Living Alone at 18

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Living alone is an aspiration of most teenagers. However, the legal age to live alone in the United Sates is 18. Some may say that 18 is a good age, and even say it should be lowered. But, recent researches have shown that a teen’s brain is not developed as earlier believed. It may be something a teenager wants to do, but is not ready for. Teenagers do not have the ability to live alone before, or at, the age of 18.
Being a ‘teenager’ is said to be between the ages of 13-19, due to the ages ending with the word teen. Although this response is logical, the human brain is not completely developed until after the age of 19. A recent study suggest, “The physical changes associated with puberty begin as early as 7 or 8 years of age and are generally completed by age 16-18, while the psychological changes associated with adolescence occur between the ages of 12 and 21.”(Modulation of Adolescent Brain). To summarize, the human brain does not completely overcome puberty effects until age 21. Thus, most are unable to have adult-like thoughts. If an 18 year-old was allowed to live alone, they may not be mentally mature enough to live. The psychological mindset is not safe for a teen to be living by oneself.
Up until age 18, a child starts to rely less on a parent and towards one’s self. This adjustment cannot be verified to be immediate. A teenager cannot be rely on or understand how to fulfill the financial requirements of living alone. Sue Headley offers, “A number of possible reasons for this increase in self-direction include a capitalist discourse that encourages individual accountability, a need for young people to react to increased financial on their parents, a lack of awareness of outside influences in ‘personal’ decisions, and a...

... middle of paper ...

...ences and make spot on decisions, there is a lower chance of successful living. Therefore, the age at which a person lives alone, currently at the age of 18, should be raised to a higher age due to the brain development and decision making process of a teen.

Work Cited
Cortes, Manuel E., et al.” Endocrine modulation of the adolescent brain: a review” Bulletin of
Ovulation Method Researched & Reference Centre of Australia 39.1 (2012): 2+.
Academic OneFile. Web. 5 Feb. 2014.
Headley, Sue. “Adolescent decision-making: a Comparison of adult and teenage perspectives in
New Zealand.” Youth studies Australia. Dec. 2003: 61. General OneFile. Web. 4 Feb.
2014.
“Teenagers can’t help it.” New Statesman [1996] 14 June 2010: 18. General OneFile. Web. 6
Feb. 2014.
“Teens not ready to live alone.” USA Today [Magazine] Jan. 1993: 5. General OneFile. Web. 6
Feb. 2014.

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