Randy Robinson Essay

Professional wrestler, Randy Robinson, also known as his performing alias, “the Ram,” is a degenerating middle aged Caucasian male. He is an absent father to an adult college bound lesbian daughter who resents her father for his abandonment, addictive personality, and alternative lifestyle. Although Randy Robinson is charismatic, gentlemanly and protective of his relationships; has a strong sense of humor and is determined; it is with great struggle, pain, and disappointment. Randy Robinson is a fighter both in the ring and out; but due to increasing physiological problems including loss of hearing and vision impairment, overexertion, and a heart attack, accompanied with psychological and behavioral problems, his life in an acumination of his

self- sabotage and unhealthy decisions. Despite his deteriorating physical, mental, and emotional existence; Randy’s middle stage of life is chronicled through his attempts to rebuild his professional career, rectify his relationship with his daughter, and solidify a relationship with his female counterpart, Pam known as “Cassidy” while performing on her own stage, the strip club Randy is a regular attendee at.
The career of a lifetime wrestler is physically demanding; to combat the long term use of his body and avoid retirement, Randy abuses a concoction of illegal steroids, narcotics, and pain relievers as well as human growth hormone HGH, complimented by alcohol and cocaine abuse. To maintain the image of “the Ram” in an industry bombarded with testosterone laden men, Randy competes with the inevitability of aging, ego and masculinity, body dysmorphic disorder; overexerting his heart and muscles, bleaching his tresses, tanning, and accessorizing with tattoos. With sheer determination and an unrelenting passion for wrestling, subconsciously Randy knows his limitations and attempts to formulate a new identity by reconnecting with his estranged daughter, form a healthy relationship with his favorite stripper, and seek further hours at his menial part time position at a local grocery store. His attempts at relating to his daughter are done in vain when Randy self-sabotages his chance at forgiveness, forgetting his date with his daughter. Randy perpetually falls into feelings of paternal guilt and shame. Randy Robinson is unable to attach without sexualizing intimacy, and engages in addictive unprotected sex for human connection. Failure in societal norms, poor job performance at the grocery store, and hopelessness in any last attempt at relationships; the accumulation of loss, despair, and isolation pushes Randy to his final comeback performance in the ring. With full realization of his lifetime of addiction, unhappiness, and diminishing quality of life, “the Ram” makes a final admission of “living hard, playing hard, burning the candle at both ends, and paying for it” with a body slam to his opponent, his heart broke for one last time, and his life was ended.
Levinson’s Life Cycle Theory
To understand the life stage of Randy Robinson’s development as an adult male, Daniel Levinson life cycle theory conceptualizes each component of the wrestler. Levinson’s (1986) framework for adult male development consists of three major components: eight life cycle eras integrated within one another, individual life structure incorporating personality and external systems to comprise individual structures, and the concept of adult development. The theory is universalized by the belief that individual’s cycle through similar processes, phases, and crises dependent upon age, biological and psychological factors. Randy Robinson is in the midlife transition which is the fifth stage in the life cycle theory. This transitional time is defined by the ending of the culminating life structure for early adulthood, the peak performance years of a man’s life (Levinson, 1986). Biological traits such as physical stamina, agility, and health all begin to depreciate during the entry life structure for middle adulthood. Severe decrease in male climacteric physical capacities, Randy Robinson’s heart attack, increased depression symptoms and suicide ideations (Zastrow, Kirst-Ashman, 2013). The physiological relationship between hormones, the brain and cognitions in conjunction with social structures such as relationship isolation, occupation stress, and Randy’s despair are predictive of midlife crisis and suicide (Beutel, Glaesmer, Wiltink, Marian, & Brahler, 2010).
Levinson’s theory encapsulates Randy Robinson’s midlife crisis initially confronted by an unconscious defense of denial of the reality of his deterioration, met by his conscious realization of previous stage failures, and unmet hopes and dreams both personally and professionally.

Upon actualization of reality and continuous failed attempts to form new life meaning with his daughter, his romantic relationship, and his job, Randy turned against himself; abusing drugs, alcohol, and sex; punishing himself and ultimately ending his own life (Trevithick, 2011). The defense and coping mechanisms used throughout the cycle of middle adulthood and the midlife crisis of Randy Robinson are exemplified by Sigmund Freud’s psychodynamic theory and expelled upon by George Vaillant. Vailliant realized men during this era of development adapt coping mechanisms to accommodate transitions however, men such as Randy who experience midlife as painful and stagnant are not well adjusted, pine for younger adulthood eras, and are unable to successfully cycle through adult development (Robbins, Chatterjee, & Canda, 2012; Malone, Cohen, Liu, Vaillant, & Waldinger,

