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Stress in teenagers: what is it?

 

Stress in teenagers – and anyone – isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
Stress is the way your body responds to challenges and gets you ready to face them with attention, energy and strength. Stress gets you ready for action. When you feel you can cope with these challenges, stress gives you the motivation to get things done.
But there can be problems when your stress is greater than your ability to cope.

Signs of stress in teenagers

Signs of stress in teenagers can show up in their behaviour, emotions, body and thinking.
Changes in your child’s behaviour might include:
  • withdrawing from friendship groups or activities she usually enjoys
  • seeming nervous or anxious
  • sleeping too little or too much
  • eating more ‘comfort food’
  • eating less
  • wanting to be by herself more than usual
  • crying
  • refusing to go to school
  • having emotional ‘ups and downs’ for no obvious reason
  • having less energy than usual
  • drinking more caffeine products or taking over-the-counter painkillers – for example, paracetamol, codeine or ibuprofen
  • being aggressive
  • going down in schoolwork or results
  • not caring about her appearance
  • behaving differently in her relationship with you – for example, suddenly not talking to you.
You might also see some changes in your child’s emotions, such as:
  • being cranky or moody
  • feeling sad, down or hopeless
  • feeling worthless
  • finding it hard to relax or switch off
  • getting more angry more than usual
  • feeling that ‘nothing is going right’
  • feeling like he’s on an ‘emotional rollercoaster ride’.
Sometimes you might see physical signs of stress. Your child might be:
  • feeling sick – for example, headaches, shoulder pain, stomach aches, jaw pain
  • not being hungry
  • saying she feels more tired than usual, even if she’s getting enough sleep
  • losing or gaining weight
  • getting frequent colds or infections
  • having panic attacks, dizzy spells, fast breathing or pins and needles
  • having changes in her period.
Finally stress can affect your child’s thinking. You might notice that he is:
  • finding it hard to concentrate and stay focused
  • losing the thread of thoughts or conversations
  • having trouble remembering things
  • making snap decisions or errors in judgment
  • having trouble organising and planning or making decisions
  • getting confused or irrational.

Causes of stress in teenagers

Some of the things that cause stress in teenagers include study worries, looking after other family members, friendships, family conflict, body image, work, bullying, discrimination, alcohol and other drug use, tension between cultural worlds, high personal expectations or high expectations from parents, teachers and friends.
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