LESSON 4.

1 – SETTING THE STAGE

support coming from significant others like
INTRODUCTION: families and friends.
- Adolescence is a stage that prepares you - The roots of an initiative are planted
for adulthood. It is an exciting period since through kindness, empathy, and
it allows you to widen your experiences compassion.
and expand your social circle. - When these three have been instilled
- At the same time, it is also a frightening since childhood, these children become
period since it is the beginning of breaking adolescents who have integrated these
away from childhood. The transition from values. They are geared towards taking
being a child to being an adult can make initiatives that benefit not only themselves,
you confused and at a loss as to how you but their communities or societies, and
can handle the bumps of growing up. employers as well.
- A person must grow and experience trials
to attain maturity. This is a key issue “It’s a jungle out there.”
during the adolescent stage. Any person
in this stage experiences varying events FACTORS THAT GIVE RISE TO ADOLESCENT
and situations that lead to a deeper ISSUES
understanding of how you survive in a - This statement may be simple, but once it
world where you do not always get what is applied into your world, it takes on a
you want. whole new meaning. This can sum up
- In many instances, you face the challenge your perception about the world around
of proving yourself to society and how you you. It is a jungle in the sense that there
can contribute to the betterment of your are many challenges and issues that you
communities. The beginning of this stage experience. Since your world is not limited
is a mark that you must start letting go of to your immediate family (but includes
childhood and start the transition of school, church, the peer groups to which
becoming an adult. you belong, and the greater community),
the scope of these challenges widen as
IMPORTANCE OF FACING CHALLENGES well. You are faced with conflicting values,
- Challenges will either make or break a inconsistent rules, and expectations that
person. may prove to be challenging to meet and
- People live in a world that is changing. resolve.
When there is change, there is a
challenge. The successful resolution of a NATURE VS. NURTURE
challenge results in the formation of - Your development is dictated by the
initiative. An initiative is instrumental in combination of your genes and culture.
pursuing goals. Since people are made up of different
combinations of genes, it is expected that
INITIATIVE you will have unique characteristics.
- Marilyn Price-Mitchell defined initiative as - Aside from your genes, the environment
the ability to push life in a forward and where you were brought up adds up to
purpose-driven direction. It involves both this uniqueness. These factors include
the motivation from within the individual your family background; your
and the outward means of attaining one’s socio-economic status; educational
goals. attainment of parents; having an intact or
- Teenagers seem to be blessed with a broken family; language factors; societal
initiative. It has been associated with expectations; and other things.
motivation and achievement, but it is more - This is the reason why two adolescents
complicated than these two. It is may have different personalities despite
developed during the adolescent stage. the fact that they are of the same age.
There are two components that affect this Since you are a member of the society,
development: mastery of experiences and you abide by the expectations of people
 around you. It is in these expectations that the manner of achieving physical
conflicts may arise. perfection may be taken to extreme
- In the field of Science, Human degrees that result in more problems.
Development is regarded as a scientific
study of how you change as you go from 2. EATING DISORDERS
one life stage to another. - While it is expected that teenagers are
- This development comes in sequential bound to gain weight; negative feelings
order. It is not shown randomly. Rather, it are created by the idea that gaining too
has specific timetables that all human much weight can make you unattractive.
beings follow. Moreover, each stage of These negative feelings can result in
development has a specific description eating disorders.
and has hazards associated with it. - Eating disorders usually begin in the
- Lastly, there are expectations for every adolescent stage. These are caused by
period. As discussed in the previous unit, several factors including genetic,
these expectations come in the form of psychological and social factors. Anorexia
tasks that you must meet to accomplish Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, and Binge
and gain succeeding skills and behavior Eating are just some examples of this
patterns. These expectations are also disorder.
called developmental tasks. Anorexia Nervosa
- is shown by people who think that they are
DEVELOPMENTAL TASKS overweight when in fact, they are already
- The developmental tasks that are underweight. They usually restrict their
expected during adolescence are: food intake; constantly monitor their
★ Achieving gender-specific roles weight; and eat small quantities of food.
