I’m also writing this with an important fact in mind: our brains keep developing until we’re in our early 30s. Yes, really! Recent research confirms this, which means the teenage years are just one part of a much longer journey of growth.

If you’re a teenager—or you care about one—you already know that adolescence is intense. It’s a time of rapid physical growth, emotional ups and downs, and deep internal change. 

The teenage years are often dismissed as “just a phase,” but for those living through them, it can feel like a constant inner battle—especially in a world that doesn’t always feel kind or understanding.

Hormonal changes and the teenage brain

During adolescence, your body goes through powerful hormonal changes linked to puberty. Hormones like oestrogen, testosterone, and cortisol surge, affecting not just physical development but also mood, energy levels, and how intensely you feel emotions.

At the same time, your brain is still developing—and it doesn’t develop all at once. The emotional centre matures faster than the parts responsible for reasoning, impulse control, and planning ahead. This means you often feel emotions very intensely before you have all the tools to manage them.

So if you experience mood swings, sensitivity, impulsivity, anxiety, or emotional intensity—that’s not weakness. It’s your brain and nervous system developing. It’s completely normal.

Personal change and emotional instability

Adolescence involves a huge shift in identity. You’re no longer a child, but you’re not quite an adult either. This in-between space can feel confusing, uncertain, and sometimes frightening.

You might experience:

• Rapid changes in what matters to you

• Strong emotional reactions that surprise you

• Heightened self-consciousness

• Fear of rejection or not fitting in

• A deep sense of being misunderstood

All of these changes can leave you feeling unsettled and unsure of who you’re becoming—and that’s okay.

The development of self and identity

One of the biggest tasks of adolescence is figuring out who you are. You start asking really important questions:

• Who am I?

• Where do I belong?

• What do I believe in?

• What am I worth?

Exploring these questions means experimenting with your identity, opinions, appearance, and relationships. This exploration is healthy and necessary—but it can also feel risky, especially when you’re worried about being judged or getting it wrong.

Without support, it’s easy to internalize the belief that you’re “not enough” or that you have to constantly prove your worth to be accepted.

The inner battle teenagers face

Many teenagers live with a constant inner conflict:

• You want independence, but you still need support.

• You want to be seen, but you fear being exposed

• You want to belong, but you also want to be unique

This inner tension can show up as withdrawal, anger, anxiety, low mood, or risk-taking. Often, what adults see as “defiance” or “laziness” is actually overwhelm, fear, or emotional exhaustion.

If you’re a teenager reading this: you’re not trying to be difficult. You’re trying to survive and understand yourself. That takes courage.

War with establishments and authority

Adolescence often brings conflict with authority figures—parents, teachers, schools, and other institutions. Questioning rules and pushing boundaries isn’t rebellion for its own sake; it’s a natural part of developing your own sense of autonomy and learning to think critically.

But when adults respond with punishment rather than understanding, you can end up feeling silenced, dismissed, or labeled as “problematic.” This deepens feelings of alienation and makes it harder to trust.

Instead of being heard, many young people feel like they have to fight just to have their experiences taken seriously.

Proving themselves in an unfriendly society

Today’s teenagers are growing up in a world that can feel harsh, competitive, and uncertain. You’re facing:

• Intense academic pressure and high expectations

• Constant social media comparison and online scrutiny

• Economic uncertainty about your future

• Social and political instability

• Limited spaces where you feel truly safe to be yourself

• You’re often expected to perform, succeed, and just cope—and then told you’re “too sensitive” when you struggle. It’s exhausting and unfair.

Trying to prove yourself in a society that doesn’t feel welcoming can leave you feeling hopeless, angry, or deeply alone.

Why mental health support matters

Supporting teenage mental health isn’t about fixing or controlling young people. It’s about listening, validating, and creating safe spaces where you can explore who you are without fear of judgment.

When you feel understood and supported, you’re more likely to:

• Develop emotional resilience

• Build a strong sense of who you are

• Ask for help when you need it

• Form healthier, more authentic relationships

• Grow into a confident, self-aware adult

Final thoughts

Adolescence isn’t a problem to be solved—it’s a critical stage of becoming. If you’re a teenager, you’re not broken. You’re growing.

When adults meet young people with curiosity rather than criticism, and compassion rather than control, it helps you navigate one of the most difficult transitions of life with dignity, strength, and hope.

Supporting teenage mental health isn’t just about helping individuals—it’s about building a healthier, more compassionate future for everyone.