True Life: I’m an Emotional Roller Coaster

“Since when did being bipolar become ‘a thing’?” Right now, some parent of a teen asks this question to a group filled with 30-somethings and mid-life parents, and a conversation filled with agreeing yet flustered outcries ensues. A conversation for which you serve as the main idea. Now, let’s be honest; we adolescents give parent legitimate reasons to lay this claim. Personally, I like to think of myself as fueled by inspiration, rather than bipolar. When I am able to complete goals or involved in something I truly believe in, I am on 10…thousand! On the flipside, I tend to look like death when I am in a situation I did not plan for or my self-perception drops. Ignorance is definitely bliss in a case like this. Once you realize how duplicitous you are, you often have one-man convos resembling the one atop, crying out, “WHAT IS THE DEAL?!”

Two college professors, Reed Larson (Human Development/Family Studies, UIUC) and Maryse L. Richards (Psychology, Loyola), co-authored a publication in 1994, highlighting how emotionally unstable the lives of young adolescents (10 to 15 Y.O.) are, in comparison to their adult counterparts. Each participant was given a pager—yes, a pager—that, during the span of one week, would randomly signal eight times per day; whenever the pager signaled, the person would give a self-report of their feelings, thoughts, and mood. Within each family triad (groups comprised of mother-father-adolescent) that partook in shared scenarios daily, self-reports indicated that adolescents dealt with circumstances more sensitively. They were three times more likely to “very unhappy” during unfavorable events and five times more likely to respond to favorable events with “very happy”. When reporting psychological states, adolescents felt “self-conscious” or “embarrassed” two to three times more than their parents; contrarily, they felt less “in control” or “interested” in their immediate lives as compared to adults. (It’s funny how this article is nearly 20 years old, but it speaks on our behavior to the current moment and hits EVERY mark. Something to consider…)

Well, who needs Six Flags when this is your life?! Ya sé; me siento tan como ti. PERO, as you get older your mind creates a stronger filter, and just as you’re able to decide what matters and what does not, you gain ability to better regulate your emotions and take ownership of situations. Imagine that: turning your life from “Raging Bull” to “Lazy River”... #WhereTheyDoThatAt #MeGusta

- Brandon Avery