★ Creating mature relations with both Bulimia Nervosa
genders - is shown by people who eat large
★ Accepting one’s physical characteristics amounts of food. They feel that they
★ Developing a set of values and ethics to cannot control this urge. This is followed
guide future behavior by actions that compensate for this lack of
★ Preparing for marriage and family control like forced vomiting (done by
★ Developing emotional independence inserting the fingers or other long objects
★ Preparing for a career or profession like a toothbrush in the mouth). The
★ Achieving socially acceptable and person may also engage in excessive
responsible behavior. exercise.
Binge-eating Disorder
- These tasks that you are expected to - is shown by uncontrollable eating. This
accomplish can be challenging. The differs from Bulimia since there is no effort
inability to meet these tasks causes to do excessive exercise, fasting, and
problems or issues during the adolescent forced vomiting.
stage. ★ People with eating disorders run the risk of
having health problems. The lack of
ISSUES DURING ADOLESCENT PERIOD nutrients can weaken the body.
1. PHYSICAL CONCERNS ★ It can be done by making the people
- In the society, people emphasize on susceptible to malnutrition, anemia, ulcer,
healthy living. Campaigns are made dehydration, kidney failure, brittle bones,
towards healthy lifestyle by encouraging heart failure, muscle weakness, gastric
people to eat a balanced diet and engage rupture, tooth decay, irregular bowel
in physical activities. The end goals are: to movement, rupture of the esophagus
have a healthy body so one can live during vomiting, high blood pressure and
longer, and to look and feel good. The cholesterol level, heart disease,
latter is where the issue is coming from for gallbladder disease, and diabetes.
adolescents. Teenagers like to appear
attractive for some reasons. Unfortunately,
3. EATING DISORDERS AND THE things, feel, and behave. The U.S.
DEVELOPMENTAL TASK OF FORMING AN National Institute on Drug Abuse reported
IDENTITY AND GROUP CONFORMITY that regular consumption of these drugs
- Since you are beginning to develop your could cause mental illness.
sense of identity, your self-esteem is also
affected. In trying to meet the standards of TYPES OF PSYCHOACTIVE DRUGS:
people regarding the ideal body weight Stimulants like crystal meth, cocaine, and
and appearance; you begin to feel that caffeine.
you must do something to meet these ★ Effects: These drugs speed up the brain
standards. Hence, you engage in and body. They can make you feel more
unhealthy patterns of behavior. Your alert, energetic, and confident. However,
dissatisfaction with your body and low they can also lead to increased heart rate,
self-esteem are contributory factors to the anxiety, and aggression.
development of eating disorders. ★ Risks: Long-term use can cause serious
- In this stage, the influence of your peers is health issues, including heart problems
strong that you begin to dress, act, and and mental health issues like paranoia or
talk the way your peers do. It becomes aggression.
natural for you to consider losing weight to
fit into the mold. Adolescents who do not Depressants like alcohol, benzodiazepines
comfortably fit into one group may feel (e.g., Xanax), and barbiturates.
alienated. This makes them prone to ★ Effects: It slows down the brain and body.
emotional difficulties. They make you feel relaxed and calm,
- It is worth considering though, that which is why they are sometimes used
“wanting to belong” and social standards medically to treat anxiety or sleep
are not just the reasons for eating disorders.
disorders. Eating disorders can also be ★ Risks: Overuse can lead to drowsiness,
influenced by physiological factors like confusion, and even unconsciousness.
genetics and brain activity. It is Long-term use or high doses can be
recommended to seek the help of dangerous, affecting memory and
professionals when dealing with this issue. coordination and increasing the risk of
addiction.
