Stress is a normal physiological response that serves a purpose, but stress that continues for a long time without relief causes physical and emotional illness. For teens, this type of unrelenting stress is often caused by the normal and expected challenges they face as they begin adolescence and move toward adulthood.
Stress
The body's response to stress is called the "Fight or Flight" response. Its purpose is to give the body the energy it needs to face the stressful situation. To do this the body automatically increases the heart rate along with the blood supply to the heart and brain, makes more glucose available for quick energy, and breathing becomes more rapid. All of these responses are caused by hormones that return to normal levels once the stress goes away, but if stress remains high then so do the hormone levels. That's when they negatively affect many body systems.
Sources of Teenage Stress
Teens face many sources of constant stress. Their bodies are changing and hormones are kicking into high gear. These changes frequently result in lack of confidence and negative thoughts about their bodies or abilities. Even if they are confident, peers can quickly diminish their self-assurance as pressure about an attractive body, emphasis on fashion or keeping up with the latest fads, and expectations about alcohol or drug use become part of the daily routine. Academic pressure is intense as success on standardized exams impacts future graduation or college plans. On top of it all, teens are dealing with the classic struggle for independence, which means tension between parents and huge life decisions. Additional stress may be present in the form of socialization issues or at home where fighting and financial pressures may exist.
Signs of Stress
One of the first signs of stress is poor performance at school or inability to perform daily activities. Depression can be a sign of stress, which shows as low mood, lack of energy, irritability, changes in appetite, and difficulty sleeping or sleeping too much. At its worst, depression is expressed by thoughts of death or suicide. Other emotional manifestations are increased anxiety and constant worrying. Teens may begin to skip school or they may start to use alcohol or drugs. Behaviors that suddenly appear are also potential symptoms. These include self-harm, unusual anger or aggression, oppositional behavior, threats of running away, or even potentially criminal behaviors such as stealing or vandalism.
Parents Role
Signs of too much stress call for parental intervention. Under peer pressure, teens may desperately need limits from parents. Stressful situations can happen quickly and unexpectedly (death, trauma, natural disaster) causing a sudden severe stress response. Yet it is also possible for the normal causes of teenage stress to persist for such a long time that the effect accumulates slowly. When this happens, teens may not even be aware of how the stress is impacting behavior. Parents need to be involved enough in their child's life to see the causes and intervene when the stress becomes overwhelming.
Stress Management
It's the standard advice but it definitely helps keep stress under control: Eat a well-balanced diet, get regular exercise, avoid excess caffeine, drugs, alcohol or tobacco, and get enough sleep. It also helps to take a break and relax, listen to music, or talk to someone. If anxiety and depression don't improve, or if you feel unable to manage the stress, don't hesitate to seek professional help.
Tags: long time, Teenage Stress