Understanding Mental Health: Stages of Human Development

Although we attempt to understand every aspect of life, it is sometimes the simplest elements that can cause the most frustration. Of course, we do not often think of the stages of development as a matter which requires further investigation, but we can perhaps gain a lot of helpful and interesting information by learning more about the stages of development. Even though many have stated the simplicity of the development in male life, others have began to realize that there are distinct and separate stages of development. Modern research shows that there are seven separate stages of male development, each as important as the last.

The first stage of development is infancy. Although it is hard to discern much concrete information about infancy, research shows that there are significant differences between male and female infants. Males are generally more explorative than females, and exhibit greater curiosity and generally display more emotion than baby girls, which is interesting considering that it holds the opposite of what we usually believe about the male perspective.

The second stage of development is known as boyhood. During boyhood, the male self begins to develop and shows more signs of typical male characteristics than apparent during infancy. Boys are predisposed to better right brain development, and, as a result, may gravitate more towards math and other right brain activity, not focusing on left hemisphere brain development. Perhaps due in part to evolutionary development, boys tend to enjoy rough games, or those games that involve physical activity.

The next stage, and perhaps one of the most noticeable stages of development is that of adolescence. During the stage of adolescence boys begin to mature physically, although this may not be correlated with mental development. Males will begin to develop muscles, and their voices will change. Males also begin looking at girls for the first time, and this is perhaps the point in development when males also begin to hid their emotions and realize what is intended for them as a gender.

If adolescence is the most irresponsible period for males, than perhaps the fourth stage marks the period when men first begin to emerge from this stage. The fourth stage is known as young adulthood, and it is during this period that males reach their physical prime and during which they begin to renounce some of the bad habits of their past. It is also during this period that males begin to develop a desire for achievement and betterment, and it may very well be during young adulthood that the inspiration is acquired for the later stages of life. This is also the prime of physical development for males.

The fifth stage is commonly called "Middle Age", and it begins to occur after the age of forty. On average, males will begin losing one percent of their total testosterone per year, and roughly three to five percent of muscle mass every ten years starting around age twenty-five. Of course, these many chemical changes also result in differences in the way that males will handle things and their overall emotional state. It becomes much easier for men to gain weight during this stage of life, and as the metabolic rate slows down, males are more at risk for conditions such as high blood pressure and heart disease.

The sixth stage is known as early old age, and although males may not be as at risk for conditions such as osteoporosis and Alzheimer's, this stage of the male life also comes with its own problems and risks. Namely, prostate health becomes a major issue for most males, and hair loss is very common. However, even though early old age may seem to represent the declining point of health in the male, it is not impossible for one to remain healthy, and the affects of aging can still be fought with proper diet and exercise.

The seventh, and final stage of male development is known as later old age. It is characterized by a loss in weight and a decrease in overall health. The male body is no longer able to intake and process certain foods or vitamins as it used to be able to. Also, appetite is decreased during this stage while the overall need for food is increased. This can lead many older males into adopting unhealthy or inadequate eating habits.
Even though we may not often think of the stages of development as a crucial health issue, it is nonetheless very important that we realize the changes and challenges that life brings with it, and one of the easiest and most effective ways to do this is to realize the limitations of our own bodies and what those limitations mean as we grow older.