What is Puberty?
Puberty is the process when an adolescent’s body starts physical changes to mature into an adult’s body capable of sexual reproduction. Puberty involves the change in hormonal signals from the brain to the gonads (The ovaries for females and testes for males); however, the hormonal changes can also cause emotional changes since hormones can determine a person’s mood and behavior.
Handling Emotional Changes
Handling emotional changes is a seemingly impossible task since no one can change their emotions; however, there are ways people can react and behave according to their emotions. The following has been proven to help adolescents handle their emotional changes that come with Puberty:
Reinterpreting Emotional Stimuli with Reappraisal
Sometimes individuals develop emotions that linger despite its negative influence on the human mind. The amygdala is the part of the human brain that identifies emotional stimuli and determines how to respond to it. One way individuals can handle their emotional changes is with reappraisal; which is the cognitive acknowledgement and reinterpretation of emotional stimuli. A study analyzing how reappraisal affects the human brain in relation to emotional impact has found that “...reappraisal of emotional stimuli activates the brain's amygdala”; thus, enhancing
The brain’s ability to regulate their emotions through experience.
Coping with Emotional Changes Through Sleep
Emotions are often associated with a cause or stimulus; however emotions in adolescents can also develop without the brain fully understanding what it is feeling. The constant hormonal changes in puberty can confuse the amygdala of the brian, leading it to be unable to determine the emotions it is sensing. In such cases, the best course of action to cope with their emotions is to not think about it at all. A study analyzing how youths handle the emotional changes caused by puberty has found that sleep is the most common skill adolescents develop to cope with their emotions because it is an ability that can “...be improved with time.” In other words, the brain can associate sleep as the signal for it to stop sensing emotions and cooldown with enough practice.
Handling Emotional Changes With a Cognitive Rewards-System
The seemingly endless changes in emotions can make adolescents feel hopelessness; however, they themselves have the potential to handle their emotions. The Human brain releases a chemical called dopamine that promotes satisfaction and happiness when receiving stimuli that signals the brian to produce it. A common signal for the brain to produce dopamine is the sense of achievement. A study assessing the relationship between dopamine and the human brain’s ability to regulate emotions has found that dopamine helps adolescents’ brain to regulate their emotions from overcoming challenging situations, “....thus increasing their behavioral repertoire of available knowledge and strategies…” The dopamine from the sense of achievement can also help adolescents develop independence due to the confidence boost.
Seeking Help From Social Contexts
People often have role models to use as a reference for the characteristics to strive towards. Adolescents also need social contexts, role models that serve as a guide to learn what to do and who to seek when facing overwhelming emotions and situations. According to a study analyzing the neurobiological changes of puberty, adolescents need the right balance of attention and care from responsible adults in their lives to “...develop the skills of self-control while still being afforded sufficient support and protection.” Using responsible adults as social contexts can also strengthen the relationship between the adolescents and the adults they admire.