Are you ashamed of your body – not being handsome or pretty? This embarrassment makes you uneasy and develops an inferiority complex towards your looks and appearance. You wish to be perfect but whenever you see yourself – it results in disappointment. And when you are in public, you always overthink as if you are being judged on how you look, walk, talk, and every microscopic movement happening on your body?
If these are relatable to you, then you are more normal than you’ve expected! You now possess a Ferrari brain with a supercharger found only during your TEEN years. The supercharger is a brain chemical called “dopamine”. When you feel that burst of pleasure, deep satisfaction, or a rush of excitement triggered by something you do, think, or experience, you’re feeling a wave of dopamine surging through the canals of your brain.
Now is when your brain wants to do exciting, creative, daring and challenging things! It’s the time when people call you “curious”. During this time, it can be normal to involve in an overwhelming relationship, stretch your limits and take a challenging task, try out new styles of clothes and hair, take up a new sport or act in a play.
Being a teenager myself I can say that this period of life is adventurous. Your curiosity level is endless! You are always bewildered whether you are just a boy or a grownup man. You may like grownup stuff and willing to involve in a relationship but at the same time, there is a child somewhere inside you.
As a teenager today you are faced with more decisions and choices than EVEERR before you had to take in your life. More choices may sound like a good thing, but the number of decisions you are required to make each day can overwhelm your teen brain at its current stage of development. This much pressure and a variety of social, mental, and emotional changes can make you take some risky temptations like alcohol and drugs, your surging dopamine makes these things particularly attractive.
It’s a very big problem which is referred to as “Teen Drug Abuse or Teen Drug Addiction”. Teens taking these drugs often find they enhance their ability to focus on school projects and academic performance. Unfortunately, many teens who are not prescribed these drugs abuse them, thinking they will see the same benefits. However, studies consistently show that those who abuse these drugs without a prescription show poorer academic performance. These drugs may include but are not limited to, cocaine, marijuana, opioids, etc. Teenage drug addiction is a very serious and dangerous thing and can set the tone for a lifetime of abuse and dependence.
Seems like we got too much serious here, let’s go back…
Besides addiction for some risky temptations, your teen brain has not yet wired the control centers for the judgment and high-risk avoidance to judge consequences before acting. These elements remain under construction until your mid-twenties.
During these years, as your body reaches peaks of surging hormones, strength, coordination, and endurance, you are in a collision zone, not because you are bad or thoughtless, but because your brain’s power has not yet developed to resist the pull of instant gratification or heed warnings about risky behaviors.
You also judge very quickly without thinking about the consequences. For example, not considering the possible negative outcomes of blindly following along with your friends and peers, or Playing video games or checking social media when you should do your homework, so you had to stay up way too late or couldn’t finish your homework.
Before your teen brain transitions into an adult brain, which sadly will be more resistant to trying new things and exploring new pathways, tap into the great potential of your teen brain’s imagination and vitality and now that you know about your brain a little more, make strategies to consider the potential consequences of your choices and actions, jump into the driver’s seat of your supercharged brain. Seek out and explore new experiences and opportunities dawning before you during these unique years of your life. I know it’s hard when you are alone. It can seem endless and hopeless. You might be stuck in that place where everything sucks and it seems like it’s not going to get any better. Remember that being where you are right now is one of the most difficult places you will ever be for the rest of your life. It’s the hardest, darkest and most difficult time of your life. But remember your parents, teachers, and friends are always there to guide you through this rough time. So, good luck my fellow adolescent, it’s going to be a tough ride, but I know you can do this!
And play fair, no cheating (usage of the drug)! ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)