2013).
Social Context
Randy Robinson as an individual interacted within several environmental structures and functioned within a social context which impacted his perception of life. Randy Robinson maintained two jobs, a professional wrestler on weekends, and grocery store butcher during the week. Both positions were part time, lower income, and inconsistent with scheduling and demand. Through his alternative career pathways, Randy was ineligible for medical insurance, vacation or medical leave, and lived in American society where health care disparities are based on income. His inconsistent income affected his residential and living arrangements, health, and his long term ability to care for self. His employment standing correlated to his lack of education as well as societies perception of aging adults in the workforce; ageism (Thorsen et. al, 2011). As an aging professional wrestler, a legend amongst his opponents, he did not receive work as he was fighting against his age, time, and prime. As a butcher, Randy faced an upward battle with management, for an increase in hours and the potential to receive benefits and medical insurance. His lack of ability to work regularly due to ageism contributed to his social status falling below poverty lines.
Randy Robinson’s living environment consisted of a single unit trailer in a trailer park in mid-West America. The trailer was a rental unit that Randy was regularly locked out of due to missed rent, resulting in the wrestler spending many nights sleeping in his van with below freezing temperatures outside, no heat inside, no running water, or access to other basic utilities. Coping with a degenerating physique and less than standard means of living; illegal drugs and alcohol abuse were incorporated into the environment of living, employment, and leisure. The systems that the wrestler associated himself with, wrestling, strip clubs, bars, normalizing drug abuse, created a culture of dependency. Randy, undiagnosed, appeared to suffer from depression and used chemical dependency to self-treat his psychiatric problems (Chi, Satre, & Weisner, 2006). Living in a society that stigmatizes mental illness leaves little room for challenging male dominance and the role of masculinity. There is a disparity between defining males as strong men with potential psychological problems and the need to maintain societal perceptions of gender identity, and male problem solving; thus resulting in Randy treating himself with drugs. Within the context of the developmental stage of entry life structure for middle adulthood, Randy navigated through several environmental systems each influenced by greater society. In the same manner the systems affected Randy’s ability to move through transitions the social context of poverty, employment and occupation determined by ageism, health care disparities, drugs, mental health, and stigmatization all contributed to social conditions that individually became Randy’s social problems.
Evidence-Based Practice Recommendations
Integrating all components that define Randy Robinson and working with middle aged males, effective treatment for addressing midlife crisis and transitions is an existential psychotherapeutic approach, introduced by Yalom in 1980.

In conjunction with Levinson’s stage theory and Freud’s psychoanalysis of consciousness, Yalom defines existential psychotherapy as cognitive, emotional, mental, and behavioral processes interacting with one another on different plains of consciousness and utilization of defense mechanisms to avoid painful transitions in middle age (Becker, 2006). Middle age males experiencing a crisis employ defense mechanisms to address major mid-life themes including meaning of existence, new found isolation, freedom and responsibility, and inevitable closeness to death (Becker, 2006). To address clinical concerns of depression, unhealthy defenses, and drug abuse, the counseling approach integrates an alliance with the client, reassessing life priorities, a needs assessment, as well as exploration and identification of defenses; conscious and subconscious. This collaboration between client and worker comes from a strengths perspective of psychodynamic psychotherapy, assisting the middle aged man to define his own needs, realistically strategizing goals focusing on identifying internal, external, and natural resources for goal obtainment (Early & GlenMaye, 2000). By assisting the middle aged man in empowering self, coping mechanisms begin to accommodate

transitions of social, environmental, and personal changes.
Psychodynamic psychotherapy is an effective treatment for substance abuse, depression, and several other clinical concerns that are relevant to Randy Robinson’s structures, individually and socially (Bliss & Rasmussen, 2013). The allegiance of the psychodynamic social worker with the client is central to adult development, particularly with socially isolated, lonely, and hopeless middle aged adults (O’Neal, Jackson, & McDermott, 2014; Angeletti et. al, 2012). To assess severity of cognitive depressive functions and suicidal ideation, the Beck Hopelessness Scale, and clinical interviews are administered (Angeletti et. al, 2012). Through the use of scaling questions, and the ongoing supportive relationship between client and social worker, the potential for the middle aged male to cycle through Levinson’s stages of adult development and successful recognize and adjust to a new era of living increases.
Psychodynamic and existential therapy is not the only practical or effective method of assisting a middle aged man transition but one component of addressing the entire individual. Other methods of intervention that address the different roles Randy Robinson and many men are bound to by middle age include case management and family systems approach. Case management is used in conjunction with a strengths perspective to provide options for eliminating isolation and lack of support from family and friends. Acknowledging that there is dysfunction in the family system and a need for new paternal identity can be interceded by incorporating father daughter therapy, social support groups such as Narcotics Anonymous for substance issues, and resources for public assistance for housing, utilities, medical insurance, and basic living needs. The integration of several therapeutic interventions and case management provides the client with options for successful life transition and meaning with pride, integrity, and purpose.
Reflection
Prior to watching the film from a social work perspective, I annually watched The Wrestler to once again feel close to my own father. The resemblance of Randy Robinson, his life and the relationships he had is a mirror image of the life I lived with my dad before his candle burned out at both ends seven years ago. The Wrestler has provided me with a glimpse into feelings that I believe my father had but could never articulate or express. Being challenged to revisit this film through a new perspective I was once again challenged to explore the life of a degenerating man with psychological and physiological problems. When reflecting on the film I encountered new realizations of middle adulthood particularly for men, the conflicts and crisis that may be experienced and the severity it can have on the psyche. I came to realize that midlife crisis is not abnormal but a normal developmental transition many men find themselves navigating and getting lost in. The midlife crisis is only exasperated by previous life stage failures, dysfunctional relationships, medical and health problems, as well as occupational stressors and hopelessness. Just as death becomes inevitable it seems almost predictable that a man will have a midlife crisis if life structures, systems, and relationships have a history of dissatisfaction. For practice, I recognize the great need to acknowledge this reality and provide integrated support for men in transition in middle adulthood. Randy “the Ram” Robinson proclaimed the harsh reality many men find themselves experiencing, “in this life, you can lose everything you love, everything that loves you.” I challenge this belief knowing that within at least one structure of a man’s life, there is somewhere yet to be uncovered, unconscious love and hope for the survival of man through his crisis.