Teen Development: Puberty and Growing Up

Many changes at once

The teen years bring physical, mental, emotional and social changes. The biggest is puberty — becoming sexually mature:

As your body changes, you may have questions about sexual health.

Becoming yourself

You start developing your own personality and opinions. You may notice:

• more independence from your parents;
• more concern about body image and clothes;
• more influence from peers;
• a stronger sense of right and wrong.

When to get help

All this can feel overwhelming, and some sadness or moodiness is normal. But feeling very sad, hopeless or worthless can be a warning sign of a mental health problem.

If you need help, talk to your parents, a school counselor or your health care provider.

Sources

Based on the MedlinePlus health topic "Teen Development," National Library of Medicine, with content from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; a work of the United States government in the public domain.