Teenage Stress – More Serious Than You Think

Stress is common among adults. You hear about it all the time. But did you know that, when surveyed, 70% of all teens say that they are stressed out? Just like stress causes health and personal problems in adults, it also causes these same problems for teenagers. Many times teen stress is expressed by eating disorders, inflicting pain upon themselves, depression, drug and alcohol abuse, and most importantly, suicide. To help keep your teen from experiencing these problems, you first need to learn what stresses teenagers out and then be able to recognize the signs of stress.

Causes of Teen Stress

Adults have so much stress in their lives, they tend to underplay what is going on in their teenager’s lives. Adults have “Adult-sized” problems and think that kids have “kid-sized” problems. This is not true. While your teenager may not be stressed about providing a living for the family or how to pay the insurance costs, their problems are equally serious to them. As a parent, you need to be aware of what causes stress for your teenager and acknowledge that is very real to them. Some teenager issues that cause stress are:

· Pressure to perform well in school
· Pressure to be accepted into college
· Too many activities
· Pressure to decide what they want to do with their life
· Peer pressure about clothing, hairstyles, and their appearance
· Pressure to try sex, drugs, or alcohol
· Pressure to fit in with others
· Pressure about their weight
· Pressure to measure up to others
· Family problems

Signs of Stress in Teens

Now that you are aware of what can cause stress for your teenager, you need to learn the signs that indicate they are under stress. Some of these are physical signs such as being tired all the time, stomachaches, and headaches. Teens under stress will sometimes withdraw from other people and activities as a way of self-defense. If you notice your teen losing interest in others and wanting to be alone or they are no longer interested in activities they previously enjoyed, this may be a sign that they are overloaded and trying to compensate.

Other signs of stress include depression, nervousness, or irritability. If you notice sudden tears for no apparent reason and they appear to feel hopeless, they may be suffering from depression. Agitation is another indication. Are they unusually angry or nervous? Are they having trouble sleeping or seem to have lost their appetite?

Pay attention to your teenager. Spend time talking to them, asking them leading questions about any pressures they may be feeling. Use ideas above to get ideas about what questions to ask and take the time to listen. Stress can be a serious issue with teenagers with serious side affects. Take the time to recognize the causes and signs of stress.