Identity crisis, according to psychologist Erik Erikson, is the failure to achieve ego identity during adolescence.

[1][2] Erikson coined the term. The stage of psychosocial development in which identity crisis may occur is called the Identity Cohesion versus Role Confusion stage. During this stage (adolescence), we are faced with physical growth, sexual maturation, and integrating our ideas of ourselves and about what others think of us.[3] We therefore form our self-image and endure the task of resolving the crisis of our basic ego identity. Successful resolution of the crisis depends on ones progress through previous developmental stages, centering on issues such as trust, autonomy, and initiative.[4] Those who emerge from the adolescent stage of personality development with a strong sense of identity are well equipped to face adulthood with confidence and certainty. This sort of unresolved crisis leaves individuals struggling to find themselves. They may go on to seek a negative identity, which may involve crime or drugs or the inability to make defining choices about the future. The basic strength that should develop during adolescence is fideli ty, which emerges from a cohesive ego identity.[2] Erikson's own interest in identity began in childhood. Raised Jewish, Erikson appeared very Scandinavian, and felt that he was an outsider of both groups. His later studies of cultural life among the Yurok of northern California and the Sioux of South Dakota helped formalize Erikson's ideas about identity development and identity crisis. Erikson described those going through an identity crisis as exhibiting confusion.[2] They often seem to have no idea who or what they are, where they belong or where they want to go. They may withdraw from normal life, not taking action or acting as they usually would at work, in their marriage or at school. They may even turn to negative activities, such as crime or drugs, as a way of dealing with identity crisis. To someone having an identity crisis, it is more acceptable to them to have a negative identity than none at all.[2] Erikson felt that peers have a strong impact on the development of ego identity during adolescence. He believed that association with negative groups such as cults or fanatics could actually redistrict [sic] the developing ego during this fragile time. The basic strength that Erikson found should develop during adolescence is fidelity, which only emerges from a cohesive ego identity. Fidelity is known to encompass sincerity, genuineness and a sense of duty in our relationships with other people.[2] Erikson described identity as "a subjective sense as well as an observable quality of personal sameness and continuity, paired with some belief in the sameness and continuity of some shared world image. As a quality of unself-conscious living, this can be gloriously obvious in a young person who has found himself as he has found his communality. In him we see emerge a unique unification of what is irreversibly giventhat is, body type and temperament, giftedness and vulnerability, infantile models and acquired idealswith the open choices provided in available roles, occupational possibilities, values offered, mentors met, friendships made, and first sexual encounters."[5][specify] http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/fulfillment-any-age/201203/are-you-having-identity-crisis You've undoubtedly heard the term "identity crisis," but you may not know its origins. The developmental psychologist Erik Erikson defined eight crisis stages that characterize our lives from birth through death. Identity achievement vs. identity diffusion is the fifth crisis that individuals experience as they navigate the potentially stormy years of adolescence. The crisis is one of heightened susceptibility to particular developmental changes associated with puberty. Teenagers experience rapid changes in body build, hormones, emotions, and cognitive abilities. Perhaps for the first time in life, they contemplate their roles in society including their careers, values, and gender role. There are advantages to exploring your identity during your teenage years. According to Erikson, it's important to think seriously about these issues and ultimately to come to enough of a resolution so that the path you embark on in adulthood is one that you have consciously chosen. This is the psychological state that Erikson called "identity achievement." If you don't come to grips with these crucial life decisions and never arrive at a firm identity, your "identity diffusion" will not prepare you for the developmental tasks that lie ahead. A strong identity emerges not only from this conscious contemplation of your life's purpose, but also from successfully resolving the developmental challenges that characterize the previous childhood years. Having a strong identity in adolescence rests, in part, on your having a strong sense of trust in infancy, autonomy in toddlerhood, ability to play as a preschooler