It is well known that adolescence is not an easy stage, since constant changes are taking place. Everything seems to be a minefield: there are changes turning up with every step you make. The confusion of this crucial life stage can affect people both physically and psychologically.
Sometimes, due to this complex situation, there appears the opposite effect of wanting to simplify and, even, trivialize what happens during adolescence (“Well, these are the usual teenager issues”, “teenagers are walking hormones”, etc.).
For this reason, this article will present some information on the psychological changes that take place during adolescence, which will emphasize the importance of this stage of development and help you empathize with teenagers as well as understand them better.
Psychological changes during puberty: 8 facts you need to know
As it has already been mentioned, adolescence is not a stage that goes unnoticed. There are many psychological changes that influence the way teenagers express themselves and handle different situations they are faced with.
1. Independence
The first aspect of the psychological changes in adolescence is the teenager’s need for independence. When they leave behind their childhood stage, they wish to become individuals and get away from the family unit to start another series of activities alone or with their friends.
2. Identity
This point is related to the previous one, since identity is something that young people seek from early adolescence. Often this process is defined through clothes, as a way to express one’s personality (which, many times, involves the desire to fit in with the beauty standards established by society).
Another aspect that can change when it comes to one’s search for identity is the way of speaking. At this time, it is possible to notice changes in the language used by teenagers, such as neologisms or slang.
3. Physical appearance
As the title suggests, this is a physical factor, but it also implies a psychological change. During adolescence, as a general rule, there is an excessive concern about one’s physical appearance. This leads teenagers to willingly change their appearance and the way they dress.
Experimenting with their physical appearance is something typical of teenagers. However, if it becomes the centre of their concerns, it is advisable to talk to them or even ask for help from a specialist in order to prevent future eating disorders, for example.
4. Social status
This fourth aspect of the psychological changes in adolescence is also closely related to the previous points. The fact of belonging to a social group gives teenagers a feeling of integration, trust and support that they need during this stage. This can sometimes lead to certain fights over specific groups, which has an influence on their possible aggressiveness.
5. Way of thinking
The fifth aspect of psychological changes is defined by the cognitive level, since the teenager’s way of thinking changes at this stage. During adolescence, they develop the ability to draw up more complex hypotheses for the facts they observe. This can also lead to the testing of these hypotheses by means of experimenting different situations.
6. Lack of self-confidence and understanding
This aspect is usually shared by most teenagers. Many of them feel that no one understands them. This feeling is caused by all the changes that are going on, and the trouble they have with controlling certain emotions and insecurities that appear during this stage.
7. Sexual desire
Another of the psychological (and physiological) changes that marks adolescence is the awakening of sexual desire, which is caused by the hormonal change (in the case of girls, it is due to estrogen and progesterone and, in that of boys, to testosterone). In many cases, this is an issue that involves a new approach to sex and also questions, doubts and a state of confusion when it comes to those changes.
8. Love
The last aspect of psychological changes in adolescence involves the teenagers’ development of emotional ability (in relation to their love life). They will feel a great need to develop emotions related to love and, in many cases, their wish for a partner will become a very important aspect in their lives.
As it can be seen from this information on psychological changes in adolescence, this is an incredibly tumultuous period in which teenagers have to face a lot of new things.
It is very important that they can have unconditional support when it comes to the many doubts that arise about this period of changes. Information, communication, understanding and affection will help them enjoy this stage. Although this whirlwind of emotions and thoughts will always be there, they can rely on the fact that they can go through all these changes more easily.
Check out the original article: 8 cambios psicológicos en la adolescencia que como padres debemos conocer at bitpadres.com