Stress is a normal part of life but sometimes it becomes overwhelming and we are not sure how best to deal with it. We have probably all said ‘I’m stressed’ without giving too much weight to the words that we are using. Dealing with chronic teenage stress is different and can lead to physical and emotional issues.
Today, many teens are dealing with stress and emotional problems and in these cases, it is crucial to find a solution to deal with this teenage stress as soon as possible.
Stress is defined as how your body reacts to changes around you. It can be positive in small doses as stress can push you to study for exams or complete a piece of work to a deadline. However for some teenagers prolonged high levels of stress can be damaging to their health.
At this point it is highly recommended to get treated and find a solution to the problem. Once the key components to the stress are figured out, it is much easier to increase the possibility of overcoming them.
Factors of teenage stress
Research shows that teenagers make up 20 percent of the population, yet one of the major factors causing teen stress is the fact that this generation of people is very neglected, which leads to depression, emotional problems, and wanting of attention. Parents, family, friends, and school are also major factors that lead to teen stress.
Adolescents often feel annoyed at their parents and siblings and want some quiet time for themselves; however it is not easy to get considering parents love to burst in on their kids “bubbles”. When the adolescent finally gets to leave the discomfort of their home, it is time for them to head to school.
Teens can feel very overwhelmed when it comes to having tons of homework (which is why I wrote this post ‘when to start revising for GCSE’s‘ and trying to fit in with their own social cliques. It’s not always easy to be able to join a group of your taste without having to be approved by everyone else. Magazines and ads of famous people or beautiful, skinny women often cause teens to feel like they need to change themselves to be accepted into society, which is why teens need to read top positive role models for 2021 and beyond.
What teenage stress can lead to
Stress can often lead to depression, which if untreated, can have severe consequences such as suicide or the hurting of oneself. There is also the possibility that teens will turn to excessive drinking or smoking to simply calm their nerves and have that feeling of “fitting in.”
Some other effects of teen stress are extreme nervousness or anxiety, loss of appetite, insomnia, or even refusal of going to school. These effects can negatively impact the future lives of teenagers and their health. Teens tend to be more “accident prone” when under higher levels of stress. Finding ways to help them calm down will decrease the chance of this happening.
Make sure you engage with your GP and NHS if you are in the UK as they should be able to offer your teenager some help.
How to deal with teenage stress
Parents can influence their teen to talk to someone such as a therapist or even visit a psychiatrist to discuss the option of taking anti-depressants and how it can help decrease the stress in a teen’s life. Showing and letting them know that you are there for them is very important.
It is also important for teens to ask themselves questions such as: What are the positive things and who are the good people that have influenced their lives? How can they make themselves feel better as a person? What are some positive ways they think will help them deal with their stress? These are some questions teens should think about when trying to deal with these problems.
Read on to discover 10 ways you can help with teenage stress and anxiety. Keep in mind these are general tips. Seek professional medical help if your teen is experiencing anxiety on a regular basis.
Deep breathing techniques
Feeling like you can’t breathe is a common sign of teenage stress and anxiety. That feeling stresses out our mind and body, causing us to breathe and pant faster, worsening the symptom. Sometimes, it’s enough to just stop what you are doing, close your eyes, and a few deep breaths when you start to feel anxious.
If that doesn’t seem to help, you may want to try an actual breathing technique. Focus on the air and let go of what is causing your anxiety as you do this. Breathe in slowly through your nose. Hold for 4-5 seconds, the exhale slowly through your mouth. After several rounds of this, your teenager should start to feel their anxiety lessening and their heart rate returning to normal.
This Toolkit for Anxiety is a great book which you can by when clicking here, the more equipped parents can be the better.
Exercise every day
Physical activity can help you kick your anxiety to the curb in a number of ways. For one, it should be fun. This means you have to find an active hobby you actually enjoy. When we are having fun, we are less likely to worry and stress over things that cause us anxiety.
Choose something you and your teenager like to do to be active, whether it’s jogging together, swimming, or dancing in your living room at home. Even just a daily walk with an uplifting podcast or feel-good music can work wonders for overall mental health.