4. SUBSTANCE ABUSE Narcotics like morphine, codeine, heroin,
- Carandang et al. discussed drug addiction oxycodone
among the youth. Drug addiction is ★ Effects: These drugs are powerful
defined as the condition in which an painkillers that can also create feelings of
individual is unable to control the use of euphoria (a "high"). They work by blocking
addictive substances known as pain signals in the brain.
psychoactive drugs. Psychoactive drugs ★ Risks: Narcotics are highly addictive.
can be legal or illegal. Misuse can lead to overdose, respiratory
Examples: failure, or death. Long-term use can also
★ Legal Psychoactive Drugs – nicotine and affect mood and brain function, leading to
alcohol issues like depression or anxiety.
★ Illegal Psychoactive Drugs – marijuana, Hallucinogens like LSD, ecstasy (MDMA),
cocaine, and heroine among others magic mushrooms
Psychoactive drugs ★ Effects: Hallucinogens cause people to
- cause psychological effects. This happens experience things differently, like seeing or
when there is an interaction between the hearing things that aren’t real
brain chemicals and the chemicals from (hallucinations).
these substances. They affect the balance ★ Risks: The effects can be unpredictable
of these brain chemicals that results in and sometimes frightening, leading to
unusual behaviors. The change in the “bad trips.” Long-term use can cause
number of neurotransmitters (brain lasting changes in mood and perception,
chemicals) affects how people sense and in some cases, trigger psychosis.
 - Some Mental Illnesses Caused by genetically predisposed to drug addiction, social,
Psychoactive Drugs: Hallucinations. and psychological factors.
Imagine seeing or hearing things that
aren’t actually there. Some drugs, like Psychoactive drugs include stimulants,
LSD or magic mushrooms, can make depressants, narcotics, and hallucinogens.
people experience hallucinations. It’s like They cause psychological effects when combined
your brain is tricking you into believing with the chemicals in the brain. These effects
something is real when it’s not, and that come in the form of disturbed perception,
can be really scary. emotional imbalance, and behavior changes.
- Some Mental Illnesses Caused by
Psychoactive Drugs: Uncontrolled 5. ALCOHOL ABUSE
Aggression. - Alcohol is a drug that elevates five
- Some drugs, especially stimulants (like neurotransmitters that affect our
cocaine or meth), can make people feel thinking, feeling, and behavior. It can
super energetic or even angry. This heighten the level of GABA, serotonin,
might lead to aggressive behavior that the and glutamate that produces the
person can’t control, causing them to act feeling of euphoria (extreme
violently or harm others. happiness) through its dopamine
- Some Mental Illnesses Caused by effect. Due to this intense feeling,
Psychoactive Drugs: Mood Disorders. alcohol causes addiction.
- Drugs can mess with the chemicals in - Alcohol is a depressant, which means that
your brain that control mood. For example, it slows down important functions that
if someone uses drugs over a long period, are manifested through unsteady
they might start feeling really sad or movement, slurring, slow reflexes, and
depressed, even when they’re not using disturbed perceptions. It reduces the
the drug. Sometimes, they might ability for rational thinking and clouds
experience extreme mood swings, going a person’s judgment.
from feeling very high and happy to very - The effect of alcohol depends on the
low and sad. amount consumed. There are people
- Some Mental Illnesses Caused by who drink alcohol just to loosen up or
Psychoactive Drugs: Irrational Fears. decrease inhibitions. However, if the
- Some drugs, like marijuana or consumption is more than what the body
hallucinogens, can make people feel can handle, it can lead to depressant
extremely paranoid. This means they effects. Health problems result from
might become afraid of things that aren’t long-term use of alcohol like liver disease,
real, like thinking someone is out to get malnutrition, ulcers, cancer and even
them when they’re not. It’s a type of fear injuries or death due to accidents and
that doesn’t make sense but feels very violent behavior. Other effects include
real to the person experiencing it. marital problems, loss of productivity,
- Some Mental Illnesses Caused by domestic violence and the like.
