The many changes going on inside a teenager's mind
If you live with a teenager and find their reactions difficult to anticipate, there is a neurological explanation. The part of the brain responsible for rational decision-making, planning, and impulse control is still under construction. That process does not complete until the mid-twenties.
In the meantime, the amygdala, which governs emotional response, aggression, and instinctive behaviour, is doing most of the work. That is why teenagers can shift from calm to overwhelmed with very little warning. It is not defiance. It is development.
Dr Sanchita Chowdhury explains how understanding this process changes what support looks like. Emotion coaching, collaborative problem-solving, and creating space for teenagers to name and process what they are feeling are far more effective than pushing back against the behaviour directly.
Small, consistent strategies from parents, whether family walks, breathing techniques, or simply staying available without pressure, build the conditions for trust during one of the most significant periods of brain development a person goes through.
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Dr Sanchita Chowdhury
Educational & Child Psychologist
Specialisation: Child & Adolescent Development, Autism, Language & Literacy
Regulatory Body: HCPC
Based in: London, UK