years, and solid work ethic in the elementary school years. The issues of childhood may re-emerge later in life as well. You may confront problems in your connection to work in your young adult years if you feel you're in a dead end job. Similarly, you may confront issues associated with later life in your early years. Young people coping with the death of someone close to them, or even their own terminal illness, may face the psychosocial issues associated with later adulthood. Let's get back to the question of identity. An identity "crisis" may occur at any time in your adult years when you're faced with a challenge to your sense of self. In addition, not every adolescent goes through an identity crisis at all but instead accepts the roles and values handed down by his or her parents. Some adolescents remain in a permanent state of crisis. Because there are more than two ways that people navigate their adolescent identity issues, researchers following Erikson's theory expanded his concept of the identity crisis. Simon Fraser University psychologist James Marcia, working at the University of Buffalo at the time, developed a framework that went on to stimulate a large body of work on adolescent identity development. Called "identity statuses," Marcia defined four alternate ways of that teenagers resolve identity issues. The four identity statuses are built from high and low positions on two identity dimensions. Dimension one is "commitment." People high on commitment have a firm sense of who they are and feel strongly about the choices they have made. People low in identity commitment have an uncertain sense of self. Dimension two is "exploration." If you are high on the exploration dimension, you are actively questioning your sense of self and looking for ways to come to a decision. Combining the high and low points on each dimension, we arrive at four identity statuses. People high on the commitment and exploration dimension are the traditional "identity achieved." At the opposite pole on both dimensions, people low in commitment and exploration fit Erikson's criteria for "identity diffused." People high on exploration but low on commitment are in a category that Marcia called "moratorium." This means that they have placed a hold on making the major decisions in their lives. They're thinking hard about what they want to do but aren't ready to commit. The final category applies to people who are low on exploration and high on commitment. In other words, they have a firm sense of self but they never went through a serious process of questioning their commitments. Marcia calls these "foreclosed;" in other words, they have closed off any serious contemplation of what they really want out of life. The most favorable status for people to have in terms of adjustment is identity achieved. People who are moratorium, at least during adolescence, will be the most likely to fit the classic image of the rebellious teen. The identity diffuse can also experience difficulties because they tend to float and may be led astray and into high-risk behaviors. The foreclosed are perhaps the most interesting, however. Their commitments most likely coincided closely with the expectations their parents had for them. These are the teens most likely to enter the family business or profession, and follow the values that fit closely with those of their parents. The problem for them is that without an actual period of exploring their own commitments, they may find themselves in mid-life to regret those decisions that did not match their true, inner needs. The identity statuses were originally meant to apply to adolescents but later researchers have extended them to the adult years. In looking at adults, though, the natural question to ask is whether an identity exploration in adolescence is enough to keep people optimally adapted in adulthood. Several identity researchers, including me, examined the commitment and exploration dimensions as continuous developmental processes that can carry on throughout life. Just because you experienced a period of identity exploration as a teen doesn't mean that you are set for life. It's healthy to keep exploring your values, roles, and sense of self regardless of your age. There are various questionnaires that identity researchers use to measure identity statuses or the dimensions that produce them. I've found it helpful to boil them down into a simple, 4-question quiz. The quiz gives you a quick assessment of which identity status is closest to how you are right now. Once you've taken the quiz, I'll give you some pointers on how to interpret your answers and move from there to plans to work on areas that may require some re-examination. The questions cover four identity commitments: politics, religion, career choices, and gender roles, the areas covered by the identity status measures used in the literature. For each question, pick the choice that is closest to the way you feel right now. 1. Politics is something that:

a. I can never be too sure about because things change so fast. But I do think it's important to know what I can politically stand for and believe in b. I haven't really considered because it doesn't excite me much. c. I feel pretty much the same way as my family. I follow what they do in terms of voting and such. d. I have thought through. I realize I can agree with some and not other aspects of what my family believes. 2. When it comes to religion, a. I'm not sure what religion means to me. I'd like to make up my mind but I'm not done looking yet. b. I don't give religion much thought and it doesn't bother me one way or the other. c. I've gone through a period of serious questions about faith and can now say I understand what I believe in as an individual d. I've never really questioned my religion. If it's right for my family it must be right for me. 3. Regarding my career choice, a. I haven't really settled on a career and I'm just taking whatever jobs are available until something good comes along. b. I'm still trying to decide where my career interests lie and actively thinking about what jobs will be right for me. c. I thought a little about my career, but there's never really any question since my parents said what they wanted for me. d. It took me a while to figure it out, but now I really know that I am on the right career path. 4. With regard to men's and women's roles: a. my views are identical to those of my family. What has worked for them will obviously work for me b. I've never really seriously considered men's and women's roles. It just doesn't seem to concern me. c. I've spent some time thinking about men's and women's roles and I've decided what works best for me. d. There are so many ways to define men's and women's role; I'm trying to decide what will work for me. Here's the guide to the answers: Politics: a= Moratorium b= Diffuse c=Foreclosed d=Achieved Religion: a= Moratorium b= Diffuse c= Achieved d= Foreclosed Career: a= Diffuse b= Moratorium c= Foreclosed d= Achieved Gender Role: a= Foreclosed b= Diffuse c=Achieved 4= Moratorium Adding up your totals, you may have a mix of the four identity statuses but it's likely you lean more toward one than another, or you may score differently on all four questions. The areas you might want to address in your own development right now are those for which you scored diffuse or foreclosed. People in the moratorium status, as long as they don't stay there forever, simply need more time or perhaps the chance to continue their exploration before they're forced to make a choice. The problem with the diffuse status is that the longer you float on these important areas, the less likely it is you will shore up your sense of self enough to handle your future developmental challenges. For example, it is difficult to establish true intimacy if your identity is weak. In the areas for which you rate as foreclosed, you can benefit from taking a step back and engage in some serious exploration. Continuing on the path set for you by your family can lead to later discontent; the path through adulthood I call the "straight and narrow ." Remaining diffuse, on the other hand, can lead a person to the negative outcomes associated with the "meandering way" (Whitbourne, 2010). Constantly remaining in moratorium can also be detrimental in different ways, particularly if the individual's continued explorations lead to tumultuous ups and downs-particularly the downs, and fall into the "downward slope." In contrast to these three negativelyoriented trajectories, people who continually evaluate their commitments and make adjustments to achieve greater realization of their identities ("authentic road") are most likely to achieve fulfillment throughout their lives. This quiz, though brief, can give you a quick snapshot of where you stand on a developmental task that maintains its centrality in your personality and ability to adapt to your life's challenges. You can also use this tool to help advise your own teenagers, students, advisees, and clients to provide them with a sense of where they may need to move up or down the exploration or commitment scales. Your identity defines who you are but it doesn't have to define you for life. Keep your mind open, but not too open, toward change. Your dentity can adapt to whatever developmental tasks come your way. Reference:

