By Geetika Kapoor Adolescence is marked by physical and psychological growth spurts. There are so many changes occurring simultaneously that it is baffling to all people involved, especially the growing-up child. All these changes have an impact on day-to-day behaviours and interactions of the child.
Sometimes, the shifts in behaviour patterns are so strong that parents find themselves questioning, “if this is the same child that we have been parenting all these years.” In psychology, adolescence is seen as a transitional period where the child is moving towards adulthood, and gradually shifting in habits and behaviour patterns of a more independent and self-sufficient person. In this transition period, a lot of childhood patterns and habits give way to newer experiments, such as what to do in free time, how much to share with parents, how to manage demands of school, family, and friends, how to carry one’s own self with confidence, how to decide best actions when one’s own beliefs and aspirations do not fit-in with others.
As teenagers are going through these confusions, they are likely to experience irritability, shifting concentration, and lethargy. They may also experiment with pleasure-seeking activities, such as partying, watching TV, gaming, social media, as ways to ward off the frustration resulting from all these confusions. All the pleasure-seeking activities can act as a defence mechanism to keep frustrating emotions at bay.
So, next time you notice your te.
