Adolescence is one of the turning points in human life. It is a period in which great physical and spiritual changes occur, starting at the age of 12-13 and continuing until the age of 19-20. Adolescents, who adapt to physical change relatively more easily, falter in their spiritual development. While some adolescents get through this period easily, many of them are deeply affected and experience intense depression and confusion. According to Freud, adolescence is a period when instinctual energy is activated in the genital area again. Freud says that the balance between id, ego and superego established during childhood is disrupted again. Sexual impulses cause the young person to relive the conflicts of the phallic period experienced in childhood; However, this time romantic relationships are sought outside the family.
Adolescence is a phase where identity formation takes place and becomes clear. According to Erik Erikson, the most important condition for a healthy transition to adulthood is identity acquisition. Identity is the individual's unique set of behaviors and thoughts, and the differences that distinguish him from others. The process of identity formation begins long before adolescence, and successful results in previous periods facilitate the transition to adult identity. The adolescent, whose body takes on an adult appearance in a very short time, realizes that he will no longer act like a child and asks "Who am I?" “What should be my goals in life?” He questions himself with questions such as; He begins to make future-oriented decisions and form his identity. If he finds a role in society that suits his chosen ideology, he gains an identity. For adolescents who cannot achieve this, the identity crisis continues. If this crisis is not resolved with many attempts, the adolescent may fall into identity confusion or develop a negative identity.
Adolescents have different identity statuses. These are early attached, turbulent, unstable and successful identity statuses. Adolescents with early attached identity status have not gone through a decision-making process, and all their identity-related decisions are generally determined by their parents. The transition to adulthood is smooth and conflict-free. Adolescents with a tumultuous identity status do not experience a crisis and do not have a motivation for choosing a professional role. They tend to avoid attachment to an identity altogether. If they are undecided They experience a crisis of identity; their anxiety is high and the decision-making process takes a long time; Therefore, it is the status that adolescents are most concerned with. Those with successful identity status are adolescents who have overcome the identity crisis and achieved identity attachment.
Adolescents go through certain stages while creating their identity. The first is to feel independent. Adolescents feel the need to accept their differences and have them approved by others. Conflict with parents begins. The adolescent, who has been under the influence of his parents until this period and obeyed them, tries to rebel and realize his own wishes and actions. For young people who need independence, home often begins to be seen as a place where misunderstanding and conflict arise. This is also the period when parents lose their ideal qualities in the eyes of the child. The thought "My mother and father know everything best" is gradually replaced by thoughts such as "How would my mother and father know? Their time is in the past, I know better than them." There is no logic in the adolescent's rebellion, rebellion is instinctive. If parents understand the adolescent's rebellion, respect his thoughts, and accept his independence, the problem will be solved. A teenager whose behavior and thoughts are not respected, ridiculed and humiliated develops a vague personality structure and follows others. If the conflicts at home have become very frequent and violent, it is possible for young people to think that they are not wanted.
Adolescents have been influenced by their environment until this period. However, during this period, he will start to set goals and take steps to achieve these goals. Goals in this period are constantly changing, short-term and inconsistent. If parents do not understand the adolescent and impose themselves, they will experience conflict. For example, at this age, his wishes such as being a musician or an athlete are seen as unnecessary by his family and he is asked to choose different professions. When the adolescent is hindered, his attempt to become an independent individual remains fruitless. They tend to reveal their inner talents, be successful, and attract attention. They give up very quickly on issues in which they fail.
Friendly relationships gain importance in this period. to your secrets He looks for strong friendships that he can share with him. When they find it, they share top secret information with him, seek support to rebel against the authority, determine their own unique places together and share. If a teenager betrays his friend, this means selling out his confidant and he will be labeled as an unreliable person. The family's attitude on this issue; It is very important for the adolescent to gain an identity that is accepted, trusted and respected by society in the future. In relationships with the opposite sex, the adolescent clarifies his identity in terms of the orientation of pleasure. This happens when you communicate with the opposite sex and are liked. However, when he is hindered, blamed, or fails in his attempts, he feels worthless and problems arise in his marriage later in life. They attach great importance to their appearance. They may find themselves too tall, too short, too fat, too ugly. This pushes some young people to try to stand out with their clothing, make-up, hair color or style, in order to attract attention or look different.
During adolescence, there may be differences in emotions and ups and downs. Young people can be very happy one day and very sad the next day. It is also common for them to be unable to control their emotions and excitement from time to time. Adolescence is the period when the first sexual experiences occur. In this period when girls try to be liked and boys try to control their new bodies, which they do not know very well, shyness or adherence to strict traditions prevent this issue from being discussed within the family or among young people. This may cause young people to feel ashamed of their impulses and take refuge in dreams. Young people, who cut off their interest in the environment and devote themselves to dreams, discover masturbation. Masturbation, or self-pleasure, is common all over the world. Studies show that the rate is higher in boys than in girls. Relaxation can also come in the form of dreaming. When young people are punished in this regard, they may experience guilt and sexual dissatisfaction. Families need to accept this as normal behavior and have more comfortable and informative conversations with their children about sexual matters.
The adolescent has the tendency to be a leader, to have a say, and to take responsibility on certain issues. It is in limbo. He wants to inspire admiration, lead, direct and organize by showing his talents in his social environment. His success in this regard will increase his self-confidence, and he will gain the qualities of being able to take responsibilities of others, manage and direct a group. In his future life, this will give him the ability to be the head of the family, to be a manager at the workplace, and to be able to organize.
The formation of his worldview and ideological approach also takes place in this period. He is very strict and fanatic in his views. The aim here is to get rid of the emptiness, to belong to a group, to feel the need for support.
If the adolescent is encouraged and supported in the identity formation process, he will create a unique identity and become psychologically healthy. If he cannot clarify his identity during this period, he will constantly experience identity confusion, falter and an identity crisis will occur. He may develop a reverse identity; doing the opposite of everything the authority asks him to do may be his only criterion. He is always at odds with everyone, cranky and stubborn. He will be unhappy throughout his life, will experience problems, anxiety, depression, personality disorders, obsessions, etc. He/she will have a sick identity pattern such as.
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