Reviewers PDF: Personal Development for Adolescents

Reviewer for Personal Development Eight Types of Challenges for Adolescents: 1. Self-Esteem - Person’s subjective evaluation of his/her worth. 2. Physical Appearance - Teenagers are more self-conscious of their physical appearance since it is the first thing that other people take noti...

Reviewer for Personal Development Eight Types of Challenges for Adolescents: 1. Self-Esteem - Person’s subjective evaluation of his/her worth. 2. Physical Appearance - Teenagers are more self-conscious of their physical appearance since it is the first thing that other people take notice of. 3. Group Belongingness: - Adolescent strongly feels the need to find a group to belong to and fit well in. 4. Relationship - Requires a person to be emotionally mature to be rational in thought and behavior. 5. Sexuality and Sexual Relationships - During the adolescent year one’s hormones become very active and awaken a strong sexual passion. 6. Academic Concerns - It can be easy to get distracted by other things that may divert one’s attention from fulfilling his/her academic obligations. 7. Choosing the Right Course and Career Path- Career choice will have a direct impact on your future and even help guide your course. 8. Socio-Emotional Challenges- Psychological challenges also afflict both male and female adolescents. 3 Major Challenges: 1. Family: o Quest for independence o High expectations o Making career choices o Relationship issues 2. School: 3. Peers: o Peer pressure o Peer conflict Pitfalls of Adolescents: 1. Using and Abusing Drugs: o often due to peer pressure o starts with drinking alcoholic drinks to smoking cigarettes 2. Being Addicted to Computer Games: o a chance to express how they feel o create their own world 3. Running Away from Home: o parents hurting them o feeling unhappy o means to get what they want. 4. Being Sexually Promiscuous: o heightened sexual desire  ohormonal changes oMany a number of persons with HIV are teenagers (DOH, 2014) 5. Becoming a Teenage Parent: o low education, low income, lack of rights o lead to intergenerational cycles of poverty and ill-health 6. Depression: o high rates of depression may be accounted to heightened emotionality of adolescents Depression Symptoms (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders – DSM-5): 1. Depressed mood most of the day. 2. Markedly diminished interest or pleasure in all, or almost all, activities most of the day. 3. Significant weight loss or weight gain; decrease or increase in appetite nearly everyday. 4. Insomnia or hypersomnia nearly everyday. 5. Psychomotor agitation or retardation nearly everyday. 6. Fatigue or loss of energy nearly everyday. 7. Feelings of worthlessness or excessive or inappropriate guilt nearly every day. 8. Diminished ability to think or concentrate, or indecisiveness, nearly everyday. 9. Recurrent thoughts of death, recurrent suicidal ideation without a specific plan, or a suicide attempt, or a specific plan of committing suicide. Strategies to Cope: 1. Learn to accept what you feel. 2. Identify your vulnerabilities. 3. Develop your talents and interests. 4. Become more involved with others. 5. Seek help when needed. Freud’s Psychoanalytic Theory: 1. Three Levels of Awareness: o Conscious – Hold all the things that we are aware. o Subconscious/Preconscious – Hold all the easily retrievable information. o Unconscious – Bears all our drives and instincts that are repressed, and therefore are difficult to retrieve. 2. Three Provinces of the Mind: o Id - the only component of personality that is present from birth. Pleasure principle. Immediate gratification. o Ego - component of personality that is responsible for dealing with reality. Reality principle. o Superego - holds all of our internalized moral standards and ideals. Moral principle. Freud's Defense Mechanisms: 1. Repression - Negative feelings, thoughts, or memories are forced into the unconscious. 2. Reaction Formation - Adoption of behaviors that are different to the unacceptable feeling or thought. 3. Displacement - Unacceptable urges are redirected to other people or objects. 4. Regression - Reverting to earlier, safer, or more secure patterns or behavior. 5. Projection – Person attributes their unwanted thoughts and feelings to an external object or person. 6. Sublimation - Redirecting negative urges into socially acceptable actions. BRAIN - The primary focus of the document; described as having unique systems like working memory. Basic Understanding of the Brain and the Functions of its Significant Parts: Hindbrain - Located at the lower back part of the brain; responsible for instinctive and autonomic behavior. Medulla - Controls vital functions like respiration, blood circulation, digestion, and heart rate. Cerebellum - Regulates posture, balance, and muscular coordination. Pons - Bridges the medulla and other brain parts; regulates movement, sleep, and arousal. Reticular Activating System - Regulates attention, movement, sleep, waking, and reflexes. Forebrain - Located at the top and front of the head; responsible for intellectual activity and consciousness. Cerebrum - Acts as the "executive center" of the brain; involved in language and thinking. Thalamus - Relays sensory information. Hypothalamus - Secretes hormones and controls physiological functions like temperature, hunger, and thirst. Corpus Callosum - Connects the two hemispheres of the brain. Pituitary Gland - The "master gland" controlling the endocrine system. Midbrain - Located between the forebrain and hindbrain; serves as a conduction and switching center. Tectum - Involved in visual and auditory processing. Tegmentum - Includes components like the red nucleus and substantia nigra; controls motor and regulatory functions. Cerebral Peduncles - Connects the forebrain to the hindbrain, carrying motor signals. Lateralization of the Brain: Laterization - The localization of specific functions or activities (e.g., verbal processes) on one side of the body. Roger Wolcott Sperry and Joseph Bogen - Researchers who investigated brain functions, focusing on hemispheric specialization. Left Hemisphere - Controls logical and intellectual functions; includes skills like writing, language, and reasoning. Right Hemisphere - Handles creative, intuitive, and emotional functions; responsible for art awareness, imagination, and music awareness. Cerebrum - The largest part of the brain responsible for language and thinking, also known as “The seat of complex thought”. The Whole Brain Theory: Whole Brain Theory - Developed by Ned Herrmann, identifies four thinking styles: Analytical, Practical, Relational, and Experimental. Analytical Thinking - Factual, objective, and quantitative. Practical Thinking - Organized, step-by-step, and action-oriented. Experimental Thinking - Imaginative, creative, and future-oriented. Relational Thinking - Feeling-oriented and intuitive, values relationships and communication. Creative Thinking - Thinking outside the box, leading to new ideas and inventions. Associative Thinking - Explores ideas by considering related areas to gain fresh insights. Mind Mapping: Mind Mapping - A graphic method to explore ideas, enhancing brain activity through visual and spatial techniques. Thomas Alva Edison - Quoted for his innovation and persistence ("Genius is 99% perspiration and 1% inspiration"). Mental Health and Well-Being in Middle and Late Adolescence Disorders and Concerns in Adolescence: Depression - The largest cause of disease among young people; a deep sense of hopelessness and possibly despair. Suicide - An intentional act of ending one's own life. Anxiety - Sense of a vague unease with no known actual cause; makes you feel tense and restless. Conduct disorder - A range of actions that harm others or society. Eating disorders: o Anorexia nervosa o Bulimia nervosa  Risky sexual behavior - Early start of sexual intercourse, unprotected sex, having multiple sexual partners. Substance abuse - Maladaptive pattern of substance abuse. Antisocial behavior - Wide range of actions from theft to burglary to physical abuse and substance abuse. Post-traumatic stress- Recurring stress and anxiety brought about by perceived traumatic events; difficulty in concentration, lack of sleep/nightmares. Self-injury - Intentional damage to body tissues (e.g., cutting, burning, marking, tattooing, piercing). Sources of Support for Mental Health: 1. Family members 2. Friends 3. Teachers 4. Counselors Road to Psychological Well-Being: Character Strengths 1. Cultivate positive emotions. 2. Go with the flow. 3. Stay connected. 4. Drive towards purpose. 5. Celebrate small victories. Social Skills 1. Understand different perspectives. 2. Listen with empathy. 3. Develop emotional intelligence. 4. Read facial emotions. 5. Learn impulse control. 6. Use the "I" message. Problem-Solving Skills 1. Identify the problem. 2. Brainstorm solutions. 3. Evaluate the pros and cons. 4. Choose the best option. 5. Create a backup plan. Developing Self-Esteem - Focus on appreciation and compassion. Psychological Resilience - Adapting to stress, trauma, or negative situations. Coping with Stress in Middle and Late Adolescence Definitions of Stress: The subjective experience of distress due to problems such as negative experiences and challenges. A physical, chemical, or emotional factor that causes bodily or mental tension and may be a factor in disease causation. One of bodily or mental tension resulting from factors that tend to alter an existent equilibrium. Two Kinds of Stress: Eustress: Helpful in promoting one’s growth and development. Distress: Has a negative effect on the person. Major Sources of Stress Family Acads Romantic Relationship Ways of Coping: Problem-focused Emotion-focused About Problem-focused Coping: About Emotion-Focused Coping: What to Eat? Calcium and Vitamin B2 in Milk - Soothe anxiety and restlessness. Banana - Serotonin (happy hormone) and potassium (reduces tension). Sweet Potato - Vitamin D to support a wide range of activities in the nervous system and relaxation. Cereals - Vitamin B Complex and fiber for digestion. Avocados - Potassium and Vitamin E to calm you down when overwrought. No to Coffee and Chocolates - Avoid as they can exacerbate stress. Calcium and Vitamin B2 in Milk - Soothe anxiety and restlessness.