Coping with teen stress

Teen stress is no joke. And it’s easy to see why so many young people struggle. The stress on teens today comes from all directions: school and college pressure, friendships and dating, sports, social media, family expectations, and sometimes even jobs or money worries. These common stressors for teens pile up. And before they even realize what’s happening, daily pressures can turn into real stress, just as they do for adults.

However, unlike adults, teens may not have experienced this level of stress. They might not realize just how much daily stressors affect their mental and physical health. And they might not be equipped to handle it. To help your teen navigate these years and prepare for adulthood, learn how to spot the signs of stress and help them learn how to cope with it.

Be proactive to prevent teen stress

You can’t shield your teen from all stress, of course. But you can create an environment that is calming rather than frenetic. You can also teach healthy habits that help minimize unnecessary stress. Consider these tips:

• Be a role model for stress management. Try to remain calm when dealing with stressful situations. And demonstrate coping strategies, including getting enough rest, eating well and seeking support.
• Mentally prepare for stressful situations. If you know a particularly stressful event is coming up, talk with your teen about how to prepare and avoid getting stressed out.
• Focus on the process instead of the outcome. How hard your child tries is more important than the grade they receive.
• Prevent overscheduling. Help teens monitor their activities. Work together to balance extracurricular activities, sports and schoolwork with time for friends, family and relaxation. 

What are the signs of stress in teens?

Stress is unavoidable, but too much can affect your teen’s health. Signs to watch for include:

• Behavior changes. You might notice your teen is more irritable or moody. They might complain more or talk more about their worries and fears.  
• Sleep and eating changes. Overeating or eating too little or sleeping too much or not enough can be reactions to stress.
• Abandoning interests. Yes, kids’ interests change over time, but be wary if they start to pull back from the activities they used to love.  
• Physical illness. Stress can cause stomachaches and headaches, for example.

These signs of teen stress can also be signs of other issues. So, be sure to talk to your teen and make sure you understand what’s happening in their life.

Tips for managing teen stress  

Stress on teens is complicated, but you can help your child identify and manage stress with these tips:

• Help teens identify signs of stress, such as a fast heartbeat, butterflies in the stomach, chest tightness, obsessive thoughts about being ready for things and an inability to enjoy restful activities.  
• Teach teens ways to relax and cope with stress. Some methods include taking a bath, exercising, practicing yoga or deep breathing, meditation, and listening to or making music.
• Help them maintain regular sleep, balanced nutrition and physical activity.
• Remind teens that they are in control of some things in their lives. Encourage them to make decisions and prioritize activities when possible.
• Encourage teens to talk about what causes stress in their lives and identify healthy ways of dealing with it.
• Identify unhealthy ways of coping with stress, such as using alcohol or drugs, ignoring a problem, watching too much TV, playing too many video games, and getting irritable and cranky.
• Help teens access therapy or counseling early, before anxiety becomes overwhelming.
• Model healthy ways of managing your own stress, since teens often learn by example. 

When teens have tools to help them cope with stress, they’re better prepared for daily life now and into adulthood. Reach out for help if you’d like advice on helping your teen.