Transcript
0:00 so in writing it this is what the myths that came out uh that's around the popular literature and I'd like to see if you've heard them how many of you have heard in the popular Media newspapers or even books that the Adolescent period is this really really terrible time that you can't believe you're getting into and you hope you can just get through it okay many you heard that and that message is so sad and it's
0:25 actually so wrong uh and it when as an adolescent of course if you hear that message it makes you feel like oh my God what's going to happen or what what's going to happen to my peers um and so we're going to explore in fact how rather than being a period you have to just endure and barely get through adolescence is an incredible opportunity for really wonderful growth and part of that growth is about learning about the self uh that
0:49 you can do with mindfulness practice and other things we'll talk about um but part of it is just learning even about how your brain is changing which we'll talk about soon a second myth and you can tell me if you've heard about this is that adolescence is a time when your hormones are raging out of control how many have heard that yeah and that's actually not true hormones change because of puberty so with sexual development of course there's a whole
1:16 new set of hormones that are arising and that is a change for sure but the Chang is in the way we think as adolescent or we feel as adolescence or even how we behave is not due to what happens with our hormones so here's here's the idea that it isn't the Raging hormones that make for the changes that do happen adolescence it's actually changes in the brain that we're going to review in great detail in just a moment the third
1:40 myth that is really striking is and maybe you've heard it uh that adolescence is a period of immaturity and that we don't get mature until like even the mid 20s have any of you heard that yeah and actually what I'm going to suggest to you thank you what I'm going to suggest you is that that's actually not only wrong but it's a destructive way of thinking because then you enter the Adolescent period you say well I guess I must be just immature
2:12 so what would you do if the whole society was telling you you're immature you'd be immature why wouldn't you right you'd have to be out of your mind not to do what people say to do right no I'm just kidding about that but you would act the way people expect you to be and so the problem with calling it immature is first of all it's wrong and secondly it's destructive and thirdly the truth of it is is that it's a
2:37 necessary period of change and when you understand the way the thank you very much that no problem when you understand the way the brain uh is changing during this time you realize it's not a period of immaturity it's necessary for both the individual and for our whole human species in order to change
Summary
- Adolescence is often portrayed negatively in media, leading to misconceptions about its challenges.
- The idea that adolescence must be endured is misleading; it can be a time of significant personal growth.
- Hormonal changes during puberty do occur, but they are not the primary drivers of behavioral changes in adolescents.
- Changes in the brain are the main factors influencing adolescent behavior and emotional development.
- Labeling adolescents as immature is not only incorrect but also harmful, as it can perpetuate negative self-perceptions.
- Understanding brain development during adolescence is essential for recognizing its importance in human growth and evolution.