Articles

Anxiety And Stress During Adolescence

Teenagers experience stress every day. Technology, blurred boundaries, academic expectations are just some of the stressors which teens face and it is necessary for them to overcome these stressors so as to live a healthy life. But firstly and most importantly, one should be able to identify the stressors so as to work upon it. Adolescents who fail to recognise their stressors have a potential to develop anxiety, depression, aggression, physical illness and the teen might even reach the stage of drug/alcohol abuse.

Some sources of stress for teens might include:

• Low self-esteem and lack of confidence often leads to negative thoughts and feelings about one’s self, be it about his/her physical appearance or academic performance. This generally is the result of the pressure coming from one’s social environment (school/college).

• Another stressor can be the school demands and frustrations which emerge from them.

• Adolescents go through a lot of changes in their bodies including puberty. For some teens, these physiological changes are difficult to get used to and tend to become anxious and uncomfortable about them.

• Problems with friends and/or peers at school

• It is very important to ensure a teenager about his/her safety. Unsafe living environment- domestic violence or unsafe neighbourhood enables an adolescent to live with a fear free mind and is anxious most of the times.

• Separation or divorce of parents can lead to depression and anxiety in a child.

• chronic illness or severe problems in the family which make the home environment sad and blue

• death of a loved one

• family financial problems

Most teens do not have the skills needed to cope with teen anxiety and these stressors. They often require help from their peers, teachers, guardians and parents.

Parents can help their teen in the following ways:

• Monitor if stress is affecting their teen’s health, behaviour, thoughts, or feelings;

• Listen carefully to teens, give advice and guide them as to handle difficult situations;

• Learn and model stress management skills;

• Support involvement in sports and other pro-social activities as it is very important for a teen to channelize his/her energy and mind.

Teens can decrease stress with the following behaviours 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 “My life will 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. Parents should take an immediate step if a teen talks about or shows signs of being overly stressed so as to avoid consequences in their child’s life.