Emotional changes are among the normal occurrences accompanying puberty in adolescents resulting from hormonal changes and fluctuations. Adolescents tend to become moody, show a sense of belonging and understanding towards friends more than to family and show less empathy towards parents and more towards their peers and what they think of them. This is why they care about their appearance and what they wear and are more likely to spend most of their time by themselves in their rooms. Adolescents are also known to be emotional and sensitive during this period with sudden and abrupt reactions.

Mood swings are quite normal; a change in mood is usually related to the way adolescents perceive the situations they are going through. Adolescents’ reactions to these events may seem extreme, but that does not necessarily indicate that there is an underlying problem. Mood swings come as a result of a number of factors, such as hormonal changes as well as the way certain situations are perceived and interpreted. All of this when put together makes an adolescent’s feelings seem volatile, unexpected, or unpredictable.

Emotional sensitivity is one of the most significant features of this stage, and it may surface in the form of bouts of sadness, anger, or other uncomfortable feelings.

It may also not be fitting for the current situation, and it varies in intensity and strength, fluctuating between rising or falling down. Emotional sensitivity can be confusing, especially if motives were unclear, but when realized in time, this sensitivity can be harnessed to benefit oneself and others as well and manage reactions in a better, more effective way. 

Sadness is a normal feeling experienced by all individuals and results from the loss of an important person or thing. The reasons for this feeling vary according to individuals and their cultures. Although it is an uncomfortable feeling, it is an indication of the individual's need and cry for help. Reasons for the occurrence of bouts of sadness in adolescents vary, as they are either due to emotional oversensitivity, or because of immature interpretations of situations and happenings that they experience, resulting from the nature of the age stage they are going through.

Anxiety is an uncomfortable feeling, but it serves a purpose as it is associated with achievement. A little anxiety can somehow be beneficial, but if it exceeds its limits, it could hinder performance. Anxiety is associated with a feeling of helplessness in facing daily life challenges. Anxiety manifests in certain physical symptoms such as rapid heartbeat or palpitations, a feeling of suffocation, stomach pain, headaches, and sweating. It is expected that adolescents will experience these feelings as a result of a group of psychological, social and ideological struggles imposed on them during this phase.

Deep breathing technique is one of the best techniques for solving many psychological and physical problems because of its ability to give the individual a sense of comfort and relaxation. Deep breathing is often recommended by psychologists, and it can be learned and practiced easily and almost everywhere. 

A certain degree of loneliness in adolescents is quite normal, and is associated with the adolescent's tendency to lethargy, which is also a characteristic of this stage.

The adolescent's feeling of loneliness may be attributed to not being understood and not being a part of the adult world. Adults' recourse to criticism and continuous and persistent instructions increases their sensitivity and failure to express themselves appropriately because of lack of proper life skills. Moreover, the adolescent's quest for independence as a way to find an identity of his own would create feelings of loneliness. 

The sensitive developmental stage and physical changes the adolescent goes through affect the way they perceive their body image, especially if accompanied by some comments from parents or the surroundings. It is common knowledge that adolescents are embarrassed with the physical changes. This feeling of embarrassment could be generic i.e. within and outside the family, or it could be associated with certain situations, such as social situations, for example. 

Although mood swings and emotional over sensitivity are among the most noticeable features of this stage, parents still need to monitor these changes.

If sadness, irritability, anger, or other negative feelings persist for more than two weeks, it may be a cause for concern. If the adolescent cries a lot for no apparent reason, if they express feelings of hopelessness or unworthiness, if they experience intense guilt or fixates on what they perceive as past failures, these are all possible symptoms of depression.

Signs of depression can also be manifested by difficulty going through the usual daily routine, such as waking up in the morning on time, going to school or finishing homework. Changes in sleep pattern and appetite changes, lack of energy, problems concentrating or making decisions, and neglecting one’s appearance are all signs of depression as well.

If symptoms of sadness, irritability, or anger persist for more than two weeks in such a manner that deter the adolescent from carrying out their usual tasks, then this is an indication of depression, and a specialist or psychiatrist should be consulted. You may also want to refer to the school counsellor. 

Thinking about the future is a sign of maturity, and it is natural for feelings of anxiety to accompany this way of thinking. Anxiety becomes more intense whenever there are failures and setbacks in the past.

In the early stages of an adolescent's life, the future does not mean much to them, but in later stages they feel that there are many challenges and responsibilities they will have to face soon, so anxiety about the future appears because they feel that they will not be able to cope with these responsibilities. 

Adolescents need eight to ten hours of sleep a day; it is important to adjust their biological clock by going to sleep and waking up at the same time.

Many factors may affect good quality sleep, such as anxiety, fear, and lack of achievement, in addition to not following healthy sleep habits. Some adolescents may resort to sedatives to help them sleep, but that would worsen the problem as they may become dependent on them in future.