In one of Erikson’s most famous studies, he interviewed veterans returning from World War II. Like Megan after she left Wired, the soldiers were forced to reckon with their place in the world after they finished their jobs. For years, they had identified as soldiers. They knew the chain of command. Their roles and tasks were clear. Losing these things was tumultuous for them. Erikson coined the term “identity crisis” to describe the veterans’ experience—a period of instability and insecurity that resulted from losing a critical part of who they were.
