Childhood experiences of abuse, trauma, attachment problems and unhelpful parents if unresolved may have a huge impact on the young persons’ ability to cope with the events in adolescence. It is essential for the adolescent to experiment and try out new behaviours. However, the above childhood experiences can result in the extreme experimentation of dangerous behaviours; such as drinking, taking drugs, smoking, sexual promiscuity, anti-social behaviour, affiliation with gangs and conflict with family. Some adolescents may withdraw and internalise their struggle resulting in depression, anxiety, self-harm, issues with weight and suicidal ideation.

Adolescence is a time of turmoil, confusion and uncertainty, but it’s through this process that we arrive at adulthood. The purpose of adolescence is the establishment of personal identity. In order to achieve this, a child separates from their early ties to their parents and achieves a position outside of the family. This occurs gradually by establishing a position within a peer group before moving forward within intimate relationships.

Emotionally, many aspects of the adolescent can seem to be pulled in opposite directions, and what has previously felt reasonably settled and comfortable in the ordinary child’s inner world ,becomes unruly and conflictual. The body feels out of control in ways that are both exciting, because of pride in ‘growing up’, but also at times distressing – when more childlike and infantile feelings are brought foreward. Everything seems to be changing all at once physically, psychologically, sexually, emotionally and socially. There is a clear tug towards growing up and there is often just as strong a tug towards growing down. A conflict occurs within the young person between the need to break away from their parents and gradually establish an independent, authentic, and mature personal identity, and the need to be cared for by parents as they have in the past, with all the security and dependency that this offers.

This is a natural process that many adolescents are ready and keen to accomplish. However some may also find it daunting and overwhelming. Difficulty in working through this developmental stage can be due to a multitude of factors, most commonly the adolescent’s personality and the ability to cope. Other influences can range from their experiences in early childhood, environmental stresses and current social conditions.