to life and give it to all residents of the community.

These people do not have a fear of death; they know that one day they will forever go into the “Big Sleep” and are not afraid of this.