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2 Serving Teens with Mental Illness in the Library see is the biological race that teens are undergoing. In other words, there is a lot going on in the body of a young person who is trying to get by the best that he or she can. No one is born with the innate ability to predict what’s going to happen in the future, and, for teens, they are not only dealing with the guessing game called life, but their bodies are undergoing a series of physical and hormonal changes that can cause extra complications in their lives. On the one hand, teens have a better understanding of abstract concepts such as privilege and morality. Also, teens are developing their identities and are more assertive in how they want to be perceived and treated. However, along with these mature thoughts and feelings, teens are still developing, physically: their bodies are changing and are experiencing discomfort as well as new sexual desires. As puberty does what it’s sup- posed to, the teen brain is also developing. By understanding adolescent development, you will have a better understanding of why teens behave the way they do and what to expect during these turbulent years. ADOLESCENT DEVELOPMENT IN A NUTSHELL Take a moment and reflect on your adolescence. Remember the good things, but also think about the bad things. What about your adolescence has helped you develop into the adult that you are today? For some of you, it may be kind of amazing that you survived at all. For others, it may be a time you want to forget. It’s important to look at adolescence not just from a personal point of view but also from a scientific and biological point of view. Granted, the term “adults” is subjective (some teens can be more mature and smarter than some adults) what separates a 16-­year-old­ version of us from the 35-­year-­old is that the 35-­year-old ­ brain is fully developed. Even though teens can be smarter and quicker than adults, it doesn’t mean they have the “know-­how” on the skills it takes to become an adult. In other words, teens may look and talk like adults, but, in real- ity, they haven’t the slightest idea what it means to be an “adult.” Adolescence is not just about the actual brain it’s about the physical, emotional, and cognitive development as well. Teens start to feel and understand complex emotions such as lust, love, disappointment, and loss. Unfortunately, for many adults, especially those who don’t work or know how teens are, the most popular words that are synonymous with teens are negative: “moody,” “selfish,” “emotional,” “angst,” and so on. Although some of these terms are on point when it comes to adolescents, it’s important to keep in mind that there is a biological explanation as to why teens have a hard time dealing with difficult situations. For example, when it comes to handling rejections, teens may become very upset or angry, which is why they seem temperamental. Another example is when