Stress among our adolescents is on the rise—how here's to spot the symptoms
Being a teen (or young adult) may be extremely stressful. According to a recent survey conducted by the American Institute of Stress, 64% of people aged 15 to 29 feel stressed out. Meanwhile, 61% of middle school students report feeling a lot of pressure to do well in school.
"When we look at stress surveys for teenagers from ten years ago, we see statistically significant gains in their stress levels," said Sheryl Ziegler, a licensed professional counselor and author of Mommy Burnout: How to Reclaim Your Life and Raise Healthier Children in the Process. "It's much higher than it was just a decade ago."
Even a decade ago, teenagers reported higher levels of stress than their parents, with 31% reporting feeling overwhelmed and 30% reporting melancholy as a result of their stress.
How to Spot the Signs of Teen Burnout
Burnout is caused by continuous stress. Burnout symptoms include mental and physical weariness, impatience, changes in sleeping habits, whether too much or too little sleep, and physical symptoms such as repeated headaches or stomachaches.
"Emotional weariness in a teenager frequently appears as depression," Ziegler added. If a kid loses interest in their typical activities, appears especially irritated, distracted, or cynical, or generally appears to be under a lot of stress, it could be a sign of burnout.
As Ziegler notes, burnout is a combination of these mental, physical, and emotional symptoms. “You are looking for all of this colliding together,” she said. “Burnout is chronic stress that goes untreated.”
The distinction between a teenager dealing with manageable levels of stress versus being burnt out is whether a break from the stress is enough to help them recharge. If going on vacation or recharging over the weekend helps them feel better, that’s a sign that they are stressed, but not burnt out. If a vacation or change of scenery doesn’t help them feel better, that’s a sign that their stress has progressed to burnout.
How Parents Can Assist Burned-Out Teens
If your adolescent appears to be suffering from burnout, there are several things parents may do to help. The most important thing parents can do is "keep an eye on the level of pressure in your child's life," according to Ziegler. "Attempt to gauge their subjective level of stress. We cannot function at a 10 for an entire year. That's a formula for exhaustion."
When it comes to the stressors that teenagers face, it can be all too tempting to dismiss their concerns as insignificant or to try to console them by telling them that everything will be fine. Ziegler warns against acting on this inclination. "Do your best not to judge it since it opens the door for greater discussion," she advised.
As parents, our natural impulse is to try to solve their difficulties for them. Instead, Ziegler suggests "brainstorming with them things that help them feel more relaxed." "Them are typically highly resistive to what their parents have to say," but working with them to discover ways to relax or let off steam can help teenagers find the best solution for them.
"Another extremely wonderful balance is assisting your adolescent in understanding how they can have peaceful downtime," Ziegler said. "We all need quiet time and alone time." When it comes to assisting them in finding ways to have quiet downtime, it is common to have a chat regarding their phone use. "Teenagers retire to their rooms, where they are on their device, and that is hardly soothing," Ziegler explained. "It appears to be calming, but it is not for your brain."
Instead, parents should assist their kids in brainstorming ways to relax, such as taking a nap, meditating, or simply staring at the ceiling for ten minutes. "What that is accomplishing is learning to quiet the mind without stimulating it," Ziegler explained.
#BurnedOut #Teenager #Stress
SOURCE: lifehacker
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