Early adulthood: what it is, characteristics and effects on the mind and body.

A summary of the characteristics of early adulthood compared to other phases of life.

Early adulthood is the period that comes after adolescence and before middle adulthood, comprising between the ages of 18 and 40 or so.It is the period between the ages of 18 and 40 or so. It is a period in which we enjoy good health, full independence and greater autonomy to explore the world around us.

This stage is characterized by a series of physical, psychological, cognitive and behavioral aspects that we will explore below, in addition to understanding the importance of taking care of our physical and mental health in this period to avoid presenting health problems later on.

What exactly is young adulthood?

Young adults are people who have already passed through adolescence, but have not yet entered full maturity or middle adulthood. Early adulthood is the period of age between adolescence and middle adulthood whose ages have been agreed to range from 18 to 40, although it must be said that there is a diversity of opinions regarding its limits.

Whatever its limits, what we can affirm is that early adulthood is one of the longest periods of life and, also, one of those that includes the most changes.

It is worth mentioning that it is only relatively recently that it has been known what happens during this period, since developmental psychology has had a certain bias, focusing more on childhood and adolescence than on what happens in adulthood. Fortunately, in recent decades there has been growing interest in knowing what are the features that define adulthood as such, and early adulthood in particular.

At this stage young adults are full of energy, tend to develop ambition and enjoy a great deal of creative potentialThey are about to develop with entry into higher education or other forms of post-secondary specialization. Although with some uncertainty and maybe even fear of the unknown, it is usual that this stage begins with excitement, desire to enjoy their independence and discover how they really are, leaving behind the stage of great confusion that is adolescence.

Physical and psychological characteristics of this phase of life.

As people enter early adulthood, they leave behind the primary developmental process. That is, it is understood that their physical and cognitive abilities are fully developed or, at the very least, are almost ready.

Physical characteristics

Young adults are at the peak of their physical development and, therefore, enjoy the time of their best physical capabilities. Muscular strength and endurance are the highest of their entire lives, and they can improve it if they know how to use them.and can be improved if they know how to take care of themselves. Other factors, such as sensory abilities, reaction time and Cardiovascular health are at their peak, as long as they do not engage in behaviors that are harmful to their bodies, such as smoking, drinking or drug use.

It is also during this period of our lives that we have the highest energy levels, which is why most of us are at our peak.This is why most professional athletes are in this range and rarely exceed 35 years of age without being retired. With a higher energy level, largely due to higher testosterone levels, young adults are prone to explore.

Towards the end of this stage, especially between the ages of 35 and 40, the body begins to slowly age.. At first the changes will be subtle, barely noticeable, but the closer we get to middle adulthood, the more noticeable they will become. For example, we lose energy, our vision worsens, our hair begins to fall out, and our immune system has a harder time protecting us from certain diseases. Towards the end of this stage, we also begin to lose some bone density and muscle mass, and it becomes easier to accumulate body fat.

Cognitive and psychological characteristics

In early adulthood, cognitive abilities begin to stabilize. There is some debate as to when full cognitive development is reached, with some experts considering it to be around the age of 35.

It is during this time that relative thinking, a characteristic that is generally absent in childhood, is consolidated and begins to emerge. relative thinking, a characteristic that is generally absent in childhood and begins to emerge more or less timidly during adolescence, is consolidated.. This means that young adults realize that things are not always dichotomous, black and white, but that there are certain nuances that relativize what is right and what is wrong.

Thus, we can affirm that young adults begin to look at each issue from various perspectives, understanding that there is not always a single, clear answer. Critical reflection becomes especially important during this time.

Early adulthood also coincides with the development of pragmatism.. During childhood and adolescence, we hardly face serious problems in the real world. However, in early adulthood, the need to achieve more and more independence means that we need to look for ways to accomplish our personal, work and academic goals and objectives, even when we don't know everything or have a good plan of action.

During early adulthood, the foundations of the beliefs that guide a person's behavior, values and way of interpreting things are laid. Also political ideology and the vision of what is considered to be an ideal world for the individual is given an almost definitive shape.. This, of course, is influenced by the type of education received at home and the level of studies, in addition to the life experiences lived, but what all individuals share is that early adulthood takes a lot of shape what their political and moral vision is.

Behavioral and relational characteristics.

As we have discussed, the body is at its peak of development in early adulthood. Anthropology and evolutionary biology have hypothesized that humans are not biologically prepared to survive much beyond this stage. While this assertion is somewhat debatable, it is true that all of our systems are at full capacity. all of our systems are at full capacity between the ages of 18 and 40, and it is believed that this is to ensure that all of our systems are at full capacity between the ages of 18 and 40. and it is believed that this is to ensure that we make the most of our existence.

Both men and women have their highest testosterone levels during this stage. This is related to greater physical strength, more energy and more propensity to engage in risky activities, motivated in part by the desire to feel the adrenaline flowing through their veins. In addition, fertility is also higher at this timeThis is evidenced by the fact that people under the age of 40 have a greater sexual desire.

One of the most outstanding behavioral characteristics of early adulthood is independence, or at least a first approach towards it. While it is true that some young people do not move out of their parents' house, either because they cannot or because they do not want to, their independence is visible in such things as, for example, having their own economy by working, helping the household by buying food or paying the bills, and also in the form of academic independence, preferably studying higher education.

Sexuality

Although we have already suggested it in the previous section, it is worth going into detail about how sexuality occurs in early adulthood because after all, it is one of the most important areas of most people's lives, something that becomes especially evident during early adulthood. Generally, sexual desire during this stage is higher due to the increase in sex hormones.

The way in which sexuality is expressed during this time varies greatly from culture to culture.. In more conservative societies, people at the beginning of this stage tend to look for stable partners and to start a family, while those who live in more liberal environments tend to postpone these events until later, after 35 years of age.

It is common for people to want to have as many partners as possible, both to try their luck and to find a partner.It is common for people to want to have as many partners as possible, both to try their luck and find the right one and also for the mere hedonistic pleasure of satisfying sexual needs. From the age of 30 and, especially, from 35 onwards, this tendency tends to diminish and there is a greater interest in looking for a definitive partner and establishing a stable life with him/her.

Early adulthood is especially significant for non-heteronormative people.especially if they come from very conservative environments where their being has been repressed. Young homosexual and bisexual adults begin to explore their sexuality right at this stage, coinciding with greater independence and autonomy, plus it is usually in early adulthood when one knows what their sexual orientation is.

Physical and mental health

Physical and mental health in early adulthood is stronger compared to other stages, but it can also notoriously condition what later adulthood will be like. Early adulthood is the period in which we have and can have the greatest physical development.. If we do not take proper care of our body, engaging in harmful behaviors such as frequent alcohol consumption, smoking or drug use, as well as not doing sports or not watching our diet, this will take its toll on us in middle and, above all, late adulthood.

Mental health is particularly sensitive in this period. If the person does not have the psychological resources to cope with adversities such as relational conflicts, emotional tensions or work and academic problems, sooner or later psychological problems and even mental disorders may develop.

Although it is in childhood and adolescence when the seeds for mental disorders are sown, it is often in adulthood that the seeds for mental disorders are sown, it is often in adulthood when they can sprout intensely in the form of anxiety and stress problems, phobias, social isolation, depression and other mental disorders..

These problems can be especially serious in early adulthood, but will undoubtedly worsen later in life as we age. This is why it is so important to take care of yourself while there is still time, by getting regular physical activity and seeing a psychologist to professionally treat any emotional problems that are distressing you.

You should also go to the doctor for checkups with some frequency, in order to identify any disease that could worsen such as diabetes or cardiovascular problems. Prevention is always the best medicine.