Whitbourne, S.K. (2010). The search for fulfillment. New York: Ballantine Books. http://www.wisegeek.org/what-is-an-identity-crisis.htm An identity crisis is a time in life when an individual begins to seriously quest for answers about the nature of his or her being and the search for an identity. 20th century developmental psychologist Erik Erikson developed this term, which is used frequently. He used it mostly to apply to the period of transition in the teenage years when kids begin to define what they will do as adults, and what their values are. It is now thought that an identity crisis may occur at any time of life, especially in periods of great transition.

Most teens go through periods of defiance against parental figures and other authorities. Part of this defining against caretaking figures is identity crisis. Though kids may make extremely poor choices when they choose to defy parents, they are often participating in a deep exploration of self that will help them determine what they will do and who they will be as they enter adulthood. For parents, watching a child enter the identity crisis stage is often fearful and difficult, since deliberate disobedience to certain standards may be inherently risky. Kids can unfortunately wreck their futures if they push too far away from parental or societal law; they could end up addicted to drugs or parenting children of their own far before theyre ready. http://www.ehow.com/info_8310007_causes-identity-crisis.html It was Erik Erikson who first coined the phrase "identity crisis" in the late 1950s. His worked was influenced by Freud's psychosexual stages of development, but Erikson took it in a slightly different direction and concentrated on how childhood influence can influence our beliefs about ourselves. Carl Jung also developed similar ideas about the "midlife crisis," and the two do share some surprising similarities. Early Developmental Influences According to Erikson, children up to the age of 2 test their surroundings and the people in their lives. The testing involves the child learning whether their surroundings are safe or whether they can trust their parents and friends to make sure no accidents befall them. It sets the template for the adult belief that the world is a dangerous place or not. Erikson stated that a solid understanding of these surroundings lead to a feeling of hope. Early Childhood Influences Between the ages of 2 and 3, the child develops a sense of independence and autonomy. They decide which toys they prefer to play with or who they prefer to be held by. If they are forced to give up these ideas because the parent insists they do something else, they may form a negative view of their own self. Their sense of "will" becomes distorted. Around 6, teachers begin to influence the nature of the child's learning. The teacher can have a positive or negative affect on the child's sense of self and wellbeing. If their initiative is encouraged, they can form a positive sense of achievement that they carry on with throughout their lives. Theories on Identity Crisis By Cindi Pearce, eHow Contributor Print this article The term "identity crisis" was the invention of Eric Erickson, a German psychoanalyst, who deemed this type of event one of the most significant conflicts people can face in their development. Erikson described an identity crisis as a period of exploration of different perspectives and ways of looking at yourself, along with a period of intense analysis. Adolescence Eric Erikson's described eight stages of human development, including an identity crisis versus role confusion for adolescents in the nine- to 18-year-old age range. Identity versus role confusion occurs as a result of bewilderment due to roles forced on identity crisis sufferers, leading to doubt of their identities. The invidvidual is trying to figure out how he appears to others and as a result has a hard time making choices and decisions. Finding Oneself During this period of a child's life, she is making an extreme effort to find herself, Erikson maintained. She is trying to figure out her views, beliefs and roles. If she makes these determinations successfully during the identity crisis period, she successfully exits the adolescent state at about the age of 18. If not, she will continue in the adolescent stage.

How to Resolve an Identity Crisis By Peter Evans, eHow Contributor Print this article Conflicting ideas, desires and beliefs can tear an identity apart unless the work of integration begins Before Freud radically perturbed the orthodox view of identity, conventional thinking considered it an inborn attribute, unfolding naturally with maturation until an individual reached her destiny, her natural identity. Identity conflicts were regarded as illnesses. But with Freud's momentous discoveries about the workings of the unconscious mind, no one could possess a stable identity. Human subjectivity ineluctably involves an active but unconscious dimension, a dimension which inevitably divides identity. Whatever someone believes about himself, a dissenting part of his personality will resist and conflict with his "authorized" (or preferred) opinion. Resolution involves learning to listen to these conflicting inner viewpoints.

Instructions Integration - the Key to Healing Identity Conflicts 1 Psychoanalyst Adam Phillips once described the unconscious as that inner voice which joins in our everyday conversations without ever fitting in. This applies to inner dialogues, too -- those ubiquitous inner debates people everywhere stage with imaginary interlocutors. Resolving identity conflicts involves living with the competing versions of ourselves, the parts of the personality which resist conformity with coercive norms, social conventions and social authorities. Watch out for certain tricks human minds typically play with these other views, though. Splitting and projection complicate the listening process. 2 Try sitting in a quiet room alone. Relax -- Freud encouraged his patients to recline on a couch -- and let your mind wander. Imagine your thoughts as scenes passing by as though you were on a moving train looking through a window. Do this for no more than 50 minutes but get into the habit of doing it every day, or at least several times a week. Don't worry too much about "understanding" what you find yourself thinking about yet but keep notes in your notepad about what occurs to you. If a thought spontaneously intrudes into your mind elsewhere, write it down as soon as you can. Sponsored Links Humanitarian Leadership Sign up for our global interagency workshops worldwide. leadershipforhumanitarians.org 3 As Adam Phillips has argued, what you happen to think about is often more enlightening than what you try to think about. Take note of what falls out of your mental pockets, in Phillips' terminology, rather than focusing on a specific issue. Truth slips in to our thoughts in spite of our intentions but rarely makes an appearance on command. As you write up your mental wanderings, notice who preoccupies your thoughts, what they are saying to you and how they are saying it. If you can, jot down your previous night's dreams upon waking in the same way.

