Erik Erickson's Stages of Human Development

      According to Erik Erikson’s stages of human development I am in the intimacy vs. isolation stage. I find myself exploring different relationships, trying to establish the kind of man I want to settle down with. It’s all about discovery and trial and error at this point, and I’m not planning to ground myself until I reach about 23. I do agree with Erikson’s stages although if I were Erikson I would have added a stage that overlaps the intimacy stage. I would call this stage success vs. Despair. In this stage an individual from the ages 18-30 would either find happiness in a career, or become lost in a sea of hopelessness and failures. I do understand that Erik made these stages a long time ago and therefore he couldn’t foresee how the world works today. I think there is a desire for kids to be successful very young, not only to be working but to be comfortable in a career early in life.