Identifying and Managing Chronic Stress in Teens
Teens and young adults today are under an enormous amount of pressure. Between navigating school demands, friendship and romantic relationships, family responsibilities, social media, and increasing awareness and engagement with social issues such as gun violence and racial justice, teens are experiencing increasingly high rates of stress. Recently, teens even report higher levels of stress than adults, but under-estimate the negative long term impact of chronic stress.
Perhaps you are a young person yourself, feeling burnt out, unmotivated, or even feeling unwell, or you may be the parent or caregiver of a teen and are noticing personality or behavioral changes in your child.
Chronic stress can have long lasting adverse effects on physical and mental health, and it can look very different in teens versus adults. Here are some signs to be on the lookout for within yourself or with your child with regards to chronic stress:
Changes in Mood and Temperament
It can sometimes be difficult to find the words to describe the stress that we are experiencing and how it is affecting us. This can lead to irritability and short temperedness when we feel stressed and we are struggling with finding the language to communicate these feelings. Teens may also experience an increase in negative feelings like sadness and loneliness. The teen experience can feel isolating and misunderstood, it can be challenging to find safe and supportive spaces to explore these difficult feelings.
Behavioral Changes
When stress becomes overwhelming, it can change how we are able to respond to life’s stressors. A young person who was excelling in school and socially may feel disconnected or withdrawn from relationships and activities that used to bring them joy - changes in academic performance, participation in extracurricular activities, and socialization can all be affected. Teens may also become more internally focused when dealing with chronic stress causing a usually bubbly and outgoing teen to become more reserved and withdrawn.
Changes in Appetite
Chronic stress has physical implications. In the short term, a stressful situation may cause our appetites to reduce, but chronic stress can have the opposite effect as hormones are released in response that can elevate our appetite. This can be especially complex and confusing for teens as their growing bodies also require more food than at any other time. Young people are at increased risk for developing unhealthy, disordered relationships with food coupled with unrealistic expectations about body image communicated through social media. It’s important that we help support teens in understanding their appetites and hunger and developing healthy relationships to food, nutrition, and self-esteem.
Changes in Sleep Pattern
Changes to sleep patterns - either oversleeping or not sleeping enough, can both signify that stress is becoming overwhelming. While teens bodies naturally require more sleep, oversleeping can be a method for our minds to disengage from sources of stress when thinking about them and acting on them becomes overwhelming. On the other hand, sometimes racing thoughts and worrying about our stressors can prevent teens from falling asleep or having a restful night’s sleep.
Physical Symptoms
Overwhelming levels of stress cause a physical reaction within the body as our nervous system attempts to react to a perceived threat. Over time, the release of these hormones and chemicals and tension in the body can have lasting physical implications. Things like stomach aches, headaches, or racing heart and shortness or breath can all be physical manifestations of stress.
If you are a teen, or are noticing changes in your teen that may be attributable to stress, please know that you are not alone. Our Repose therapists are specialized in navigating the unique stress of adolescence in a supportive and compassionate way. We value the unique experience and stressors of teens and are here to support you in managing your stress while learning about yourself, exploring your identity, and improving relationships with your loved ones and yourself. If you are interested in learning more and would like to connect with one of our specialized teen therapists, please schedule a consultation appointment with our Client Concierge to learn more!
Repose offers many therapeutic modalities that can assist you in your journey for healing. Email hello@byrepose.com or call 212.920.1976 with any questions. Book your 15-minute consultation; click here to schedule!
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Services Offered At Repose Therapy
At Repose Therapy, our goal is to provide the best HOLISTIC PSYCHOTHERAPY services among other evidence-based therapy services to you. We enjoy working with college students, mothers, parents, couples, and individuals who are seeking better mental wellness in their life. If you’re struggling or trying to find a way to move forward, then our DIVERSE TEAM OF THERAPISTS would be thrilled to work with you. If grief counseling isn’t the service you’re seeking, no worries. We offer other services at our ONLINE THERAPY OFFICE IN NEW YORK, CONNECTICUT, AND NEW JERSEY. Other services include EMDR THERAPY, ANXIETY TREATMENT, PTSD TREATMENT, AND TRAUMA THERAPY, THERAPY FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS, MATERNAL MENTAL HEALTH, MARRIAGE COUNSELING AND COUPLES THERAPY, THERAPY FOR TEENS, LGBTQIA+ THERAPY, ART THERAPY, DANCE MOVEMENT THERAPY.
Additionally, we offer many GROUPS at our practice including an adult DBT skills group MANAGING EMOTIONS WITH DBT and Art Therapy, MINDFULNESS-BASED COGNITIVE THERAPY, EMBRACING YOUR BODY, and a Ramadan group. If you’re interested in any of our other services, please reach out, we cannot wait to work with you as you improve your well-being and begin your journey towards healing.