Stress Management Resources for Teens
Student Stress Less
1.
Academic Stress
From grades to test scores to applying to college, teens experience high levels of school-related stress. Many teens worry about meeting academic demands, pleasing teachers and parents, and keeping up with their classmates. Poor time management skills or feeling overwhelmed by the amount of work can play into academic stress as well.
2.
Social
Stress
Teens place a high value on their social lives. They spend the majority of their waking hours among their peers, and finding and keeping their tribes can include stress at times. Bullying and subtle instances of relational aggression are clear sources of stress on teens, but learning to manage healthy conflict and work through romantic relationships are no easy tasks for the developing teen. Peer pressure is an additional stress during the teen years. In an effort to establish and maintain friendships, teens can engage in behavior outside of their comfort zones to appease their peers.
3.
Traumatic Events
Death of a family member or friend, accidents, sickness, or enduring emotional or physical abuse can have a lasting impact on teen stress levels. It’s also important to note that teen dating violence affects approximately 10% of teens. School shootings, acts of terrorism, and natural disasters worry parents, but they also trigger stress for teens. Teens are often privy to the 24-hour news cycle, and hearing bits and pieces of scary news, both domestic and abroad, can leave teens wondering about their safety and the safety of their loved ones. In recent years, there’s also the added stress of the current pandemic. Some teens are really struggling during these times.
4.
Family
Discord
Stress trickles down, and anything that impacts the family can affect the teen. Unrealistic expectations, marital problems, strained sibling relationships (including sibling bullying), illness in the family, and financial stress on the family can all trigger a spike in teen stress.
Statistics on Student Mental Health
3 in 4 children aged 3-17 years with depression also have anxiety (73.8%) and almost 1 in 2 have behavior problems (47.2%)
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Signs & Symptoms
Signs and symptoms of teen stress can show itself in multiple different ways including mentally and physically.
-low energy
-headaches
-upset stomach
-aches & pains
-insomnia
-depression
-anxiety
-irritability
-compulsive behavior
-mood swings
Getting Help
Resources available to the community.