Adolescence is a difficult stage that we all went through, and our children go through it.
Suddenly, transformations occur, and that meek child who we used to know changes into another person who is nervous, moody, impulsive, and demanding, who does not appreciate the consequences, and also does not tolerate criticism and guidance, as he believes that everyone is against him.
On the other hand, many teens complain of feeling that others did not understand them, or misunderstood them.
Perhaps they are right. Our traditional explanations for teen behavior have been crude and frustrating, and it is easy to blame them for rebelliousness and impulsiveness, poor judgment and ignorance, or their "raging" sex hormones.
Their complaints of emotional pain often invite derision, says neuroscientist Sarah Jane Blackmore, author of Inventing Ourselves: The Secret Life of the Teenage Brain: “It is not socially acceptable to make fun of segments.” The other part of society and its demonization... But mocking and demonizing teenagers is acceptable and normal in our society.
It is noteworthy that previous scientific theories painted a somewhat unsympathetic picture of adolescents and their lives, making them feel more alienated.
In the 1950s - for example - psychoanalyst Anna Freud suggested that adolescents try to "divorce" their parents, severing their ties to the family so that they can move on with their lives, according to the BBC platform.
Continuous changes in the brain of a teenager can make him vulnerable to mental problems (Shutterstock)
See, how does the brain of our teenage boys work?
And how does this glowing and highly burning brain become for them?
What are the causes of uncontrollable mood swings, hunger for social approval, and desire for risk and adventure?
How can we use these transformations to help adolescents fulfill their potential?
For years, the adolescent brain was viewed by researchers, policymakers and the public as more of a burden than an asset.
Teenagers were "dangerous machines" who lacked decision-making powers and were likely to harm themselves and others as a result.
But this stereotypical view is finally beginning to change, as there is a growing recognition that what was previously seen as immaturity is in fact cognitive, behavioral, and neural flexibility, allowing adolescents to explore and adapt to their changing inner and outer world.
Developmental neuroscientists embrace this new way of thinking and research, using modern scientific methodology and empirical research with direct real-world relevance to answer questions about adolescents and how their minds function within their social context.
“The adolescent brain has long been portrayed as immature and leading to problematic behaviors,” said Eva Telzer, associate professor of psychology and director of the Developmental Social Neuroscience Lab at the University of North Carolina. But in the past five years, There has been a significant shift toward seeing the developing brain as flexible, malleable, and moldable, and fosters many positive aspects of development in adolescence," the American Psychological Association (APA) said in a recent report.
In girls, the brain reaches its largest size at the age of 11 years (Pixels)
Facts you should know about the teenage brain
Before going into more details, we must know a set of facts about the "teenage brain" as stated by the "National Institute of Mental Health" (NIMH), namely:
The brain reaches its largest size in early adolescence
In girls, the brain reaches its largest size at the age of 11 years, and in boys, the brain reaches its largest size at the age of 14 years.
But this difference does not mean that boys or girls are smarter than each other!
The brain continues to mature even after development is complete
Although the brain completes its size by early adolescence, it continues to develop and mature into the mid or late twenties.
The front part of the brain, called the prefrontal cortex, is the last brain region to mature, and this region is responsible for skills such as planning, prioritizing, and controlling impulses.
Because these skills are still developing, teens are more likely to engage in risky behavior without thinking about the potential consequences of their decisions.
The teenage mind is ready to learn and adapt
The teenage brain has a lot of plasticity, which means it can change, adapt and respond to its environment.
Many mental disorders begin to appear during adolescence
Constant changes in the brain, along with physical and emotional changes, can make teens vulnerable to various mental health problems, such as schizophrenia, anxiety and depression, which needs special attention from parents and schools.
Teenagers need more sleep than children and adults
Research shows that blood levels of melatonin (the sleep hormone) are naturally higher late at night and lower in the morning in adolescents than in children and adults. This difference explains why many teens stay up late at night.
The teenage brain is undergoing major overhaul and it can be a messy and stressful process (Shutterstock)
Understanding the teenage brain
Returning to the question posed at the beginning of the report: How does the adolescent brain work?
The teenage brain is undergoing a major overhaul, and it can be a messy and stressful process.
In this context, Lisa Damour, a clinical psychologist in Ohio, says, "Although your teenage son's brain is growing and developing, this completely natural process is difficult for many families to understand and manage," according to the "CNN" platform.
During these years, teenagers can cause severe headaches for those they love, because they test their family's patience through arguments. They argue about almost everything, and at first glance they seem selfish and don't appreciate the stakes of things.
This "often leads their families to put more restrictions on them," notes John Duffy, a clinical psychologist in Chicago.
The stereotype that the teenage years are the worst years in a person's life is wrong, because adolescence is a period of experimentation and self-discovery, and stumbling and making mistakes is the key to teenagers growing successfully into adults, according to CNN.
If family members can more clearly understand what is going on in a teenager's head, they can build on these changes and help their children transition into adulthood more effectively.
When a teenager argues with his parents about almost everything, he does not hate his father, but he wants to prove himself first in his search for a place for him in this world.
The distinguishing feature of the teenage years is individuality and the search for self away from parents, and this process often includes adolescents first defining themselves that they are not similar to those around them, but rather have their own and unique personality, which we must fully understand in order to help our children grow up in peace and security.