Exercise also releases endorphins, which helps us feel happier and less stressed and being less stressed can help reduce anxiety and its triggers. I train at the gym with my teenage daughter and it is great fun and we both feel better after a good workout, I always say the hardest part is pulling on your trainers and actually deciding to go! Exercise is an important release from teenage stress and anxiety.
Focus on quality sleep
You must let your brain recharge long enough each night to handle what the next day throws at you. Coming to battle rested and ready to fight can drastically reduce the effect teenage stress and anxiety and its triggers can have on your young adult. Make sure they are getting quality rest each night and encourage good sleep habits.
Unplug from your tech devices at least one hour before laying down. The longer you can go without them before bedtime, the better. Get supportive pillows and mattress, and keep the room temperature comfortable.
Use a white noise machine or run the fan if you need a little noise to lull you to sleep. Also, practice some positive affirmations for both you and your mindset to keep your brain in a positive place throughout the night and into the next morning.
Journal your feelings
Sometimes the best way to help your teenager handle anxiety is to get it out of their mind and onto paper. This includes all the thoughts and feelings that are causing them to feel anxious too. Journaling daily can help your brain release some of the worries, teenage stress and general uneasiness.
In addition to being a healthy release, journaling daily can also help you find patterns or triggers you may not have previously noticed before. This can help your teenager either avoid triggers that are unnecessary or overwhelming as well as overcoming others that might not be as severe as your mind magnifies them to be.
Not sure where to begin? Journal prompts for mental health are a great starting point!
Identify your triggers
Many people feel anxious because their mind or body is triggered by someone or something. It’s always a good time to reevaluate your life, and remove any negative people in it, if you find this happening often.
Consider a job change or a new work environment if going there every day has you filled with anxiety. Make sure you are eating healthy and if possible, avoid sugar and caffeine, as they have been known to increase anxiety symptoms.
Journaling or therapy can help you uncover your triggers so you can learn how to best deal with them. Once you know why you have anxiety, overcoming it becomes easier.
Learn to relax
It’s hard to get rid of teenage stress and anxiety when you are constantly going, going, going. In fact, distracting yourself can make you even more anxious. Working 8+ hours per day on school work and saying “yes” to obligations that don’t really spark joy, in addition to a partner, friends, and a life at home can really run you ragged. You need to make sure you are taking some time for yourself and relaxing at least a few minutes every day.
On the commute from school, listen to some light music or something that puts your mind at ease. Learn to say “no” to anything that doesn’t make you happy or isn’t essential to your life. Prioritize yourself and your feelings, you’re the most important person in your life! Remember that.
Spark joy into your day
Being happier tends to make it harder for anxiety to set up shop in your mind. This won’t be an overnight process, but you can make a conscious effort to be happier little by little. These improvements will likely cause the anxiety to lessen overtime.
You may find happiness in calling family and friends more often. Take up a new hobby you’ve been wanting to try. Watch a silly TV show or movie that makes you laugh and forget the day’s troubles for a couple hours. Your happiness is up to your definition, be sure you are living a life that you enjoy.
Practice self care regularly
It’s easy to forget that your body and mental health need to be taken care of just as much as your home, family, car, and job do. A Self-care Sunday gives you the time your mind needs to relax and wind down, especially during stressful times.
Having lunch with a friend, taking a bubble bath, getting lost in a good book, or enjoying coffee in the garden every morning are just a few ways that you can take care of yourself and, in turn, reduce your anxiety.
Spend time with loved ones
If your anxiety has you cancelling dinner dates or declining invites to parties, now is the time to take a stand. Spending quality time with those we love is great for the soul – and helps to remove those anxious feelings from our minds. Time with friends and family can make you feel like you have a good support system for those times when your anxiety is very bad.
You won’t feel so alone when you are anxious, and more like you can reach out to someone for help. If you’re too anxious to go out with people, you may need new people or different activities in your life!
It’s common for all of us to experience anxiety at one time or another, especially when we are teenagers and still discovering ourselves. If it’s something that happens more often than not for you, the first step is accepting that, and the next is mending that issue. The trick is to learn how to identify the triggers and how to cope with those anxious feelings when they arise. What is your best method for coping with anxiety?
Parents are crucial to helping manage teenage stress and anxiety, our kids may not always appear to be listening but they are like sponges soaking everything up. We need to model how we handle stressful situations and help give them the tools to do the same.
