1. What is the difference between puberty and adolescence?

Although the terms may be synonymous with each other or sometimes interchangeable,
the two words actually refer to different changes that occur on an individual. Puberty in a
sense is a biological function wherein a body undergoes changes for it to be ready for
reproduction. The changes that may occur on the body varies from one gender to the other.
Puberty in itself is independent of an individual’s adolescence and it may occur on an
individual’s early teenage years. The process comes to a halt when a person’s body has
reached its sexual maturity.
Adolescence on the other hand refers to a person’s psychological changes as they age. It
is usually considered as a transition between childhood and adulthood. It’s starting point may
or may not overlap when a person begins to undergo puberty, but unlike puberty which ends
when a person has completely undergone their physical changes, the end point of this stage
varies. In some areas they consider an individual to be an adolescent is when they have
reached the age of majority.
2. What are the physiological changes, both male and female, that occur in puberty?
The male and female undergo through different physiological changes in the puberty
stage. When a boy reaches this stage, the changes in their bodies are fueled by the rise of
testosterone level. This encourages the growth of the testicles, penis, and pubic hair. Their
voices begin to deepen as the larynx and vocal cords begin to enlarge.
On the other hand, when a girl reaches the puberty stage, their changes are fueled by the
production of two hormones, estrogen and progesterone. An increase in the estrogen levels
inside the body causes the breast the enlarge while also helping the vagina, uterus, and
fallopian tubes to develop. It also controls the distribution of fat around the waist area to
make the waist, hips, and bullocks more pronounced. Progesterone alongside estrogen allows
for the regulation of the menstrual cycle of females.
3. What are the psychological changes that take place?
The physical changes brought about to the body during puberty may also bring about a
variety of social and emotional changes to a child. First and foremost, these bodily changes
may alter the needs, interests, and moods of an individual. One of these needs that may be
affected is sleep. The body’s sleep-wake cycle is affected by the hormones produced by the
body in puberty. The natural shift caused on the body makes teens likely to be more alert at
night. Females are most likely to have mood swings during their puberty stage. In a study
conducted by Sheryl Smith a certain hormone that helps calm females in response to stress.
However the same hormone can increase anxiety during puberty. Other psychological
changes include low self-esteem in response to their bodily changes assertion of one’s
independence because of their tendency to feel that they are entering adulthood.
4. What changes have you experienced for yourself?
 While I’m not entirely sure if I’ve already went past my puberty stage, I do find my body
is a lot more different than it was maybe around 5 years ago. I used to be fat, below 5 ft 5
inches, and my voice was at a higher pitch before. I do think that I have hit all the checklists
when it comes to male puberty. I’ve become taller and leaner. My voice began to deepen at
around 12-13 years old. Pubic hair is now present where it should be present siand my facial
hair has started growing every now and then.