#adolescencedevelopment

[jenaemillen]

What goes on in the adolescent brain?

A conversation with FasterCures Executive Director, Margaret Anderson, and the National Institute of Mental Health's Dr. Jay Giedd.

I just finished watching this video from May 10, 2012, it is just over an hour long but I found it really interesting and more importantly relative. I recommend watching it. It discusses brain development, puberty, adolescence health, screen time/internet/technology, different studies on adolescent's a long with a few other things. It brings up the idea where people say that the teenage brain is broken and argues that this is incorrect and that we just don't quite understand it, and that understanding it is important. He uses explanations/metaphors that are easy to understand. I took notes as i watched it and would recommend that that could be useful if you decide to watch this :) 

[jenaemillen]

Do I think engaging in social media and other types of technology is beneficial to brain development in teens?

I believe that the social media and use of technology can have negative affects on brain development, especially too much of it and I also believe it depends strongly on what you're using the technology for. However, I also believe that in terms of knowledge it can help to increase brain development with the accessibility to engage in research and other activities such as cognitive games like lumosity's website or brain teasers, that can encourage the use of specific parts of your brain, therefore enhancing their development due to increased use. So for these reasons I clicked unsure on this weeks poll as i'm on the fence.

[jenaemillen]

What is your most vivid memory of puberty?

I know puberty is mainly about physical changes but I don;t really have anything that sticks out about my experience, what does stick out for me is body image. It was during puberty where I began to care more about how I looked. I remember when I was younger I use to (very rarely) play with my mums old make up and once my brothers (both older) found out and gave me so much grief for it. I never really touched it again until high school. I've grown up with eczema which is kind of a skin condition due to allergies and because of that puberty was probably the biggest time of my life that I really cared about it was and how it looked. I remember every time I went to a party or even just at school I would constantly ask some of my close friends "how do i look?" and :"is my eczema okay?" drove them insane, and drove myself insane. I still have confidence issues, but who doesn't?? but I'm very much over the way I was during highschool