Inside Out 2: The Difficulties of Adolescence

BY : Elizabeth Salazar (journalist), member of the WT Collaborative Journalism Program and vice president of SIGNIS Chile

It was in 2015 when “Inside Out” was released with great critical success and positive reception from the public. For this reason, there was much interest when its second part was announced: “Inside Out 2”. This time, the plot shows us the character of Riley beginning her adolescence, so she experiences the physical and emotional changes that occur during this stage, so that the “headquarters” made up of the characters that personify the different emotions of the first film, suffers a demolition to make room for the new emotions that will arrive: anxiety, shame, envy and boredom.

Psychologist Alejandro Caro points out what happens emotionally with teenagers. “It is a stage of profound transformations, physical, hormonal, social, and it will influence what they will do. They feel the pressure of making decisions that could affect their future lives.” This is perceived in the film. In Riley’s case, she participates in a hockey team, which makes her feel the need to perform well so that her peers see her with admiration. Alejandro Caro adds that: “teenagers become egocentric, but also vulnerable, which could generate impulsive behaviors.” This is also reflected in the attitudes of the protagonist, who takes some actions to fit into new circles.

At this stage of life, in the case of women – due to the gender norms still prevalent in society – there are certain things that can make them feel deeply insecure, such as acne marks that appear just on the day of an important match, to the point of being considered a very big tragedy. Hormonal changes, without a doubt, have an impact on life, generating a whirlwind of emotions, as IntensaMente manages to convey so well.

In particular, it has been highlighted that one of the new emotions that appears in the film is anxiety. When the orange character that represents anxiety was revealed, many people on social media expressed feeling identified and revealed themselves to be anxious. Asked about anxiety, Caro tells us: “This is characterized in children and young people by external demands, because they feel that they are being asked for more than they can give, which generates intense anxiety. This emotional burden could even lead to sleep disorders, eating disorders and in some cases even the use of harmful substances.” In addition to this, the psychologist emphasizes that it occurs in a similar way in adults: “we live in a society where the demand to have things makes us work excessively. Anxiety is marked by external demands, which I cannot achieve or that if I achieve, it will require a very intense emotional burden from me.”

With a lot of humor and intelligence, “Inside Out 2” takes us on an emotional journey that brings out a lot of smiles, as well as inviting us to reflect on the experience of inhabiting emotions during such a crucial stage of life as adolescence.

https://womantimes.com/intensa-mente-2-las-dificultades-de-la-adolescencia/