ADOLESCENT PSYCHOLOGY

 Adolescence is a time of change between childhood and adulthood. It brings many physical, emotional, and mental changes. Usually, this period is between the ages of 11 and 18.

 In this period, the brain forgets unnecessary things from childhood. It learns new skills for adulthood. This is a very important time because our character develops now. Teenagers often ask, "Who am I?". They want to make their own decisions and be independent. Their feelings and thoughts change very quickly. In this stage, some teenagers may have problems like depression, bad behavior, anger, OCD, or addiction. 

 In this article, we will look at the psychology of teenagers, their changes, and their environment.

 The brain development in adolescence affects both behavior and emotions. Different parts of the brain grow at different speeds. 

Prefrontal cortex: This part is for planning and logical thinking. It is still developing in teenagers. Because of this, they sometimes take risks or act without thinking

 Limbic system: This is the center for emotions. It is very active in teenagers. This is why they can get angry suddenly or feel very strong emotions.

 Connections and synapses: The brain cleans unimportant information and makes important things stronger. This helps memory and problem-solving.

 Emotional and social effects: The limbic system is ready, but the prefrontal cortex is not complete yet. This causes "ups and downs" in social life and more risk-taking.

 We can see how the brain affects teenagers in these ways: 

Taking risks: The limbic system is fast, but the prefrontal cortex is slow. This imbalance makes teenagers take dangerous or sudden decisions.

 Emotional changes: Hormones and the limbic system make them feel happy, angry, or sad very quickly. They are more sensitive to everything. 

Problems with decisions: Planning skills are limited in this period. Therefore, teenagers often act with their feelings and they cannot see the results of their actions easily.

 Changes in social life: Because of brain development, teenagers care a lot about their friends' opinions. They try to find who they are by spending time with other people. Being accepted by a group is very important for them now.

 Learning and memory: The brain makes important connections stronger and deletes the unimportant ones. This changes how teenagers learn and how they focus on things.

 Social Development in Teenagers

 Social life is very important in adolescence because teenagers build their identity through their friends. In this period, they learn how to communicate and keep their friendships. They also develop skills like empathy and working together.

 HOW BRAIN DEVELOPMENT AFFECTS TEENAGERS

 White Matter and Gray Matter 

Gray matter is the outer part of the brain. It has many nerve cells. It helps with thinking, feeling, and moving.

 White matter is under the gray matter. It has "myelin," which is like a cover for nerves. This cover makes the brain work faster. White matter connects different parts of the brain so they can talk to each other. It is very important for coordination.

 During these years, white and gray matter change a lot. Scientists are not 100% sure how this affects emotions, but they know it is related to how teenagers act and feel. 

Gray Matter Changes

 In adolescence, gray matter grows or shrinks in parts like the prefrontal cortex and the limbic system. The prefrontal cortex is the "boss" of the brain; it controls difficult tasks like making decisions. These cThe limbic system helps us control our feelings. This part of the brain changes a lot when we are teenagers.

 Changes in White Matter 

White matter is where the brain's connections are. In these years, white matter grows and changes. This helps different parts of the brain talk to each other better and helps the mind develop.

 1. THE FIGHT BETWEEN EMOTIONS AND LOGIC

 The teenage brain doesn't grow at the same speed everywhere. It is like "a fast car with no brakes."

 Amygdala (The Emotion Center): 

This part grows first. It is about fear, excitement, and anger. This is why teenagers can be very emotional or get angry easily. 

Prefrontal Cortex (Logic and Control): 

This part finishes growing last. It helps us make good decisions and think about the future.

 2. Risk and Rewards 

The "reward system" in the brain is very sensitive now. Something simple for an adult can be very exciting for a teenager. 

Impulsivity: Even if they know a risk is bad, the "fun" part of the brain is stronger than the logical part.

 The Friend Effect: When teenagers are with friends, they want rewards more. Because of this, they might do risky things with friends that they wouldn't do alone.

 3. Sleep Problems

 Biological changes also affect our "body clock." Because of this, the sleep hormone comes out later.

 Night Owl Mode: It is not because teenagers are lazy. It is a biological change! Their brains just can't go into "sleep mode" before 11:00 or 12:00 at night. 

Teenagers in Short:

 o They feel everything more strongly.

 o They are very emotional. 

o They try new things to find out who they are. 

FRIENDSHIPS IN ADOLESCENCE

 When kids are little, like 2 or 4 years old, they just want someone to play with. But when they become teenagers, everything changes. 

The social world of a teenager gets much bigger. They want to be independent and they want to know themselves better. Because of this, many teenagers start to spend less time with their families and more time with their friends.

 Around age 12, friends become the most important thing. Teenagers slowly move away from their parents. Their friends take the place of their mom and dad for a while. This is a normal part of growing up.

 Teenagers share a lot of feelings with each other. At first, they have small friend groups. Later, these groups get bigger. In the beginning, friends change quickly, but when they get older, friendships stay longer.

 Teenagers care a lot about what their friends think. They care about their clothes and how they look because they want to be "accepted" by the group. 

One of the biggest parts of this period is becoming an individual. The teenager starts to feel like a separate person from their parents. Sometimes, they might feel a bit lonely, but this is expected.

 FRIENDSHIP MEANS:

 o Being part of a group and feeling important. Feeling understood. 

o Testing their own ideas and values. 

o Making friends with the opposite sex. 

o Improving their decision-making skills. 

WHAT DO TEENAGERS LOOK FOR IN FRIENDSHIP?

 o Opening up to someone (Self-disclosure).

 o Sincerity.

o Privacy. 

o Loyalty. 

 

RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE OPPOSITE SEX 

o Friendship between girls and boys changes when adolescence starts. It is different from childhood. 

o These relationships happen while they are finding their own identity. 

o These friendships are usually shorter and they change often. 

WHY DO THEY FOLLOW "PEER PRESSURE"? 

o They want to be accepted and liked. 

o Fear of being rejected or people making fun of them. 

o Not having enough self-confidence. 

o Not getting enough love or attention.

 o Problems with communication in the family. 

o Not being able to say "no." 

HOW CAN YOU SUPPORT THEM?

 o You can encourage them to do social activities.

 o Be a good listener and show them they can trust you.

 o Try hard to build a strong relationship with them.

 o Think before you react to your child; think about how they will feel.

o Try to understand their emotional "ups and downs.’’ Finally adolescence is a very important time. Children change a lot, both in their bodies and their minds. These changes in the brain affect how they feel and how they act. Because of this, we should understand teenagers and help them. If they have a healthy adolescence, they will be more successful and happy in the future. 

Zehra Selçuk 

Kaynakça

 https://terappin.com/blog/ergen-psikolojisi-nedir https://www.chapeds.com/blog/1057711-understanding-teen-braindevelopment/