The underlying themes everyone is talking about
Adolescence as a part of the lifespan is a wild ride; messy, beautiful and often confusing. Netflix’s series Adolescence captures this pivotal life stage with raw honesty, showing the emotional lows of teenage years and the current context of being a teen, at least in the UK. But beyond the drama, the show offers a rich exploration of psychological themes that mirror what many teens are experiencing in real life.
Adolescence is not just entertainment, but a deeply human story about growth, peer pressure, pain, and finding purpose. Whilst the subject matter and crime in question are not common experiences amongst teens, the underlying themes it highlights are.
Here we explore some of the show’s core psychological themes (don’t worry we’ve deliberately left out any spoilers!), and how ACT can help make sense of them.
1. “Who am I?” – The search for identity
One of the central struggles in Adolescence is identity. Characters are constantly asking, “who am I, really?” They experiment with social groups, values, and beliefs. This mirrors what Erik Erikson called the stage of identity vs. confusion, where teens are figuring out who they are in a complex world.
ACT insight:
Rather than forcing a fixed answer to “who am I?”, ACT encourages flexibility. Through self-as-context, ACT helps young people notice that they are more than their thoughts, feelings, or roles. They’re not just “the anxious one” or “the outsider”, they are the awareness behind all those experiences. This perspective creates space for self-compassion and growth.
2. The pressure to belong
From cliques to social media to fear of exclusion, Adolescence shows the intense need for peer acceptance. The pain of rejection or feeling like you don’t fit in is very real, and often shapes behaviour.
ACT insight:
ACT doesn’t try to get rid of difficult emotions like loneliness or embarrassment. Instead, it teaches acceptance, the skill of making room for discomfort while staying connected to what matters. If a teen values kindness or authenticity, they can learn to move toward those values even when they feel awkward or afraid of judgment.
3. Mental health struggles & emotional overload
Characters in the show grapple with grief, anxiety, anger and trauma. They often lack the skills or support to cope, which leads to shutdowns and explosive behaviour.
ACT insight:
ACT focuses on psychological flexibility – the ability to stay present, open up to what’s hard, and act in line with values. One key skill is defusion, which helps teens notice their thoughts (“I’m worthless,” “I’ll never be happy”) without getting entangled in them. Instead of fighting their inner world, they can learn to gently unhook from painful stories and choose what kind of person they want to be.
4. Family conflict & the need for autonomy
There is the insinuation that some of the characters are caught in push-pull dynamics with their parents; wanting freedom but also craving (and needing) support. This is of particular relevance with the main character, and their parents reflecting on how they missed opportunities for connection. This, coupled with the experience of the victim’s grieving best friend, speaks to miscommunication, dishonesty, unmet expectations, and emotional distance that can cause conflict during these formative years.
ACT insight:
Teens want to live by their values, not just follow rules or rebel for the sake of it. ACT helps clarify what matters to them, whether that be freedom, respect, honesty, creativity etc. It can teach them how to build a life around those values. When teens articulate these values, it can shift the parent-teen dynamic from power struggles to meaningful conversations.
5. Risk-taking and impulsivity
Criminal behaviour, which in this show encompasses impulsivity, is a key aspect of the show. There are also references to other risky behaviours, such as photos shared without permission. These issues, along with substance use, risky sex, and impulsive choices are common in real life adolescence. But rather than judging or pathologising these behaviours, Adolescence gives context: emotional overwhelm, lack of coping skills, or simply the drive to feel something.
ACT insight:
ACT doesn’t preach. Instead, it helps teens notice the consequences of their actions in a compassionate way. It asks: Does this behaviour take you closer to or further from the life you want? It’s not about being perfect but instead about being awake and empowered in your choices.
6. Exploring sexuality and gender identity
Adolescence portrays a range of gender expressions and sexual identities, showing the messiness of discovering who you are and who you want to be. The show identifies the contextual factors that are very relevant to the teenage years, and the power of these ‘ideologies’ to a teenage mind.
ACT insight:
ACT supports authentic living, even when it’s hard. Teens navigating identity questions can learn to hold uncertainty with openness, defuse from internalised shame or fear, and connect with their truth. Living in alignment with one’s values becomes the guiding compass; something the show highlights does not happen with certain characters.
How ACT can be a compass through the chaos
Netflix’s Adolescence doesn’t sugarcoat the teenage years, and neither does ACT. Instead of offering quick fixes or toxic positivity, ACT offers a roadmap for being human. It helps teens make space for tough emotions, unhook from painful thoughts, and build a life based on what truly matters.
In a world full of noise, ACT helps young people tune into something deeper, their own values, strength, and potential. And that, in our view, is where it really shines.