4 Remember: the "others" in your thoughts aren't real people. Psychoanalyst Joyce McDougall suggests thinking of your mind as a theater -- you select all the "actors" who appear in your dreams and thoughts and give them the lines they speak, even if you base them on real events. What stays in your mind amounts to a choice -- we all ignore some things and cling on to others. Now for the hard part: think of these others, no matter how unpleasant, discordant or plain eccentric they appear, as unintegrated aspects of your own personality, the parts of yourself you would prefer to attribute to other people. 5 For example, an aggressive, uncouth colleague you dislike at work might represent a more assertive and abrasive version of yourself, at odds with your own self-suffocating conformity and compliance. An intimidating boss might depict a harsh aspect of your own conscience, which you overcompensate for in your actual behavior through selfdestructive permissiveness or excessive generosity. A friend having an affair may represent a more adventurous side to your normally prudish and censorious character -and so on. What you notice in the world often coincides with what you desire but refuse yourself.

How to Survive An Identity Crisis By eHow Contributor Print this article Emotional Rollercoaster Sometimes we find ourselves very distant from the life we imagined having. Sometimes life throws us devastating news and we are forced to accept impossible situations. When life alters suddenly due to death, divorce, loss of job, or illness, we can find ourselves in the middle of an identity crisis. When our expectations of self change, we may find ourselves struggling to find our way back. Read on to find out how to do just that. Instructions 1 EVALUATE your current situation. Define the expectations others have of you. When you know what others demand or expect from you, it is much easier to redefine your life. Believe that it is in your power to maintain a structured existence in spite of devastation. When your sense of self seems to have vanished, reflect on old photos and letters. List past accomplishments; large or small. Remember who you were...and remind yourself that you're still that person. 2 ACCEPT your situation. Allow yourself to wallow in self-pity, but don't stay down for more than 24hrs. Decide to be strong and you will find strength. Believe in God, and he'll hold your hand. Sponsored Links Online Spiritual Course Develop your Spirit and change your life for the better. 100% free. www.spiritworld.com.hk 3 PLAN to make your situation bearable. Whatever it is, whether illness, death, or divorce, you must plan to make things as positive as possible. Give yourself permission to enjoy a favorite activity or food once a week. Pat yourself on the back for any display of courage. If you are unhappy with your job or residence, take appropriate steps to change this. Most of the time, creating a plan is the hardest step. Once implemented, you will provide yourself with structure. 4 IMPLEMENT your plan(s) for the future. Surround yourself with supportive and positive people. We are social creatures and are directly affected by the moods of others. To self-help there are a few things you can do to beat insecurity, fear, and anxiety: Send yourself an email every evening, offering support as you would to a "friend" and don't check until morning. You can send yourself a boost with any one or more of these messages: Everything will be okay. Just Believe. Life is Good. You are Valuable. You matter to others. Another way to boost yourself is to write messages in your calendar or planner. Use fun stickers and bright colors. Remind yourself to manage debt, and stay on top of deadlines. Take one day at a time, and courageously find your way back. You can do it!

Read more: How to Survive An Identity Crisis | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_4560385_survive-identity-crisis.html#ixzz2NPabPusL