Human Growth and Development - Essay Example

Adolescent depression and some of its signs

Adolescent depression is a state of mental instability among the adolescent population and is associated with a general body weakness. Its major consequences include “sadness, discouragement, and loss of self-worth and interest” (Medline, 2012, p. 1). Adolescent depression has specific signs that identify it. The victims register a generally negative attitude together with the “loss of appetite,” poor cognitive ability, fatigue, low ‘self-esteem’, emotional instability, and abnormal sleeping behavior. The disorder is commonly reported in nursing care facilities. In one of the cases, a parent was extremely worried about his teenager who was extremely weak and always in bed only to realize that the teenager was a victim of depression (Medline, 2012).

Body image concerns among teenagers and possible parental assistance

Body image concerns among teenagers develop from dissatisfaction in body changes including an increase in mass and height, sexual changes, and difference in the rate of development among peers. The concerns psychologically affect teenagers, leading to unhealthy behavior. However, a parent can help a concerned teenager through promoting healthy eating habits, motivation, showing love and care, and avoiding negative criticism of the image concerns. I, for example, experienced a case of an overweight teenage girl who lacked parental support and ended up with teenage depression disorder (Morgan, 2009; Brown, Isaacs, Krinkle, Lechtenberg, & Murtaugh, 2010).

Interesting aspects of growth and development

Growth defines an increase in body size that is observable right from the child’s birth. An interesting aspect of growth is noted during the stage of adolescence, as adolescents face different trends in growth. The girls, for example, realize enlarged hips and the growth of breasts while boys note the widening of chests among other changes such as the growth of pubic hair. The growth aspects are interesting because of their effects on teenagers. While girls are reluctant to accept the changes that they presumably desire at a younger age, the boys generally delight in the changes. Some teenage girls, for example, change their dressing codes just to hide their growing breasts. Interesting developmental aspects are, however, diverse and more spread across the life of a person. The aspects are physical, psychological, and social. Physical developments include development in sex features and the brain. Cognitive maturity for a higher degree of reasoning and a wide scope understanding of the person’s environment is also an aspect of development. Development is similarly experienced in “establishing an identity,” independence, “intimacy,” appreciation of body changes at adolescent age, and success (Morgan, 2009, p. 1). Physical and social developmental aspects are the most interesting because they develop internal conflicts upon their occurrence. The teenagers, for instance, find it difficult to accept both sex-based growth and developmental changes and need the support of adults to accept and appreciate the changes. In order to ensure a smooth development, especially among girls, social organizations conduct awareness campaigns to foster ‘self-esteem’ (Morgan, 2009).