All of you must be around 14 to 15 years old. Do you know what is this stage of life called? It is called adolescence. Adolescence is a very crucial period of life. Adolescence is the bridge between childhood and adulthood. Many important changes start taking place in the body. It starts getting ready for its adult ability of bearing and caring for children. These changes can appear anywhere between the ages of 8 and 18 in girls and between 10 and 20 in boys.
The main reason for these changes is found in the brain. The pituitary gland starts producing chemicals that change the way we look and the way we behave. Apart from this, the brain itself goes through many changes. Different parts of the brain become more active. Thinking and reasoning powers become more powerful. In fact the brain is in the process of creating a new individual.
During adolescence, changes take place not only in the way we look and think, but also in the way we feel. Some of the common feelings that adolescents generally experience are : feelings of attraction towards the opposite sex, closeness with friends and withdrawing from family; a need to question rules or rebel; mood swings from happiness to deep depression; paying too much attention to one’s looks; and a need to be accepted by others in the same age-group.
Adolescence can be a period of great confusion. Most adolescents feel that adults do not understand them or value their opinions and ideas. For adults, the period is just as confusing because they do not know whether to treat an adolescent like an adult or a child, and often they are unable to cope with an adolescent’s changing emotions.
Adolescence can be a period of great confusion. Most adolescents feel that adults do not understand them or value their opinions and ideas. For adults, the period is just as confusing because they do not know whether to treat an adolescent like an adult or a child, and often they are unable to cope with an adolescent’s changing emotions.