Erik Erikson defined the final stage of his psychosocial development theory as integrity vs despair. Integrating Erikson’s psychosocial development theory, this stage, which spans the final stages of one’s life, focuses on self-reflection, determining whether they have lived a life of value and whether it was meaningful. Erikson describes integrity as a stage in life when one can accept and appreciate their past as lived and coherent with other components in their life. Completion of this stage leads to accomplishment and fulfillment, all of which are strengthened by wisdom, inner peace and lack of terror one has to embrace their mortality. In life people reach this stage with voids and spend the remainder of their life in despair. Reaching this stage angry, hopeless and depressed, coupled with a feeling of lost purpose or unfulfilled opportunities are unfortunate. Strength in passing this stage balances the despair with psychological welfare, in which unbalance greatly aids the decline of mental and interpersonal activity. Personal reflection, life review therapy, and meaningful activities are all ways to help someone in their elderly years, and help relieve the burden in mental and self-reflection.
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