let's break it down

Let's look at the science of it all, what makes us tick? Sometimes we feel like we are all alone when we go through these big changes into adulthood. But, the truth is although we all have our own personal experiences, we aren't the first and certainly won't be the last to experience adolescence.

Testosterone causes reproductive organs to mature, muscle and bone to grow, facial and pubic hair to appear, and the voice to deepen.

The hypothalamus and pituitary gland, which are in the brain, initiate puberty.

The limbic system helps the body respond to intense emotions of fear and anger by activating the fight or flight response. An increase in limbic activity slows the prefrontal brain (where good decision-making comes from) creating an increase in risk-taking.

All these changes can also effect:

Developing the ability to think abstractly
Concerned with philosophy, politics, and social issues
Thinking long-term
Setting goals
Comparing himself to his peers

Tips and guidance

what does it mean to be adolescent

Adolescence is the period between the normal onset of puberty and the beginning of adulthood. It's generally between the ages of 12 and 19.

Being a young male is a challenging time. There is a lot of conscious change in our bodies, our behaviours, how we are feeling, and a lot of confusion.

We've put together a Video on tips to try and make sense of this confusing time and how to get through it.