Teenagers can see the world in black and white. This is because their brain is in flux and ‘a work in progress’! The Pre-frontal cortex is at it’s biggest ‘growth spurt’. Teenagers have a lot going on in their brains. Neural pathways are regenerating and undergoing their most significant growth and re-strengthening phase. It is important for teenagers to maximize this time so as to be the best and most competent adults they can be. With all this development taking place, there are times when life seems tense and stressful. Teenagers can feel at their most vulnerable, displaying moody, depressed and also anxious feelings and behaviour.
Emotional confusion and heartache directly related to their parents separation, as well as new ‘time-sharing’ arrangements, may prove too messy and complicated for them to negotiate. They are likely to feel that they are always letting someone down. Teenagers have plenty of their own ‘drama’ to deal with and within their complicated social structures at school, they have difficulty coping with the added drama at home too. Consequently, they will try to ‘navigate’ their way through the situation, sometimes by avoiding one parent.
