Question:
What is the top causes of stress that you see in adolescents?
What methods do you recommend to manage stress for this age group?
Answer:
The top cause of stress in adolescents is: disharmony in the home and family
Even though there is a lot of peer pressure, drug and alcohol use, even though hormones are raging and issues around sexuality can be stressful and confusing, even though there is overexposure to sex and violence through the internet, Xbox, etc, and even though part of the healthy development at this age includes issues around dependency and therefore the need to assert oneself and often rebel against authority figures (such as parents and teachers);
If there is a parental system that is balanced and emotionally healthy, teenagers tend to remain stable and relatively anxiety free. When there is disfunction, arguing, alcoholism, and separation and, hence, neglect of the adolescents emerging needs, a teenager (who tends to feel alienated by the sheer strength of the physiological changes occurring) will become stressful and tend to isolate more. A parental system that is open and safe for a teenager to discuss his or her issues with or even that sense of a peaceful, safe environment is the lifeboat of any emerging adult.
So if there is no one at home to talk to I would suggest the adolescent finds an adult mentor, whether in the family, school, a coach or club…someone he/she feels they can trust and then open up to that person…ask questions, tell your problems to, discuss choices…in the end it is a simple formula…a teen doesn’t know what it feels like to be a grown-up with adult responsibilities…and as those responsibilities begin to become apparent (collage boards, romance, finances, etc.) it is SCARY!!! Who knows how to handle all this? The nearest stable adult…hopefully in the family home…but if not…suggest they find one! It beats all the alternative stress relievers by a mile…
Hope this is helpful and, as always, I am here to help.
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