Different varieties of stress are being faced by different teenagers all over the world. Some might be dealing with bullying in school, others can be overwhelmed with peer pressure, and some are trying to balance their job or homework. All these activities a teenager has to perform at some point which leads to increased stress levels.
As a teenager grows and gets to this stage of his or her life, new things are bound to be encountered by this child, things he or she never expected and a reasonable amount of these events enhance the level of stress in them. This can be good for them because it can prepare them to be ready for the challenges life will throw at them in the future, but slightly too much of it can cause real damage to the child’s mental development.
“While it is important that your teenager learns to handle more stress via responsibilities, it is also crucial that parents help their child ease into this process,” says Sam Miller, a provider of teenage counseling services. “Parents must be willing to invest the necessary time to help their teenager ease into this process otherwise their child could be overwhelmed and traumatized if it becomes too much for them to handle.“
Research has shown that kids between ages 13-17 experience high levels of stress and most of the people who fall within these ages are in high school which means that high school kids tend to experience high-stress levels during their day to day activities. A teen in school can be stressed out from a lot of activities that occur within and outside the school premises. A child can be stressed about going to school every day and being bullied by his mates or seniors, or having to learn a series of difficult subjects daily. Also, a period during which a teen is transferred from one school to another can prove to be a stressful one for that child.
The following are some causes of stress in many teenagers:
- Living in an unsafe home or neighborhood
- Being there to see how their parents go through a divorce
- When the family has financial problems
- Going through puberty and hormonal changes
- Thinking about going to college
- Developing negative thoughts about themselves
- Peer group pressure
And more.
All the causes above listed have their way of creating stress for a teen and this leads to a change in the behavior of the child. As a parent, you should learn to notice when your child is going through stress and be ready to stretch out your hand to help to avoid serious damage being caused. If your child gets angry a lot, seems worried, likes to be alone, has trouble sleeping, then the child is going through some stress.
If you are worried about this, here are some tips that can help you to manage the situation. Spend more time together. You should try to spend some time alone with your teen more than usual. Get yourself involved in most of the activities she or he is involved with. Act as a role model. You should be able to keep your own stress under control and have a healthy behavior around your kids.
Be a good listener to your kid. Create a good connection between you and your kid by listening to their feeling and sharing positive ideas. This will enable the kid to discuss their stress with you. Teach the teen some easy management skills such as planning and using time well and ensuring they are getting enough sleep can help to reduce their stress levels drastically.
