The 9 stages of life that a person goes through

People go through different stages of life over the years, through which we grow, mature and age.

We explain what each of these phases of human development consist of and what are the main characteristics of each of them.

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What are the life stages?

Human development can be classified into different stages of life that each person goes through. Each of these phases or stages is characterized by having in common a series of physical and psychological changes that determine our development and the way we behave.

There are many different proposals to categorize these stages and define where they begin and where each one ends. The most elaborate ones have focused mainly on the childhood stages and the development of infants, as shown by the theories in this regard provided by Sigmund Freud or Jean Piaget.

In this article, however, we will focus on the general stages that we go through from the moment we are conceived to old age, and in the changes that mainly characterize each of these stages.

The 9 stages of life we ​​go through

The beginning or end of these vital phases can vary according to the person, but we all go through these stages of life and these changes in our development.

1. Prenatal

The prenatal stage is the first phase of human development and is the one that occurs from the conception of the embryo to its birth. In this stage the development of the fetus occurs within the mother's womb, which is why it is also known as the intrauterine phase.

At this stage of life we ​​already begin to develop as human beings and the brain is already capable of detecting stimuli, such as touch or sound. Within this stage, three other subphases can be distinguished: the germinal, embryonic and fetal periods. In the latter is when the fetus has already formed and will continue to develop for 7 months until delivery.

After nine months of development, labor or birth is the point that marks the end of this first stage of human life.

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2. Early childhood

The early childhood stage is the one that occurs from the birth of the baby to approximately 3 years. This stage of life is characterized by the development of the most basic learning of the human being.

Throughout this phase the child develops basic abilities such as reflex actions, during the neonatal period, and later other psychomotor and movement abilities, such as standing up, walking or learning to drive with the hands. Also in this stage, a large part of the capacity for language is developed.

3. Early childhood phase

The early childhood phase is the one that goes from 3 to 6 years approximately, and is also known as preschool age.

This is another important stage of life for human development, since it is when the child develops his sense of himself and detaches himself from selfishness, learning to put himself in the place of others and to attribute thoughts and ideas.

4. Middle childhood phase

This stage of life is the one that occurs between 6 and 12 years approximately, coinciding with the schooling phase. Contact with other children his age allows him to develop his sense of socialization and the skills that will allow him to relate to others.

This stage is characterized because the human being develops logical thinking, and improves his ability to elaborate sentences of greater complexity, their ability to reason and learn to assimilate the operations math. It also highlights the ability to distinguish between his imagination and reality.

5. Adolescence

The adolescent stage is usually between 12 and 17 years old, although it varies greatly depending on the person and some authors come to place its term at 20 years. This vital phase is characterized by the onset of puberty and by being the transitional stage between childhood and adulthood.

At this stage of life the personality has just been consolidated and the search for one's own identity intensifies. The sexual maturation of the individual has also just taken place and important changes in the physique take place. It is a phase of both physical and emotional alterations.

6. Youth stage

From this phase the human being is considered of adult age. The youth stage is considered to range from 18 to 35 years old approximately. Any change or development produced in previous stages has just been consolidated in this phase.

Until the age of 25, the human being is at its peak in terms of physical and psychological capacities, which is why youth is mainly characterized. As you get older they will decline.

7. Maturity or middle age

This stage of life ranges from 36 to 50 years, and it is also known as middle age. It is considered a stage of stability and few changes, in which the human being reaches a fullness at many levels, both psychological, labor or social. In many cases, self-realization as an individual is achieved.

8. Mature adulthood

The mature adult phase is the one between the ages of 50 and 65, and is characterized by being the beginning of the transition to the third age.

In this stage, deteriorating physical changes begin to occur, so concern for health begins to gain importance. Also stability is already more consolidated, as well as the assimilation of losses, such as those of loved ones or work, due to retirement.

9. Third age

From the age of 65, the beginning of the third age stage is already considered, which is characterized by being the phase of old age or senescence in human development.

It is a stage of greater loneliness, since the loss of work and children that may be in the home has been consolidated, producing a feeling of an empty nest. In addition, the presence of mourning is greater, due to the losses that can occur from relatives and acquaintances of similar ages or from the partner itself.

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