Adolescence is by no means a simple period of life.
Jean Erskine Stewart
In human life, adolescence is a transitional period that connects childhood and adulthood. Environmental, social and genetic factors are effective in childhood as well as in adolescence. Adolescents, who spend more time with their parents, teachers and peers during their childhood, are now faced with new experiences, development and biological changes. The psychological effects of the physical change experienced is a process that every adolescent goes through. Generally, girls are less satisfied with their bodies than boys. As this period progresses, the reason for the increase in dissatisfaction with the bodies of the girls may be the increase in body fat, while the fact that the boys are more satisfied with their own bodies may be due to the increase in their body muscle ratio.
Brain development also changes in adolescence in parallel with the changes in the body. Many studies by scientists have found that the adolescent brain develops through significant structural changes. The corpus callosum (connecting the left and right brain) thickens with puberty. This helps the adolescent to process information better. However, the frontal lobe of the brain, the part that deals with reasoning, decision making and self-control is not yet fully developed. The amygdala, the region that controls emotions such as anger, develops before the frontal lobe. The development of the frontal lobe continues until adulthood between the ages of 18-25. This shows us that adolescents may have strong emotions, but difficulties may arise due to the fact that the frontal lobe, which is necessary to control these emotions, is not fully developed. In other words, adolescents' brains are deprived of the brakes to slow down their emotions. Some teens worry a lot about sex, while others worry less. Some experience stronger sexual arousal, while others are less aroused. Sexual identity formation is not just about sexual behavior. Gender identity, physical, social and cult It develops in a context in which local factors play a role.
It is important for adolescents to engage in protective behaviors for their health. Adolescence period is important at the point of acquiring health-related behaviors. Regulations in life, such as regular exercise and healthy eating, are beneficial for adolescents and contribute to the prevention of diseases in adulthood. Sleep patterns also affect adolescent health. During this period, he may need a little more sleep. In a study, it was found that adolescents who sleep less, compared to those who sleep 9 hours or more, feel sleepy, moody, fall asleep at school, become depressed and consume caffeinated beverages.
Self-centeredness in adolescence and awareness of self-image and behavior. may increase. Adolescents may believe that other people, like themselves, are interested in them, like an imaginary audience. He may also try to attract attention, be visible, and be on stage by displaying attention-grabbing behavior. For example, when he enters the classroom, he may think that all eyes are on the pimples on his face. Many teenage girls spend most of their time in front of the mirror.
IDENTITY
Significant socioemotional changes occur in adolescence. Among these changes are his increased efforts to understand himself and the search for identity.
Who am I? what am i? What will I do in my life? What's my difference? How can I do it on my own? These questions reflect the search for identity. Identity is a self-description that consists of many parts and includes:
The career and work path one wishes to pursue (professional/career identity)
Whether the person is conservative, liberal or middle-class (political identity)< br /> Person's religious belief (religious identity)
Person's single, married, divorced, etc. (relationship identity)
The extent to which the person is motivated to achieve and how intellectual he or she is (success identity, intellectual identity)
/ethnic identity)
Gender identity
Things one likes to do; sports, music, hobbies, etc. including (with r)
Personal characteristics of the individual; (personality) such as being introvert or extrovert, anxious or calm, friend or foe, etc.
Individual's body image (Physical identity)
Identity development is piecemeal. Decisions are not made in one fell swoop; returns again and again. Identity development is not smooth, but rather bumpy.
“Who are you?” asked the caterpillar. Alice, a little embarrassed: “I…I don't really know now, sir, at least I knew who I was when I got up this morning; but I think I've changed a few times since then,” Alice replied. (Lewis Carroll)
Identity development begins early, but questions about identity development increase significantly in adolescence and are completed in young adulthood with significant changes after adolescence. Growing up is not easy. And adolescence should not be seen as a rebellion, crisis, or illness. It would be more accurate to define adolescence as a period of evaluation, decision making, taking responsibility and finding one's own place in the world. Most adolescents' problems are not caused by themselves. The long-term support of adults who take care of themselves, which adolescents need, is also very important in this period.
Read: 0
