--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Complicating matters, adolescent brains…" description: "\"“Complicating matters, adolescent brains are more susceptible to substance abuse and dependence than adult brains, because they’re making so many new s..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab8/jennifer-senior-12574_adolescent_complicating-matters-adolescent-brains-a_2343782.jpg" --- # Complicating matters, adolescent brains are more… ![“Complicating matters, adolescent brains are more susceptible to substance abuse and dependence than adult brains, because they’re making so many new synaptic connections and sloshing around with so much dopamine. Pretty much all quasi-vices to which human beings turn for relief and…” quote by Jennifer Senior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab8/jennifer-senior-12574_adolescent_complicating-matters-adolescent-brains-a_2343782.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab8/jennifer-senior-12574_adolescent_complicating-matters-adolescent-brains-a_2343782.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab8/jennifer-senior-12574_adolescent_complicating-matters-adolescent-brains-a_2343782.jpg) > ““Complicating matters, adolescent brains are more susceptible to substance abuse and dependence than adult brains, because they’re making so many new synaptic connections and sloshing around with so much dopamine. Pretty much all quasi-vices to which human beings turn for relief and escape—drinking, drugs, video games, porn—have longer-lasting and more intense effects in teenagers. It makes acting out especially tempting to them, and it makes their habits especially hard to break.”” [Jennifer Senior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-senior/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Teen brains are highly vulnerable to addictive habits because of rapid neural development and dopamine surges. **In simple terms:** Teenagers easily develop addictions. Key Takeaway Support healthy coping for teens. Themes developmental psychology addiction neuroscience Mood concerned urgent Type educational analytical When to use this quote - school counseling - parental guidance - policy on youth media - health education Key Concepts neuroplasticity dopamine regulation risk behavior Questions to Reflect On - What strategies reduce teen dopamine spikes? - How can families intervene early? A Different Perspective Prevention is hard when social pressures are strong. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adolescent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adolescent/) [Substance abuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/substance-abuse/) [Video games](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/video-games/) [Youth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/youth/) ## Related quotes > [“Research does reveal a genetic disposition to substance abuse, but those who believe their addiction is a disease show less of an inclination to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance/research-does-reveal-a-genetic-disposition-to-substance-abuse-but/) [J.D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance/) > [We expect teachers to handle teenage pregnancy, substance abuse, and the failings of the family. Then we expect them to educate our children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sculley/we-expect-teachers-to-handle-teenage-pregnancy-substance-abuse-and/) [John Sculley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sculley/) > [Substance abuse is a disease which doesn't go away overnight. I'm working hard to overcome it. I did fail my recent drug test. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsay-lohan/substance-abuse-is-a-disease-which-doesn-t-go-away-overnight-i-m/) [Lindsay Lohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsay-lohan/) > [We need to start identifying the triggers that aggravate mental health issues in our society - bullying, social media negativity and anxiety, gender based…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanam-saeed/we-need-to-start-identifying-the-triggers-that-aggravate-mental/) [Sanam Saeed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanam-saeed/) > [“He told us that it was important to eat right, exercise, and treat your body as a temple. But he didn't tell us how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piper-kerman/he-told-us-that-it-was-important-to-eat-right-exercise-and-treat-your/) [Piper Kerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piper-kerman/) > [Having to parent your mother or father is a challenge that way too many teens have to deal with. Teens whose parents are dealing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/having-to-parent-your-mother-or-father-is-a-challenge-that-way-too/) [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) > [“ALCOHOL HAS NO BIOLOGICAL CONNECTION TO ABUSE OR VIOLENCE Alcohol does not directly make people belligerent, aggressive, or violent. There is evidence that certain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lundy-bancroft/alcohol-has-no-biological-connection-to-abuse-or-violence-alcohol/) [Lundy Bancroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lundy-bancroft/) > [Frankly I'm not great with heroin addicts. I tried heroin, but it was by accident. I'm not great with that level of substance abuse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-stipe/frankly-i-m-not-great-with-heroin-addicts-i-tried-heroin-but-it-was/) [Michael Stipe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-stipe/) > [“In the debate over opioid addiction, there’s one group we aren’t hearing from: chronic pain patients, many of whom need to use the drugs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-e-smith-2/in-the-debate-over-opioid-addiction-there-s-one-group-we-aren-t/) S. E. Smith > [I lived in public housing and had to struggle with depression and substance abuse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritchie-torres/i-lived-in-public-housing-and-had-to-struggle-with-depression-and/) [Ritchie