Teens and Stress - By Maia Clements

With many upcoming assessments at school, all due on the last couple of weeks before the holidays, her head was crammed thinking about her homework tasks. As she sat at her desk, noting and planning out her schedule for the weekend, as the list got bigger, she realised that the large amount of workload was going to take away a huge chunk of time she’d rather spend with her family. Well, she could spend some time with her family, but the stress to finish her homework tasks was unavoidable.

Stress is an obvious and serious issue concerning teenagers. So, what stresses teens in particular? Common reasons may be: school tests, the pressure to do well, confusion about oneself,  whether a teenager is still considered to be a child or at the beginning of adulthood - even sleep problems can be a reason why a teenager feels stressed.

  In a survey carried out for this article, participants were given 3 questions based on what stresses them, their average stress level and how they manage it. ¾ of the participants answered that their stress was linked to schoolwork, and the average stress level overall was 5 out of 10 (1 being controlled stress and 10 being panicked stress). This information indicates that a major cause of stress to teenagers comes from school.

What exactly is stress? You may be asking. Stress is a feeling that is created when we react to particular events. It is the body’s way of confronting a challenge and preparing to meet a tricky situation with focus, strength, stamina and alertness. But, according to research, stress isn’t only a feeling. Stress is also a chain of chemical reactions in the body which include:

• chemicals such as adrenaline start pumping
• heart rate increases
• blood vessels dilate
• breathing increases
• sweat production increases
• metabolism slows down
• muscles become tense
• reproductive hormone production decreases

If the body’s reaction is meant to improve the situation, then why can it have the adverse effect? Just the right amount of stress will push someone to their top performance. Too little stress with cause no motivation and too much stress will cause panic.

When stress reaches the panic level, the best solution is to talk with someone and discuss appropriate ways to calm down. Common practices include breathing exercises and physical activities, that can help to calm the mind. Returning to the survey, the last question asked about the management of stress, and answers included doodling, reading and eating. Although some participants didn’t have a properly formulated method, they still had a way of calming down and controlling their stress.

Stress sometimes causes us to dwell too much on problems at the moment. Even if you’re sitting at your desk, stressed about the weekend, it is best to stop worrying. Find a solution. Keep calm and carry on.