Hormonal Changes, Body Image, and Stressors - An Exploration Using Berger's Insights: Paper Example

As we grow, our bodies experience new changes as we develop from childhood through adolescence to the teenage stage, we experience some developmental changes. Our bodies change too fast at the rate that our brains cannot easily keep pace. As I grow, I feel uncomfortable about certain things; for instance, how fat I become. I often find myself comparing with friends, and this arouses different feelings inside me. Berger suggests that as young people develop into teenage hood, they start experiencing self-awareness, which can arouse joy, despair, and horror (Berger 311). I can confirm that I feel this almost all the time, sometimes I am happy with my looks, and at times I lose confidence about my looks. This paper points out the most interesting, surprising, and relevant ideas from the Berger book and how they apply to my life.

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Berger's argument on hormonal influence on teenager's romantic feelings is exciting. According to Berger, teenagers experience hormonal changes that instigate romance and attraction (Berger 312). Many teenagers are moodier in this stage more than they can be for the rest of their lives. I can confirm this in my teenage; I have the most extreme feelings for anything; I feel attached a lot to anything that makes me worry or happy. As we grow during adolescence, all the body parts develop, but the development is not even. For instance, the limbic system expands faster compared to the brain (Berger 312); this explains why, as teenagers, we may have big bodies, yet our decision making is questionable at times. Our brains are not just ready yet to adapt to forthcoming changes and experiences. Stress hastens during puberty because this is the time young people start to understand a lot of things (Berger 312). It is interesting to learn about the hormonal changes because it helps me understand my body changes better.

Berger's advice on maintaining a good diet is relevant to my life. The kind of food we eat as teenagers can significantly affect how we look and feel about ourselves. When I eat junk food continuously, I start fattening, and this lowers my self-esteem significantly. Berger advises that as teens, we should make better food choices to minimize adverse side effects to the body (Berger 319). The advice is relevant to my life because I struggle to keep my body in the right condition. My sexual experiences are greatly influenced by my surroundings rather than development. Berger confirms that sexual behaviors are greatly influenced by friends (Berger, 325). For instance, my friends can easily sway me into sexual activities because I want to feel the way they feel; to flow with the current. Sexual urges start developing during adolescence, which is biologically appropriate at that stage (Berger 326). However, as a teenager, I learn how to control my feelings; I do not let nature control me.

It is surprising that as we develop into teenage hood, many teenagers, when they are stressed, they develop suicidal thoughts. Berger suggests that more than 40% the U.S high school students are affected by stress at some point and opt for suicide as the way out (Berger 367). The numbers are incredibly high, and it is not a good thing. Sometimes I develop suicidal feelings, but I have never reached a point where I can give it up all. I always try to get back to my feet as fast as possible by avoiding the stressors. Berger states that teenagers with low self-esteem are more likely to be stressed out and have suicidal thoughts (Berger 368). The guardians should talk to their children to ensure they are in the right mental state.

To conclude, as I develop, I experience new changes; some are interesting, whereas others challenge me. It is interesting to learn about hormonal changes because that helps me appreciate the changes I experience mentally and physically. Berger's advice on diet helps maintain the right balance because I fatten fast when I become reckless. As teenagers, we face a lot of stressors, and they may push us into suicidal thoughts. We should join hands to ensure that no more teenagers die because of stress. It is within our limits; we can control what we think. We have incredible bodies, and we should protect them.

Work Cited

Berger, Kathleen Stassen. Invitation to the life span. Macmillan, 2009.