Torres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritchie-torres/) > [I'm calling for all responsible Americans to fight back and punish Pepsi for using a man who degrades women, who encourages substance abuse, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-o-reilly/i-m-calling-for-all-responsible-americans-to-fight-back-and-punish/) [Bill O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-o-reilly/) > [My colleagues and I fought to increase the resources to address several things, like maternity, prenatal, and newborn care, and mental health and substance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-mcsally/my-colleagues-and-i-fought-to-increase-the-resources-to-address/) [Martha McSally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-mcsally/) > [“People are the biggest drug addiction in the world, and I mean that quite literally. Take any single substance abuse problem in the world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chad-eastham/people-are-the-biggest-drug-addiction-in-the-world-and-i-mean-that/) [Chad Eastham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chad-eastham/) > [My sister stood up, trembling, and I must admit that I expected her familiar sneer to have taken its usual place on her face.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-robert-lennon/my-sister-stood-up-trembling-and-i-must-admit-that-i-expected-her/) [J. Robert Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-robert-lennon/) > [The biographies are very enlightening because you realise, "Oh my God, all these people I’ve admired - and tried to emulate even - when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eva-mendes/the-biographies-are-very-enlightening-because-you-realise-oh-my-god/) [Eva Mendes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eva-mendes/) ## More by Jennifer Senior > [“SOME OF THE HARDEST parts of parenting never change—like sleep deprivation, which, according to researchers at Queen’s University in Ontario, can in some respects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-senior/some-of-the-hardest-parts-of-parenting-never-change-like-sleep/) [Jennifer Senior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-senior/) > [“Dying, in other words — like combat, like becoming a parent, like any transformative life event — doesn’t always reveal or intensify aspects of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-senior/dying-in-other-words-like-combat-like-becoming-a-parent-like-any/) [Jennifer Senior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-senior/) > [“Our stories may not always be pleasant as they’re being lived. They can in fact be just the opposite, acquiring a warm hue only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-senior/our-stories-may-not-always-be-pleasant-as-they-re-being-lived-they/) [Jennifer Senior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-senior/) > [“As parents, we sometimes mistakenly assume that things were always this way. They weren't. The modern family is just that - modern - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-senior/as-parents-we-sometimes-mistakenly-assume-that-things-were-always/) [Jennifer Senior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-senior/) > [“More than almost anything else, the experience of parenthood exposes the gulf between our experiencing and remembering selves. Our experiencing selves tell researchers that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-senior/more-than-almost-anything-else-the-experience-of-parenthood-exposes/) [Jennifer Senior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-senior/) > [“But the truth is, there's little even the most organized people can do to prepare themselves for having children. They can buy all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-senior/but-the-truth-is-there-s-little-even-the-most-organized-people-can-do/) [Jennifer Senior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-senior/) > [“THE SENTIMENTALIZATION OF CHILDHOOD has produced a great many paradoxes. The most curious, however, may be that children have acquired more and more stuff…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-senior/the-sentimentalization-of-childhood-has-produced-a-great-many/) [Jennifer Senior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-senior/) > [“In that same lecture, Kahneman confessed that the outsize power of the remembering self mystified him. “Why do we put so much weight on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-senior/in-that-same-lecture-kahneman-confessed-that-the-outsize-power-of-the/) [Jennifer Senior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-senior/) > [“But these gains in freedom for both men and women often seem like a triumph of subtraction rather than addition. Over time, writes Coontz,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-senior/but-these-gains-in-freedom-for-both-men-and-women-often-seem-like-a/) [Jennifer Senior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-senior/) > [“He just has to step away from the moment to see it. Which isn’t surprising. Lots of parents will tell you that when they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-senior/he-just-has-to-step-away-from-the-moment-to-see-it-which-isn-t/) [Jennifer Senior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-senior/) > [“One could simply say it’s a legitimate fear-response, a reasonable and deeply internalized reaction to a shrinking economic pie.