Normal Disorganization and Distractibility in Adolescence

"Complexity of self-management and diversity of social exposure both increase as one grows through adolescence. For example, now parents can often observe a young person struggling with more disorganization and distractibility at the entry and exit points of growing up. These are in the opening stage, the separation from childhood into early adolescence (ages 9-13), and in the final stage, trial independence and moving out, more on one's own (ages 18-23)."

"What a parent may notice was well-captured by a father's observation of his teenager: "The wheels have come off the truck!" The man saw the overwhelmed young person behaving much more erratically, unable to catch constructive hold and stay focused. "He's totally scattered: He can't pay sustained attention to normal tasks, and can't keep track of all he needs to do!""

"The sober and sometimes disabling realization that the first stage adolescent faces has to do with accepting irrecoverable loss: She or her can never "go back home again" to that simpler, sheltered, more secure world in which they began. Now, old "childish" things like beloved interests, objects, and relationships must be let go to create new freedom to grow. For the coming-of-age journey to begin, developmentally reaching young womanhood or young manhood, growing up requires giving up. Holding on can only hold one back."

Adolescence involves growing complexity in self-management and broader social exposure. Transition points—separation into early adolescence (9–13) and trial independence (18–23)—bring increased disorganization and distractibility. Young people often experience loss of childhood security and must relinquish old interests, objects, and relationships to allow growth. Parents may observe erratic behavior, overwhelmed attention, and difficulty tracking tasks. The traditional childhood self-management system becomes insufficient as demands rise. Increasing mental capacity across adolescence gradually enables better coping with complex tasks and responsibilities, though temporary lapses and scattered functioning are developmentally common at key stages.

Read at Psychology Today