Stress And Anxiety Among Teens

A lot of people may not notice, but teenagers are some of the most stressed individuals in the world. Teens suffer from a lot of peer pressure and their bodies also change a lot during this stage, which aggravates the process. It is important that parents and guardians spend more time trying to help their kids get over the stages and to encourage them to go through the challenges to make them balanced and successful individuals. Here are some tips.

About Stress and Anxiety

Stress among teenagers can be triggered by various situations, such as natural changes in the body. Menstruation can lead to hormonal changes among young teenage girls, leading to behavioral changes, mood swings and irritability. You will find that teenage girls get very impatient and irritable for no obvious reason. The guys also experience huge changes in their body which might lead to sexual confusion and the like. This is the time when people have to try and determine their identity, thereby going in groups or isolating themselves from the public.

Added Anxiety

Stressed teenagers usually experience a lot of stress from trying to belong to others around them. Others might even try going with bad companies and gangs just to try and prove themselves in school and society. Others will indulge in habitual drugs to try and forget their problems or ensure that their friends do not shun them for not being “cool”. Teens also have to deal with school pressure and other tasks assigned to them in the home. Their relationship with other people, especially their parents may be hindered because of the anxiety and confusion.

Symptoms of Stress

You can immediately find out whether or not a teenager is anxious or stressed by the way he or she acts or responds. Teens may have restless sleep or find it hard to sleep at night. They might only get 4 hours or less sleep leading to red or tired eyes, eye bags and sleepiness during the day. Other teenagers may also display an aggressive behavior or try to withdraw from social activities. Teenagers may not talk as much or try to be quiet most of the time because of the stress.

Other teens may show drug intake symptoms if they are taking addictive substances. Others may also go home drunk or sleep too much during the day. Failing grades are another sign of teen pressure because they can no longer balance work and social life properly. Your teenager may also start becoming irritable and impatient because of the added stress.

How to Deal

First and foremost, parents have to encourage their child to maintain the good relationship through conversation. Always try to find time to sit down and talk to your child. If your teen seems withdrawn, you can set casual meetings like eating dinner together to find out more about the things that your teen is going through. You should assure your child that you are around to help and support. It is also wise to talk to other people about your child’s behavior such as a psychiatrist and your child’s guidance counselor to ask for tips on how to keep your child on track.