The changes each of us go through during puberty can be puzzling to figure out, especially in a country like ours where the information you can get for these kinds of topics is limited.
Parents don’t think it’s the norm to discuss these issues with their kids, it’s not out of malice or anything, it’s just the culture we have can be restrictive in such cases.
This has resulted in confused kids who often get their information through internet sites, and while that can be beneficial, the information you can find on the internet is often unfiltered and can be misleading. This is why as a culture we have to evolve enough to make it a norm to discuss such issues and have a platform that allows us to learn from each other’s experiences.
When we come to the topic at hand, puberty is a normal physiological process our bodies go through when the time comes. Girls are known to go through puberty a bit earlier than boys.
This period can be challenging in a lot of ways; our bodies are going through a lot of changes and these changes are due to hormones called estrogen and progesterone for girls, and lots of testosterone for guys.
These hormones are responsible for all of the changes that occur in our bodies but they also affect our moods and mental status. For guys, these changes have been known to be associated with aggressive mood swings. During this period guys can act out and be difficult to handle for their parents. This is mostly fueled by hormonal changes happening in their bodies.
For most teenagers, puberty is the time where personal development takes place and they start questioning the beliefs they were taught by their parents for their whole lives, a rebellious stage if you will. This is a very sensitive time because the sense of self we develop at this time can follow us through our adult years.
The physical changes that occur during this time can also attribute to the mental changes a teenager goes through. A self-esteem issue can arise because of peer pressure. The changes our bodies go through might come later, or be different than the changes our friends are going through. This can result in teasing, which can affect the way we view ourselves and have an effect on our confidence.
The mental issues/changes puberty causes have remained a mystery for most of us, simply because discussion about these topics is limited. In our culture, parents don’t fully understand the benefits of discussing such issues and that can result in confused children, so as a culture, we need to evolve enough to encourage discussion of such topics. Just remember: mood swings, anger issues, and a loss of sense of self are some things every teenager goes through. It’s our job to be understanding and kind to everyone – we never know what challenges people are facing, especially within themselves.
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