Evolution of Men:
Psychological and
Physical Changes
Article contributed by:
Dr Munidasa Winslow,
Consultant Psychiatrist
Raffles Hospital
As men age, there will
be subtle changes taking
place in themselves,
both physically and
psychologically.
In their twenties, men
have a fearless outlook
to life; they are full
of zest and energy
whether it is out
partying all night or
working 18-hour shifts
at work.
In their thirties, when
having to balance family
life, financial and work
commitments, men
struggle to contain the
stress that comes with
these priorities.
As they approach middle
age, they start to
battle changes both in
the physical aspect (dip
in energy level, body
growing out of shape and
balding) and at the
psychological front
(dwindling interest in
sex, financial and
family commitments, and
immense challenges at
the workplace) while
trying to keep up with
colleagues who are
decades younger and
could work longer hours.
The vast majority of
people seeking help for
emotional issues are
women. What then, about
men? Does it mean
that men are the
stronger race? Or
does it mean that men
sometimes have more
problems seeking help?
Research studies have
shown that by the year
2020, the life
expectancy of both men
and women in Singapore
will be over 90.
Men can take a leaf from
the Cree (American
Indian) tradition in
which they have seven
stages of life. It
is noted that not all
people go through all
the stages, and that
some get stuck along the
way. Also, not
everyone goes through
the stages at the same
age, and it may be
possible to go through
them more than once.
Here are the stages.
You can decide what
stage you are in and
whether it is time to
move on or not!
1. Happy Times
Usually childhood till
puberty – feeling
generally happy about
life as long as we are
safe and have our basic
needs met. (In our
rather demanding school
system though, sometimes
this may not always be
the happy time it was
meant to be.)
2. Confusion
Puberty - where you do
not really know what to
believe, do not know who
we are, our bodies are
changing, and our
emotions are running
wild. Today’s
world may be totally
changed by the computer
age where discovering
who you are can be done
by spending inordinate
amounts of time on the
Internet.
3. Searching
Usually the late teens
or early twenties -
looking for truth.
We do not necessarily
want to buy into
established ways of
doing things, and want
to discover our own
version of the truth.
There is a need to
strike out on our own.
4. Truth
Usually early to mid
twenties where we decide
who we are and what we
stand for.
5. Decisions
Mid twenties onwards -
finding a partner,
getting married,
choosing a profession or
life path to follow.
6. Planting Time
“First adulthood”.
This occurs in the
twenties to forties
where we raise a family
and establish ourselves
in our work or
community.
7. Teaching
Late forties onwards -
where we move into our
second childhood, where
we explore the meaning
of our lives and of life
in general, reflecting
on what we have learnt,
and begin to pass on our
knowledge to the next
generation. The
transition from the
first adulthood to the
second can sometimes be
really difficult, but
this is the beginning of
elderhood.
There are some
similarities to what we
go through here in
Singapore. The
early stages of
adulthood are seen as
times to chase our
dreams. Here,
people usually develop
an idea of what they
want to do, and work to
achieve it. While
it may be important to
pursue a career goal
single-mindedly, all too
often, many men rush
blindly through life
without taking the time
to decide what is really
important in life.
They soon find valuable
time or relationships
gone, or health
impaired, or even
difficult patterns of
behaviour ingrained such
that change is
difficult. It is
therefore, important to
take time out (outside
the realm of work) to do
a stock take and spend
some time, reflecting on
our stage in life.
Article contributed by:
Dr Munidasa Winslow, Consultant Psychiatrist
Raffles Hospital
Dated: May 2011
|
Raffles
Medical
Group is
a leading
medical
group and
the largest
private
group
practice in
Singapore.
As a fully
integrated
healthcare
organisation,
the Group
owns and
operates a
network of
family
medicine
clinics, a
tertiary
care private
hospital,
insurance
services and
a consumer
healthcare
division.
Patients of
the Group
enjoy a
continuum of
care, from
having their
most basic
healthcare
needs met
through the
Group’s
islandwide
network of
Raffles
Medical
clinics, to
specialist
and tertiary
care at
Raffles
Hospital. |
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