WHO defines ‘Adolescents’ as individuals in the 10-19 years age group and ‘Youth’ as the 15-24 year age group. While ‘Young People’ covers the age range 10-24 years.

The most common problems among adolescents relate to growth and development, school, childhood illnesses that continue into adolescence, mental health disorders, and the consequences of risky or illegal behaviors, including injury, legal consequences, pregnancy, infectious diseases, and substance use disorders.

A toxic environment makes healthy adolescent development challenging. Ultimately, the transformations in body, brain, and behavior that occur during adolescence interact with each other and with the environment to shape pathways to adulthood.

Adolescence is a period of life with specific health and developmental needs and rights. It is also a time to develop knowledge and skills, learn to manage emotions and relationships, and acquire attributes and abilities that will be important for enjoying the adolescent years and assuming adult roles.

Main health issues

• Injuries. Unintentional injuries are the leading cause of death and disability among adolescents.
• Violence.
• Mental health.
• Alcohol and drug use.
• Tobacco use.
• HIV/AIDS.
• Other infectious diseases.
• Early pregnancy and childbirth.

Researchers suggest adolescence undergo three primary developmental stages of adolescence and young adulthood –early adolescence, middle adolescence, and late adolescence/young adulthood.

Adolescence is a time for growth spurts and puberty changes. An adolescent may grow several inches in several months followed by a period of very slow growth, then have another growth spurt. Changes with puberty (sexual maturation) may happen gradually or several signs may become visible at the same time.

The five leading characteristics of adolescence are biological growth and development, an undefined status, increased decision making, increased pressures, and the search for self.

Typical teen behavior: “It’s normal for teens to get moody, frustrated, and irritable from time to time,” explained Dr. Vinay Saranga, a child and adolescent psychiatrist in Apex, North Carolina. “Adolescence is a period of transition and teens have to work through new emotions, thoughts, and feelings.

Girls grow at a quick pace throughout infancy and childhood. When they reach puberty, growth increases dramatically again. Girls usually stop growing and reach adult height by 14 or 15 years old, or a couple years after menstruation begins.

During puberty, it’s normal to experience the following changes:

• Growing taller. You’ll get taller, and this might happen quite quickly.
• Breasts and hips get bigger. Your breasts and hips get bigger.
• Hair grows on your body.
• Periods start.
• Vaginal discharge begins.
• Spots and sweat appear.
• Feelings go up and down.

Facing The Challenges Of Adolescence

1. Know your values. Your values are what you believe in, what you think is right or wrong, and what is most important to you.
2. Draw up a plan for your life.
3. Develop yourself.
4. Have a role model.
5. Make decisions.
6. Be Assertive.
7. Learn a Skill.
8. Take advantage of holiday periods.

Need for free activity, need for freedom, need for social life, need for sexual satisfaction, the security need, need for self-dependence or need for a vocation are the basic needs of adolescents. Parents and teachers have some great roles to play towards the all-round development of the adolescents.

Here are the top 10 social problems teens struggle with every day.

• Depression.
• Bullying.
• Sexual Activity.
• Drug Use.
• Alcohol Use.
• Obesity.
• Academic Problems.
• Peer Pressure.

Emotional disorders commonly emerge during adolescence. In addition to depression or anxiety, adolescents with emotional disorders can also experience excessive irritability, frustration or anger.

Here are five ways for teens to improve their emotional self-regulation.

1. Learning to Ride the Wave. When teens feel intense emotions, they sometimes try to push those feelings away.
2. Meditation and Mindfulness.
3. Physical Exercise.
4. Sleep Hygiene.
5. Creativity and Flow.

Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health disorders in adolescents. At any given time, one in eight adolescents meets clinical criteria for an anxiety disorder 11. Anxiety disorders include generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, and panic disorder Box 1.