Everything you need to know while going through your adolescence.- 2 MAJOR CHARATERISTICS

Characteristic # 1.

A period of Rapid Physical/Biological Changes, has Psychological Repercussions Too:

The growth of the pelvis bone, the filling out of breast, growing in size and sensitivity of genitalia, growing of pubic and axillary hair, deepening of voice, acne, and the menarche are the main physical and biological developments in girls which make them confused and apprehensive. 

Both in boys and girls, the secretion of hormones from adrenal and gonads, and supported by what is secreted from the glandular anterior and the posterior neural portions of the pituitary gland, bring about rapid changes in size and strength of bones, muscles, nervous systems and especially in the reproductive organs which become fully matured for the sexual function.

The growing of pubic and axillary hair, deepening of voice, change in the nature of body skin with the sweat glands becoming more active, and because of the sudden growth of testes and penis, and functionally their growing stronger and the ejaculation that the boy experiences, all make him muddled.

All these physical and biological changes in the adolescent make his or her adaptation to the changed situation very difficult. The adolescent sometimes feels shy of the company of others, may blush when looked at by others, or may grow escapist. The girl because of her menstruation and the boy because of his ejaculation, especially, grow apprehensive. The adolescents may at times suffer guilty consciousness.

They grow appearance conscious, and become obsessed with the concern “what others (the imaginary audience) may be thinking of my appearance and behaviour”, David Elkind has called it a new sort of “egocentrism”.

**********THE PROBLEM IS EVEN TODAY CHILDREN AND ESPECIALLY TEENS ARE NOT FULLY EDUCTATED ABOUT THEIR BODY AND BODILY CHANGES. WE NEED TO WORK ON IT.*******************

Characteristic # 2.

During adolescence, both the girl and the boy, grow very much conscious about their appearance. As physical changes are very rapidly taking place, affecting the appearance of the adolescent, “how do I appear?” becomes his or her haunting concern. An adolescent would do all that he or she can to develop and maintain an attractive look. One grows very particular regarding one’s dress, hair-style and so on.

One may have to come before a mirror many times a day, just to know how she or he may be looking now. It is the period when the narcissism of the psychoanalysts becomes relevant; narcissism stands for self-love, when one becomes enamored of one’s own appearance.

But this state of feeling is not to last long; the adolescent feels a strong pull towards the opposite sex. Now, his or her main concern becomes how he or she must be looking in the eyes of the opposite sex.

The obsession of appearance would, naturally, make the adolescent very uneasy at times. Its side-effect may be jealousy against someone that he or she cannot compete with. This persistent concern for one’s appearance may distort one’s behaviour.

One may grow shy or withdrawn in case of physical defect or lack of attraction, imagined or real, is there. If the defect is innate or developed postnatally but to the level of incurability, in general, the development of personality would be adversely affected. Such a one cannot behave in a normal way.

The body dysmorphic disorder may prove very devastating when it becomes an obsession with someone.

The author would like to refer again to a report recently published in a famous daily, which is to the effect that a severe preoccupation with an imagined or slight defect in appearance may lead one to drop out of school, shun social contacts, and may even try suicide—especially an adolescent happens to be very sentimental and rash, and is likely to take any reckless step.