- Helping Teenagers with Stress
By: The American Academy
of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
- No. 66; Updated May 2005
Teenagers, like adults, may experience
stress everyday and can benefit from learning stress management
skills. Most teens experience more stress when they perceive
a situation as dangerous, difficult, or painful and they do not
have the resources to cope. Some sources of stress for teens
might include:
* school demands and frustrations
* negative thoughts and feelings about themselves
* changes in their bodies
* problems with friends and/or peers at school
* unsafe living environment/neighborhood
* separation or divorce of parents
* chronic illness or severe problems in the family
* death of a loved one
* moving or changing schools
* taking on too many activities or having too high expectations
* family financial problems
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Some teens become overloaded
with stress. When it happens, inadequately managed stress can
lead to anxiety, withdrawal, aggression, physical illness, or
poor coping skills such as drug and/or alcohol use.
When we perceive a situation
as difficult or painful, changes occur in our minds and bodies
to prepare us to respond to danger. This "fight, flight,
or freeze” response includes faster heart and breathing
rate, increased blood to muscles of arms and legs, cold or clammy
hands and feet, upset stomach and/or a sense of dread.
The same mechanism that turns
on the stress response can turn it off. As soon as we decide
that a situation is no longer dangerous, changes can occur in
our minds and bodies to help us relax and calm down. This "relaxation
response” includes decreased heart and breathing rate and
a sense of well being. Teens that develop a "relaxation
response” and other stress management skills feel less helpless
and have more choices when responding to stress. |
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Parents can help their teen in
these ways:
* Monitor if stress is affecting
their teen's health, behavior, thoughts, or feelings
* Listen carefully to teens and watch for overloading
* Learn and model stress management skills
* Support involvement in sports and other pro-social activities
Teens can decrease stress with
the following behaviors and techniques:
* Exercise and eat regularly
* Avoid excess caffeine intake which can increase feelings
of anxiety and agitation
* Avoid illegal drugs, alcohol and tobacco
* Learn relaxation exercises (abdominal breathing and muscle
relaxation techniques)
* Develop assertiveness training skills. For example, state
feelings in polite firm and not overly aggressive or passive
ways: ("I feel angry when you yell at me” "Please
stop yelling.”)
* Rehearse and practice situations which cause stress. One
example is taking a speech class if talking in front of a class
makes you anxious
* Learn practical coping skills. For example, break a large
task into smaller, more attainable tasks
* Decrease negative self talk: challenge negative thoughts
about yourself with alternative neutral or positive thoughts.
"My life will never get better” can be transformed
into "I may feel hopeless now, but my life will probably
get better if I work at it and get some help”
* Learn to feel good about doing a competent or "good
enough” job rather than demanding perfection from yourself
and others
* Take a break from stressful situations. Activities like
listening to music, talking to a friend, drawing, writing, or
spending time with a pet can reduce stress
* Build a network of friends who help you cope in a positive
way
By using these and other techniques,
teenagers can begin to manage stress. If a teen talks about or
shows signs of being overly stressed, a consultation with a child
and adolescent psychiatrist or qualified mental health professional
may be helpful.
For additional information see
Facts for Families:
#4 The Depressed
Child
#47 The Anxious Child
#24 When to Seek Help
See Also: Your Child (1998 Harper Collins) / Your Adolescent
(1999 Harper Collins).
Copyright © 1997 by the
American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. |
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