Adolescence is a transition phase which every person experiences in his life. It is a transition from childhood to adulthood. The period is characterized with confusion for the kids as it becomes difficult for them to understand their own emotions. Adolescence starts with the onset of puberty and lasts till the onset of adulthood.
This phase of life is full of uncertainty as the person does not understand why these changes are happening. The onset of puberty has no definite age. It’s onset in characterized by the individuals own characteristics and the environment around them. Girls mature fast as compared to boys due to their innate body functions.
But puberty can start at age of 10 for some but it may extend to 14 also for some people. Puberty is the demarcation line between adolescence and childhood. With the onset of puberty, bodies of both the genders undergoes a lot of changes. This is also means that the body has started preparing itself for reproduction. Several physical changes are also seen in both males and females.
Table of Contents
What happens when adolescence sets it?
Males
With the onset of puberty, males experience behavioural and physical changes in them. They become frustrated more easily and are always on the verge of boiling.
This is due to the changes happening in their body. Hair growth increases in pubic areas and their body as well. Their voice deepens and they gain muscular strength with age. The muscles of their arms and thighs grow giving them a buff look.
Females
The puberty of girls is characterized with the onset of periods. They experience changes in their voice. Their voice becomes more shrill. Girls experience hair growth in their pubic regions. Their breasts and hips become fuller so as to support the reproductive changes taking place in them.
According to Jewish tradition, this phase is celebrated as Bar Mitzvah (for boys) and Bat Mitzvah (for girls). This tradition was made to celebrate the continuation of the legacies of the families. It signified that their name would be carried on further by their children and the family’s badge would be worn as pride by them.
Where does the exact problem lie?
An adolescent has a lot on his plate to deal with. He has to deal with overbearing and dominating adults at an age which is dominated by emotions and self-respect. This age is all about rage. The unknown changes happening in an adolescent’s body baffles his mind and leaves him seething in rage. The adults expect him to act like an adult in some matters while they become too small to speak in some matters.
This phase of adolescence is a crucial one. The adolescent feels insecure during this transitional stage because of the chaos clouding his heart. They start feeling things they have never felt before. Their attraction towards the other sex increases. They do not know how to behave or react in a given situation. A feeling of insecurity develops in him due to this uncertainty. The society expects him to behave like an adult but not too much like an adult.
Their insecurities are fuelled when their wishes and desires are not fulfilled. They feel utterly ditched by their parents when they don’t give in to their incessant demands. Then they seek the guidance of their friends to deal with the storm messing up their heart.
But what they don’t know is, that even their friends are going through the same age. Friends would be of no help because at this stage, they need guidance from somebody who is mature. They seek solace in their peers and friend circle. Whereas they should try to bridge the communication gap between their parents and them.
Parents and teachers can help them out of this dilemma and guide them onto a correct path. But children at this stage do not want to take the paths shown by their parents. They just want to go where their friends go.
Resolution of problems
The behavioural problems can only be resolved with the joint effort of parents and society. The society should not pressurise the children. Instead they should boil down their expectations and make it easier for the adolescents to deal with the changes happening in them.
The adolescents should be given time to understand their bodies and themselves. They should try to under the inner conflicts taking control of the Child’s brain and help them resolve these conflicts by continuous counselling.
Revolution in mindsets
The anxiety which arises in children is due to the fact that they live in two different worlds and try to act true to both of them. But at the end, they feel exhausted by having to act differently in front of everybody. One behaviour which satisfies one circle become the cause of annoyance and irritation for the other circle.
Their friend circle has some other expectations while the adult society wants the teenager to act in a stereotypical manner so as to see the perfect kind of kid they want to see. This creates anxiety in the minds of children who are not able to deal with this stress.
Teenagers at this age are just out of their childhood where they were more protected and naive. They take time to adjust to these changes. Just because they advanced one more year in their life, they cannot be expected to change completely. Therefore, the adolescents are always in a state of tension and they feel the world crashing down on them when this sinking feeling does not stop.
Sex Education
Lack of proper sex education is also a major problem among teenagers. They feel closed off and restricted due to the society’s ignorant and conservative behaviour. The society has created a taboo, imposing limitations on sexual expression and talks.
This pulps up frustration in the teenagers and they feel agitated. When a person reaches their mid teens, their body is able to perform the adult sexual activities. But the society denies his sexual expressions.
Conclusion
The society thinks that it is embarrassing to express freely the views and opinions about sex but actually it is not. They should realise this sooner and broader their horizons to a more receptive approach.
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