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-senior/one-could-simply-say-it-s-a-legitimate-fear-response-a-reasonable-and/) [Jennifer Senior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-senior/) > [“If one takes meaning into consideration, happiness might best be described as “a zest for life in all its complexity,” as Sissela Bok writes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-senior/if-one-takes-meaning-into-consideration-happiness-might-best-be/) [Jennifer Senior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-senior/) > [“Having worked so hard to have children, parents may feel it's only natural to expect happiness from the experience. And they'll find happiness of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-senior/having-worked-so-hard-to-have-children-parents-may-feel-it-s-only/) [Jennifer Senior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-senior/) > [“That women bring home the bacon, fry it up, serve it for breakfast, and use its greasy remains to make candles for their children's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-senior/that-women-bring-home-the-bacon-fry-it-up-serve-it-for-breakfast-and/) [Jennifer Senior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-senior/) > [“And if that’s the case—if we are our remembering selves—then it matters far less how we feel moment to moment with our children. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-senior/and-if-that-s-the-case-if-we-are-our-remembering-selves-then-it/) [Jennifer Senior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-senior/) [Explore all 54 Jennifer Senior quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-senior/) ## More Adolescent quotes > [“Adolescent youths cry out for us to help them contextualize their life experiences.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gurian/adolescent-youths-cry-out-for-us-to-help-them-contextualize-their/) [Michael Gurian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gurian/) > [“It’s too easy to follow bad but attractive leaders, embrace pleasurable but destructive habits, ignore looming disaster because maybe it won’t happen after all—or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-e-butler/it-s-too-easy-to-follow-bad-but-attractive-leaders-embrace/) [Octavia E. Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-e-butler/) > [“I will never be crazy," repeats the adolescent hero to herself. "I will never get killed. I have to grow up.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-will-never-be-crazy-repeats-the-adolescent-hero-to-herself-i-will/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A lot of people pass off adolescent depression as something trivial.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lacey-sturm/a-lot-of-people-pass-off-adolescent-depression-as-something-trivial/) [Lacey Sturm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lacey-sturm/) > [Why do people stop developing, or, like they stop the way you can rate their, psychologically, their development? Where they stop, and just from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edie-sedgwick/why-do-people-stop-developing-or-like-they-stop-the-way-you-can-rate/) [Edie Sedgwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edie-sedgwick/) > [There's only one thing harder than living in a home with an adolescent - and that's being an adolescent. The moodiness, the volatility, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-kluger/there-s-only-one-thing-harder-than-living-in-a-home-with-an/) [Jeffrey Kluger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-kluger/) > [Mozart was very much an arrested adolescent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-curry/mozart-was-very-much-an-arrested-adolescent/) [Tim Curry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-curry/) > [When I was nine, we moved to Stanford University in San Francisco so that my father could do a Ph.D. I went to Terman…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-lawrence/when-i-was-nine-we-moved-to-stanford-university-in-san-francisco-so/) [Caroline Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-lawrence/) > [“There is so much woman in many a girl and too much boy in many a man.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/there-is-so-much-woman-in-many-a-girl-and-too-much-boy-in-many-a-man/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“I've had a great deal of experience with adolescents over the centuries, and I've discovered that as a group these awkward half children take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-ve-had-a-great-deal-of-experience-with-adolescents-over-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Adolescents are still children in that they can't yet tell the difference between make believe and fiction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-o-neill/adolescents-are-still-children-in-that-they-can-t-yet-tell-the/) [Heather O'Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-o-neill/) > [“Capture your youth, while you can.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-liccione/capture-your-youth-while-you-can/) [Anthony Liccione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-liccione/) > [Adults forget the depths of languor into which the adolescent mind decends with ease. They are prone to undervalue the mental growth that occurs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/adults-forget-the-depths-of-languor-into-which-the-adolescent-mind/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Music, especially as an adolescent, helps to build identity because that's when people start developing a sense of self. You can kind of tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aloe-blacc/music-especially-as-an-adolescent-helps-to-build-identity-because/) [Aloe Blacc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aloe-blacc/) > [Babies did not attract me, and I was altogether without the maternal sense so highly developed in small and adolescent girls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-levi-montalcini/babies-did-not-attract-me-and-i-was-altogether-without-the-maternal/) [Rita Levi-Montalcini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-levi-montalcini/) [Browse all 151 Adolescent quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adolescent/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Complicating matters, adolescent brains are more susceptible to substance abuse and dependence than adult brains, because they’re making so many new synaptic connections and sloshing around with so much dopamine. 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