How to Help Your Teen Cope With Stress
Teens are growing up in this stressful modern world. Most of our children are overwhelmed by schoolwork and deadlines, peer pressure, and family issues. All of these are real challenges for growing up.
They also have to deal with social networks, where everyone is always perfect and happy. Teens see other people's lives behind what never happens ‒ beautiful people smiling and enjoying a good life. Sure this creates insecurity ‒ "Why am I not that pretty?", "Why does my life sucks?" And then they feel bad about themselves.
Since 2013, teenagers have reported higher levels of stress than adults in surveys conducted by the American Psychological Association (APA). An APA survey in 2018 found that teens reported poor mental health and greater levels of anxiety and despair than all other age groups.
The first thing to keep in mind is that stress has become an unavoidable part of life. Though we wish we could keep our children away from all unhealthy stressors, this isn't possible. Here's why:
Stress is a way for us to motivate ourselves to act.
It helps form new memories in the brain.
Without stress to refocus our attention, we would be unable to concentrate and finish tasks.
Stress is not a bad thing in and of itself, but it can be very difficult to cope with when the amount becomes excessive. The problem arises when we experience too much stress. Sometimes that leads to negative effects on our health or mental well-being, which are far from desirable.
What you can do as a parent is to teach your children how to handle stress with confidence instead of fear or anxiety.
Teach them how they can use their own positive self-talk when facing difficult situations, so they can learn from them and be better equipped for "unavoidable" stressful events that arise throughout life.
Here’s what you can do to help your child:
Encourage your teen to participate in physical activity. Exercise releases stress hormones and soothes anxiety. It promotes self-esteem, improves sleep, boosts energy, increases relaxation, and reduces depression.
Talk with your teen about realistic ways that he can solve his problems. Teach him how to identify what is important to him and help guide his decisions based on that information. Let him know that you are available any time of the day or night if he needs someone to talk to.
When your teens are feeling stressed out, one of the first things they might look for is a way to relax. They may find that something as simple as taking a bath or listening to soothing music helps them calm down and feel better, so give them some time alone whenever possible.
Remember to relate to your teen as an individual. He has likes, dislikes, beliefs, and values that are different from you. Respect and encourage what is unique about him.
Teens who feel they are good at something have higher self-confidence. Encourage your teen to find activities he enjoys and excels at such as playing sports or musical instruments.
Routine is key for teens. There are changes taking place in their bodies that can create internal stress. When setting up a routine, stay as consistent as possible to help your teen navigate the new world of being a teenager.
Give teens responsibilities at home such as taking out the garbage or doing a chore after school each day. They need regular responsibilities as they are learning how to meet new responsibilities in the future.
Support allows teens to have faith in themselves and trust that they can handle their responsibilities.
Help your teen create a balance between all the stressors he faces such as school work, family life, friends, extracurricular activities, and chores. If there is too much tension in one area of her life it can affect other areas; therefore, help your teen develop a holistic way of approaching life.
Stress is a normal part of life and your teens will encounter it at certain times in their lives. What's important is how you are able to help them cope with it to prevent it from taking over their lives.
The most important thing to remember when helping teenagers cope with stress is that everyone deals with it differently and all have their own way of handling it. That's why whenever you're assisting them, do so in a way that will work best for them instead of pushing them into doing what works for you.