Hormonal changes also account for the moodiness for which adolescents are well known. Adolescents who have difficulty adjusting to physical changes may become depressed or apathetic. Alternately, there are times when intense physical energy leads adolescents to unbounded enthusiasm for particular activities or causes. There may also be a reaction against authority. The individual young person at this time often experiences the desire to express his or her own personality, form a definite character, and experience as many new sensations as possible.
Most adolescents welcome the opportunity to take on more responsibility and become more independent.
However, they may have difficulty at first in handling the challenge. They may, thus, at one time act independently and at other times want to be more dependent. These natural changes in attitude cause stress for the adolescent. This stress should be recognized by the adolescent and by his or her parents. Some of the experimentation with activities such as smoking, using drugs, and drinking alcohol that is common among many adolescents, also may represent a form of determined independence, as well as peer pressure.