Last week, I watched Adolescence on Netflix as everyone around me was buzzing about it.
They said it made them cry, triggered old memories, or left them thinking about their past for days afterward.
At first, I thought it was just hype.
But then I watched it, and wow, it struck a nerve I hadn’t expected.
Why does a simple coming-of-age story affect so many of us so deeply?
In my view, it’s because certain childhood wounds don’t really disappear. They hide in our subconscious, waiting for a familiar scene or emotional beat to bring them back to the surface.
Below, I’ll share 9 common childhood experiences that might be the real reason Adolescence feels so personal—and so painful—to watch.
1. Growing up with emotional neglect
When I was younger, I had friends who couldn’t share their true feelings at home. They’d get brushed off or told, “You’re just too sensitive,” so they learned to keep everything inside.
Adolescence portrays characters who feel alone in their struggles, and that’s a powerful reminder of what it’s like to have nowhere to turn.
According to an article in The Blog Herald, many viewers found themselves unexpectedly emotional because the film triggered buried memories of being unseen or overlooked.
Even small moments — like a parent ignoring a child’s anxiety — can leave scars that never truly fade.
When those wounds are poked, we might either shut down or find ourselves reliving those old emotions all over again.
That’s why a seemingly simple teenage drama can land like a punch in the gut.
2. Feeling responsible for everyone else’s happiness
Growing up, I was the middle child, so I often tried to keep the peace. I’d pick up on everyone’s moods and believe it was my job to smooth things over.
This kind of emotional caretaking might sound sweet, but it can become a heavy load to carry.
In Adolescence, we see characters who feel pressured to maintain harmony — whether it’s pleasing their parents or fitting a mold at school.
This can resonate deeply if you spent your childhood afraid of disappointing others.
I know that for me, this sense of responsibility led to an underlying anxiety: “What if I fail them?”
It’s part of why I enrolled in Rudá Iandê’s Free Your Mind masterclass a few years back. I realized I was weighed down by limiting beliefs that I had to fix everything around me.
Through Rudá’s teachings, I discovered that underneath my worries was a deep fear of not being lovable unless I was useful.
The exercises pushed me to question my old assumptions and break free from that role.
I don’t share details about how those exercises work—that’s for the course itself—but it was eye-opening to see how much energy I’d invested in caretaking.
3. Exposure to toxic masculinity
Many boys grow up inundated with skewed notions of masculinity — being told to “man up” or suppress emotions.
Adolescence delves into this toxic culture, showcasing how such pressures can lead to aggression and emotional suppression.
Jamie’s interactions reveal the damaging effects of these societal expectations, emphasizing the need to redefine strength as emotional openness rather than dominance.
4. Having strict or overprotective parents
Some families have rules for everything—from how you speak at the dinner table to the hobbies you choose.
While structure can be beneficial, too much control can stifle a child’s sense of self.
Adolescence shines a light on teen characters struggling under high expectations.
They’re told, “Do this, don’t do that,” until they barely know what they actually want.
An article on CNN discussed how the show captures the real pressure many teens face when constantly monitored by watchful parents.
If your childhood mirrored that environment, the tense relationships between child and authority in the film might feel like an echo of your own past.
When you watch a character fight to carve out their identity against rigid boundaries, it can stir up hidden memories of times you felt trapped — or worse, voiceless — in your own home.
5. Witnessing conflict you couldn’t resolve
I can recall several moments as a kid, hearing my parents argue in another room and feeling helpless.
No matter how hard I tried to distract myself, I’d lie awake wondering what would happen next. Whether it’s loud confrontations or silent tension, growing up around conflict can shape how you respond to stress as an adult.
In Adolescence, some of the most gripping scenes revolve around family turmoil that the teenage characters can’t possibly fix.
That helplessness can be a direct mirror of your own experiences if you grew up wishing you had the power—or the right words—to calm everything down.
As you watch arguments unfold on screen, it might reignite feelings of anxiety you thought you’d outgrown.
It’s intense and can leave you feeling raw, especially when the show cuts too close to home.
6. Lack of affirmation for individuality
Sometimes, all we want as kids is a pat on the back for who we are—no strings attached. But if you rarely heard praise or acceptance for being yourself, you might grow up second-guessing every choice.
Adolescence depicts young people struggling to fit in, both with peers and at home.
If you recognized yourself in those scenes, it could be a sign you once felt that you had to earn affection or admiration by changing yourself.
In an article on Vulture, the discussion around whether the show is based on real events highlights how authentic it feels to anyone who’s yearned for validation but never received it.
That longing might still exist today — waiting for someone to notice your unique spark. Seeing characters battle similar issues is a stark reminder of what it’s like to hunger for acceptance.
7. Experiencing a major loss or separation
When I was in my teens, a good friend moved away suddenly, and I felt like my world changed overnight.
Loss can come in many forms—divorce, death, or even the disappearance of a close friend.
Those early experiences can teach you that nothing is guaranteed, and that fear of abandonment sticks.
Many of the themes in Adolescence revolve around letting go — of people, of childhood illusions, of certain hopes. If you’ve been through a big loss, you might find yourself tearing up at scenes that depict a character losing someone they love.
The reason it stings is that it taps into a universal truth: when we lose something precious in childhood, we might carry that ache well into adulthood.
No matter how much we bury it, stories like Adolescence can pry it back up to the surface.
8. The sting of social exclusion
Remember those moments in school when you felt like an outsider?
Perhaps you were left out of group activities or sensed an invisible barrier between you and your peers.
Adolescence captures this isolation poignantly through Jamie’s experiences, highlighting how social exclusion can drive individuals toward alternative communities—sometimes with detrimental consequences.
In the series, Jamie’s detachment from his classmates makes him susceptible to online forums that offer a semblance of belonging.
This mirrors real-life scenarios where marginalized youths seek acceptance in virtual spaces, often exposing themselves to harmful ideologies.
9. Feeling pressure to grow up too fast
Some kids have to mature quickly — maybe they had younger siblings to look after, or their household finances demanded they contribute early on.
While there’s nothing wrong with learning responsibility, skipping normal childhood milestones can take a toll.
In Adolescence, certain characters bear more adult burdens than they can handle, reflecting the reality many of us faced. You might’ve become the “problem solver” or “mini-adult,” always on the lookout for what could go wrong next.
Looking back, I see how carrying adult worries before I was ready fueled my anxiety.
It can also leave us feeling robbed of a carefree youth, and that sense of loss can be particularly painful to watch unfold on screen.
When a storyline captures that experience — being forced to grow up too soon — it hits a raw nerve that’s hard to ignore.
Conclusion
We don’t always realize how deeply our childhood shapes our adult emotions — until we see a story like Adolescence that brings it all rushing back.
Adolescence resonates deeply because it holds up a mirror to experiences many of us have faced during our formative years.
If Jamie’s story feels familiar, it’s because it echoes the collective challenges of growing up in a complex world.
The good news is, awareness is the first step toward healing.
And it’s never too late to rewrite your story.
For me, exploring these issues meant diving into Rudá Iandê’s Free Your Mind masterclass. Revisiting his teachings reminded me that we all have the capacity to challenge old assumptions and grow beyond them.
The exercises helped me break free from the notion that my worth depended on everyone else’s happiness.
Here at DM News, we believe in turning self-awareness into real change.
So why not take a closer look? A little courage and curiosity can lead you toward the life you truly deserve.
