Wednesday 27 February 2013

CAUSES OF STRESS AMONG TEENS

      Stress is often regarded as an adult's problem, but school, relationships and self esteem issues can cause stress for your teen. While you may view your teen's problems as immature, they should be taken seriously. Stress overload can cause depression, anxiety and affect your teen's performance in school. Your teen may not yet possess the tools and coping strategies to deal with stress, so watch for the potential causes of stress among teens to offer support and ways to deal.

School

The pressure to get good grades, impress teachers and choose the right extracurricular activities can cause your teen to deal with stress on a daily basis, says msnbc.com. Psychologist Jean Twenge, a professor at San Diego State University, tells the news website that it's often teens from privileged backgrounds who feel the most pressure to perform well at school, resulting in stress.

Relationships

A study performed by the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and published in a 2006 by Prevent Chronic Disease found that 48 percent of teen identified that relationships with other teens caused them stress. