1. Conceptualising Adolescence
“I would that there were no age between ten and twenty three…for there is nothing in between but getting wenches with child, wronging the ancientry, stealing, fighting…”
Shakespeare (The Winter’s Tale; Act III)

2. What do you remember of your own adolescence ?
Best and Worst Times

3. 5 tasks of adolescence Integrate physical and sexual maturity
Manage changing relationships with parents
Develop mature peer relationships
Become an independent person within the family
Accept responsibility for own behaviour

4. What are normal adolescent social behaviours ?

6. Growth hormones are released during sleep.
To grow this quickly teenagers need to make more growth hormone in their body
Growth hormones are released during sleep.
In teenagers the sleep hormone
(melatonin) is released about 1am compared to 10pm in adults

7. Who am I ? What do I want you to see?
Phallic swagge
Sexual Identity
Gender Identity
Body Image
Split – self…….. child and adult
Mood swings
Change in sleep patterns
Growth spurt

8. Neuroplasticity
From third trimester of pregnancy till two years the brain produces 250,000 synapses per minute again in adolescence and early twenties never again at this rate. Use it or loose it Cells that fire together wire together

9. ADOLESCENT BRAIN DEVELOPMENT
Amygdala and limbic system tend to dominate the prefrontal cortex functions– this results in a decrease in reasoned thinking and an increase in impulsiveness
Because of immature brains, adolescents do not handle social pressure, instinctual urges, and other stresses the way adults do
A major part of adolescence is learning how to assess risk and consequences — adolescents are not yet skilled at these tasks

10. In teenagers the reptilian brain takes over some of those functions
control of speech
expressing emotions
Fight flight or freeze
dominates
©Solihull Approach
Solihull Approach: Solihull Approach Antenatal 2 day Foundation Training 10

11. http://www. barnardos. org

12. Brain Maturation

13. Opportunity for repair, increased resilience the and second chances
the brain is reforming and reorganising Massive growth in Corpus Callosum (Frontal Cortex)
Down side
Up side
Drugs such as cannabis can do permanent harm
High levels of anxiety and cortisol combined with hormonal changes can be a lethal cocktail
Adrenalin pumped by high risk taking can effect cortisol &hippocampus development
Opportunity for repair, increased resilience the and second chances
Time when good experiences can be healing and transformative
Good time for therapy

14. Features of adolescence
Anxiety – about loss and separation
Anxiety about exams – being a separate person with own ideas who can think for themselves
Anxiety about identity
Pushing boundaries
Letting off steam
Taking risks
Hostility towards parents – need to push them away and to find own values
Acting out internal pain (the replacement of thought by action)
Be in a group or gang rather than risk being an individual
Using drugs alcohol or abusive substances
Experiencing loneliness /depression
Feeling other /outside

15. Risk Taking and Rewards
Reward centre in overdrive coupled with planning regions that are not fully functional could make an adolescent an entirely different creature to an adult when it comes to seeking pleasure

16. Many Adolescents Do Struggle
Overall morbidity (unhealthy/gloomy state of mind) and mortality rates increase % between middle childhood and late adolescence/early adulthood
Onset of problems such as nicotine dependence, alcohol and drug use, poor health habits, etc. that will show up as mortality in adulthood
Many adult onset problems such as depression can be traced to early episodes in adolescence

17. mental Health Normal Adolescents Adolescent Turmoil Disturbance
Struggle for autonomy
Acting out
Major disturbance
Establish peer relationships
Fighting
Excessive antisocial bullying
Exploration of sexuality
Promiscuity
Unplanned early pregnancy/ prostitution/ sexual abuse
Emotional stress
Self consciousness, loss of confidence
Depressive illness/ anxiety/neurosis
Challenging authority
Minor acts of delinquency
Persistent law breaking
Concern about body shape
Dietary chaos
Eating disorder
Exploration, experimentation
Risk taking
Self harm

18. Recovery from trauma