When did it all begin?

      Who ever said growing up would be easy? It's pretty much the opposite. The journey through adolescence isn't always easy; it's a pretty bumpy journey if you ask me. Through our coming-of-age-process it becomes pretty evident that angst is in fact a feature that defies our transition from adolescence to adulthood because of this awkward and uncomfortable transition.

      When growing up, teens are often confused and faced with much insecurity. Who do you know has gone through their teenage years with complete confidence and no self-doubt? It's likely impossible for a teenager to not have at least one insecurity at some point. A study conducted on teenage girls' self esteem concluded that 7 out of 10 girls feel as if they don't fit in with the norm as they are not good enough. In other words, approximately, 70 percent of girls feel or have felt insecure about themselves. That being said, this number represents only those who have been brave enough to come forward and admit it. 

Photo: Teenage Insecurities 

      But when do these all these feelings all start? For me, and I think for most people, these insecure and anxious feelings all started off when we begin high school. The transition from elementary to high school may not always be easy, but can be rather difficult. We are steering away from being a kid and stepping into a new phase known as a teenager or as many like to refer “young adults”. This jump, with its seemingly big fancy title comes with a daunting amount of responsibilities and obligations. Essentially, high school is a crucial time in our development as we are trying to figure out who we are and where we fit in society. That being said, we are faced with personal, social and academic pressures. Homework, college prep, career goals and friends are just a few of the factors that weigh us down during this delicate period of our lives that therefore leave us with angst.

Photo: School Stress

      RobertMcGivern along with his team of neuroscientists at San Diego State University, explain how throughout our teenage years, our social interactions become the leading factor in the way we act. McGivern goes on to state how our brains go through what is known as a brief “reconstruction process” because of our exposure to more and more social interactions. High school can seem like a big and cold place filled with many people. It is easy to feel small, lost and overwhelmed in such a fast paced environment. This is why it is crucial to interact socially in order to feel a sense of comfort, but for some of us it can be difficult. There are no doubts our peers and socials pressures influence us, and we must respond using our judgment. That being said, we are sometimes confronted with uncomfortable situations and have an internal battle within ourselves on what is right while also struggling to maintain a “normal” social status. As a result, this remodeling process is a contributing factor to teenage angst as it comes with many emotions of insecurity, peer pressure and self-evaluation.