Psychoactive Drugs: Psychotic - The effect of alcohol depends on the
Disorders. amount consumed. There are people who
- With long-term use, certain drugs can drink alcohol just to loosen up or decrease
cause a person to lose touch with inhibitions. However, if the consumption is
reality. They might start believing things more than what the body can handle, it
that aren’t true or seeing things that aren’t can lead to depressant effects. Health
there. This is called a psychotic episode, problems result from long-term use of
and it can be very dangerous because the alcohol like liver disease, malnutrition,
person may not realize what’s happening. ulcers, cancer and even injuries or death
due to accidents and violent behavior.
REMEMBER: Just like eating disorders, Other effects include marital problems,
substance abuse is a complex disorder that is loss of productivity, domestic violence and
caused by some determinants like being the like.
6. TEEN PREGNANCY ★ You believe that others are always
- During the National Summit on Teen watching you. Engaging in alcohol
Pregnancy held last 2014, it was stated drinking and drugs.
that the Philippines faces the possibility ★ Driving recklessly and without a license.
of having a full-blown, national teenage It is believed that egocentrism is related to your
pregnancy crisis. The facts presented risk-taking behavior. The result is the
during this gathering stressed the impression that you can do different activities,
importance of comprehensive, scientific, even dangerous ones, and you will not suffer from
and evidence based knowledge and disastrous consequences. Research shows that
healthcare services for young Filipinos you can identify risks but do not pay attention to
with regards to their sexual development. them due to immaturity.
- The UN Population Fund presented the
top ASEAN countries with high rates of 7. PEER PRESSURE
teenage pregnancy in 2011 and the - During the adolescent stage, you begin to
Philippines occupied the top spot. Other practice autonomy and form your identity.
countries include Indonesia, Cambodia, This is manifested when you (at the age of
Thailand, and Vietnam. 12-14 years old) begin to practice
emotional independence from the parents.
What makes you prone to alcohol, substance You usually form same-sex groups and a
abuse, and teenage pregnancy? decrease in parental guidance and less
- Piaget, a psychologist who proposed the participation in family activities are
cognitive theory of development, defined noticed. In this stage, the influence of your
egocentrism as self-centeredness. peers is strong that you begin to imitate
- This refers to a child’s tendency to the behavior of your friends. You may feel
consider their point-of view alone alienated if do not comfortably fit into one
without taking other people’s group. This makes you prone to emotional
perspectives. This concept was picked difficulties.
up by David Elkind who formulated the
Adolescent Egocentrism Theory in - By the age of 15-17, your peer group
1967. evolves into a mixed gender group. You
- Personal fable is regarded by Elkind as develop intense emotional attachments to
the thinking of being special, invincible, or fellow adolescents and can get attracted
important, and that others are concerned to adults. This stage starts the beginning
or preoccupied with you of looking for a potential life partner.
- When you reach the late adolescence
Personal fable stage (18-21 years), your identity is
- is a cognitive distortion where adolescents already formed. You also begin to handle
believe they are unique, special, and even adult responsibilities; hence, your sense of
invincible. It’s a feeling that they are responsibility is enhanced. You may veer
different from others in a way that makes away from your peers. You start to
them somehow "above" common establish permanent relationships, and
problems or consequences. This belief your values change.
can lead them to think that their thoughts, - The lure of experiencing the subcultures in
feelings, and experiences are so unique groups makes it hard for you to resist your
that no one else could possibly peers. Emotional independence makes it
understand them. easy for you to rely more on friends rather
★ Personal Fable is shown through: than your family members. Hence, conflict
★ You often feel that you, alone, can fulfill with parents is at its height. On a positive
your ambitions. note, your developing independence
★ You feel that other people will get into makes you examine your experiences,
trouble but not you. relate you to others, and form the concern
for other people.
Peer pressure is not always bad. There are
teenagers who band together and provide
emotional support to their friends. At this point, a
teenager must be cautious in choosing friends.
There are some who think about their welfare,
while there are others who do not.