posted 4th June 2025
ADOLESCENCE
Adolescence, spanning from ages twelve to eighteen, is a transformative stage marked by significant physical, emotional and cognitive changes. It can be a time of both disorientation and discovery.
As well as the physical changes during puberty, adolescents start to think and feel differently. They make close relationships outside the family, with friends of their own age.
Adolescence is the time when young people start to learn about the world and to find their place in it.
Adolescents spend a lot of time in each other's company, or on the telephone or internet chatting to each other. These friendships are part of gaining a sense of identity that is distinct from that of the family.
Relationships within the family also change. Parents seem to become less important as their life outside the family develops. Disagreements may emerge as young people develop views of their own that may not be shared by their parents.
Parents may feel rejected and worried, but it is essential for young people to develop their own identity, in order to become independent and have their own life.
Being upset, feeling ill or lacking confidence can make an adolescent feel vulnerable. They may show this with sulky behaviour rather than obvious distress. Parents have to be flexible to deal with this, and may feel under considerable strain themselves.
As they become more independent, young people want to try out new things, but often have little experience to fall back on when things get difficult. This may produce rapid changes in self-confidence and behaviour, feeling very adult one minute, and very young and inexperienced the next.
Some adolescents want to try out new experiences that may be risky or even dangerous. Fortunately, most young people manage to find their excitement in music, sport or other activities that involve a lot of energy but little physical risk.
Providing a supportive environment that encourages open communication, self-expression and healthy coping strategies is crucial for helping teenagers navigate this dynamic and often challenging stage of life.
