Iuvenile vitium est regere non posse impetus.
(Seneca, Troades 250)

Pron = you-when-EE-lay WHI-tee-oom ehst REH-geh-reh nohn POHS-seh IHM-peh-toos.

It is an error of youth not to be able to control one's impulses.

Comment: Ah, that's because:

Adults don't overeat.
Adults don't drink too much.
Adults never spend too much money on things they cannot afford.
Adults never have indiscriminate sex.
Adults never say things they regret.
Adults never lose their temper.
Adults never feel jealous or envious.

Of course, you understand the absurdity of these statements, and so, I hope, the absurdity of a long-held notion that young people are so out of control. No more so than many of their adult counterparts.

The issue, it seems to me, for all human beings, regardless of age is:

1) To feel our feelings. No one gives out brownie points for suppressing the actual notice of our own feelings, passions or emotions. Not only do we not get brownie points for suppressing our feelings, passions and emotions, we get sick if we do.

2) Once we feel our feelings, to start an internal dialogue about what they mean, and how to express that meaning in our lives in a way that help.

Ways that help us, help others (or at least don't hurt others).

3) Recognizing our own feelings enables use to see others more deeply, humanly, compassionately.

I am clear on this: we cannot extend one more ounce of compassion to another that we have not first allowed for ourselves.

And, with reference to this proverb: any adult who finds a young person too impetuous, or out of control with regard to a particular feeling, emotion or passion is telling you that he/she hs not been honest about that feeling, emotion or passion in his/her own life.