Doctors explained the causes of emotional outbursts during puberty
Adolescence remains one of the most difficult periods for both children and their parents: against the background of hormonal changes, active brain development and social changes, many families experience conflicts, emotional swings and a sense of loss of contact. Why this happens and how to maintain trust between generations, in the Izvestia article.
The norms of puberty
According to Darya Radnaeva, a pediatrician at the Sberbank Health medical company, puberty in girls usually begins at the age of 8-13, and the first sign is an increase in the mammary glands. In boys, this process starts later — at the age of nine to 14 years, which is accompanied by changes in the external genitalia, body hair growth and a change in voice. The timing is influenced by heredity, nutrition, and physical activity.
There are certain signals that require a visit to an endocrinologist. These include the appearance of signs of puberty in girls under the age of eight and boys under the age of nine, as well as their complete absence after the age of 13 and 14, respectively. Another reason for concern is the lack of menstruation in girls after the age of 15.
"Many parents associate any changes in a teenager's behavior solely with "hormones." In fact, the situation is much more complicated: although the production of sex hormones — estrogens in girls and testosterone in boys — does increase during puberty, not only hormonal changes play a major role in emotional changes, but also active maturation of the brain," the specialist explained.
Radnaeva noted that in adolescence, the brain structures responsible for emotions and pleasure develop faster than the areas responsible for self-control, planning and making informed decisions. Therefore, teenagers may react more acutely to stress, be more sensitive to the opinions of others, and experience mood swings and emotional outbursts more often.
"At this time, there is an active hormonal restructuring of the body, which directly affects the nervous system. Teenagers are becoming more sensitive, impulsive, and it's really difficult for them to cope with their experiences," explained psychologist Natalia Kucheryavaya.
Changes in basic needs
According to the doctor, during the period of active growth, the body needs more energy, which leads to increased appetite. In addition, adolescents have a natural shift in the biological clock — melatonin begins to be produced later. This phenomenon is known as delayed sleep phase syndrome, which makes it objectively difficult for children to fall asleep early.
Lack of rest has a negative effect on metabolism and emotional state. With a need for 8-10 hours of sleep, many teenagers chronically lack sleep due to early classes and the use of gadgets, which increases the risk of weight gain and reduces academic performance.
Recommendations for parents
Radnaeva identifies two typical mistakes of parents: total control and devaluation of the child's feelings. Saying that a child's problems are nonsense destroys trust and makes a teenager withdraw into himself. An authoritative parenting style that combines support and reasonable freedom is considered the most effective.
"Authority is preserved not through hypercontrol, but through acceptance, trust, and reasonable freedom. A teenager should feel: "I can live through this stage on my own, but my parents are there to support me in a difficult moment." This is the real authority," said Curly.
In addition, she drew attention to the fact that it is important to gently involve the teenager in joint activities that are interesting to him. It is necessary to show sincere interest in his hobbies: games, blogging, memes.
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