Your mood is on a rollercoaster, your body is changing, you’re suddenly fighting with your parents over every little thing and your skin is sprouting pimples. Here you can find out more about this exciting time of puberty.
What is puberty?
You can think of puberty as being a bit like a huge construction site. During this time, your body is being taken over by a lot of reconstruction work. Specifically, puberty is a developmental phase between childhood and adulthood. During this time, the body, but also the soul, matures from child to adult. Everything also moves in the social environment. It is a time when a lot changes and is actually very exciting. But precisely because a lot is happening, it is often also a difficult phase.
When does puberty begin?
The beginning of puberty is different for boys and girls. For girls, puberty starts about 1-2 years earlier, around the age of 10. For boys, the onset is between 12 and 15 years. Puberty lasts several years. Every person is different, so this phase is also very individual. Sometimes it starts earlier, sometimes later; sometimes it happens very quickly, sometimes slowly. Therefore, don’t let yourself be driven crazy by comparisons with others. Everyone has their own pace during puberty, which is controlled by hormones.
Physical changes
Physical changes are caused by the release of hormones in your body. The onset of puberty is often accompanied by a growth spurt. How the body changes varies according to gender.
Physical changes – girls
In girls, the breasts, labia, clitoris, uterus and pubic hair start to grow. The hips widen and the first period starts.
Physical changes – boys
In boys, the shoulders widen, the muscles increase, and the testicles and penis become larger. The testicles begin to produce sperm and the first ejaculation takes place. The body hair also becomes thicker. In the course of puberty, the voice begins to break. The voice deepens as the vocal folds and the thyroid cartilage of the larynx grow. Until the male, deeper voice is reached, the typical “croak” occurs.
Seeing your body change can make you feel satisfied and self-confident. But the new and unfamiliar can also make you feel insecure. Sometimes it’s not easy to get used to your new body. It takes time and patience to get used to your new body. Give yourself the time it takes.
When your mood takes you on a rollercoaster ride
One moment you’re in a great mood and the next you’re devastated. Mood swings during puberty are something stressful but quite normal. On the one hand, the hormones in your body are going crazy, but on the other hand you have to get used to a lot of new things. So it’s not surprising that your body and mind need some time to come to terms with it. Your self-confidence also has to rebuild itself when everything suddenly changes. Many people find it helpful to talk to each other during this time, to do a lot of sport or to write down their feelings in order to be able to cope better with the “mental chaos”.
Changing relationships
A lot also changes in the social environment during puberty. The family usually takes a back seat, and friends become more and more important. It is during this time that you develop your own ideas about your life, which are often very different from your parents’ ideas. The task during puberty is to detach yourself from your parents’ home, but also to reconnect with your parents on an equal level. Your parents also need time to get used to the fact that you are becoming more and more independent and want to make your own decisions.
Patience is needed
As you can see, patience is required during puberty: patience with yourself, your body, but also with your environment.
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