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Teenage Mood Swings: Why Do They Happen?

Teenage Mood Swings: Why Do They Happen? 150 150 se_admin

The door slamming, the angst, the rebellion; if you’re the parent of a teenager, you’re probably familiar with these things. Adolescents are notorious for their ridiculous teenage mood swings, but is it their fault? Are teenagers supposed to have drastic changes in temper and act impulsively? The answer is yes, within reason.

What causes teenage mood swings?

Adolescence is a period of aggressive change within the human body. The brain is the last organ in the body to mature, and it’s not fully developed until the mid-20s. Dr. Frances Jensen, a neuroscientist, wrote a book on the subject of teenage mood swings titled The Teenage Brain: A Neuroscientist’s Survival Guide to Raising Adolescents and Young Adults.

In the book, Jensen explains why teenagers take so many risks. It all boils down to the part of the brain associated with impulse control, decision-making and executive functioning not being hooked up completely with the rest of the brain until much later. The imbalance between the limbic system, which is associated with emotions, and the frontal lobe create a cocktail for teenage mood swings, Dr. Jensen says. Teenager’s emotions are at the helm, driving decision-making.

The effects of drugs more harmful on teenage brain

The effects of substances are more permanent on the teen brain. They have more deleterious effects and can be more toxic to the teen than the adult. – Dr. Frances Jensen

As Dr. Jensen said, teenagers are prone to risk-taking, which often includes experimenting with drugs. Many people believe that teenagers actually have an easier time breaking addictions and bouncing back, but research has deemed that untrue.

Research has shown that teenagers are more prone to addiction and can become addicted to substances much faster than adults. The lasting effects of drugs are also larger in teenagers. In a few studies, researchers found that teens that used marijuana for prolonged amounts of time (daily) for a year or more had permanent changes in their brain and did worse on verbal IQ tests.

Getting treatment

Solstice East is a residential treatment center for teenage girls, ages 14 to 17. We help girls that struggle with issues, such as impulse control, trauma recovery, depression, anxiety and many more. We understand that teenage mood swings sometimes get out of hand and are often paired with other issues, such as depression or drug abuse. Solstice East is here to rebuild and heal your family.

For more information about how Solstice East helps girls deal with their teenage mood swings, call us today at 828-484-9946.

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7 Tips to Help Struggling Teens

7 Tips to Help Struggling Teens se_admin

When your child reaches her teen years, she’s probably going to start drifting away from you. This can leave you with hurt or rejected feelings, creating stress because there is a constant battle of wills. As your teen asserts her independence over friends, clothes, music, curfew and other issues, she’s expressing her desire to become and independent adult. For many family issues, it might seem like there is no solution.

However, you can help struggling teens reconnect with your family through some simple tips:

 

  • Listen to her. Spend twice as much time listening to your teen than talking to them. Teens are going through a lot. In fact, their whole world is about to change. They need someone who can lend an ear to their multitude of problems. If you don’t listen to them, they will go speak to their friends instead, leaving you out completely.
  • Spend time with her. Make time for activities she likes to do, whether that be hiking, going out to eat or going shopping. Make sure she knows you care about the things she likes to do.
  • Keep up with her interests. Knowing what music, movies and TV shows she’s into can help strengthen your bond.
  • Get on social media with her. A study conducted by Brigham Young University found that teens who were the most connected to their parents on Facebook, Twitter and other forms of social media felt closer to them in real life. Those teens were also less likely to be depressed, delinquent or behave aggressively.
  • Watch television with her. Let her pick the show you’re going to watch, which can help you get an insight into her interests.  A paper published this past summer in the Journal of Adolescent Research reviewed longitudinal data on 633 adolescents and their parents,  finding positive outcomes for families that used media such as TV and  movies “as a tool—to laugh together, to become informed, to connect, to spark discussion.” After all, families that laugh together, stay together.
  • Demonstrate your love for her. Being a teenager is tough, but having loving parents who constantly tell you how much they love and care about you can help your daughter become more comfortable in her own skin. Celebrate her achievements, listen to her worries and be there for her when she gets emotional (which will happen).
  • Be honest. Be open about your past and do not lie to her about anything. She’s at an age where she can detect when you are telling a “white lie”.

 

Solstice East, a residential treatment center for teen girls, helps struggling teens overcome their emotional and behavioral deficiencies and become capable, wonderful individuals. For more information on how we can help struggling teens, please call us today, at 828-484-9946.

 

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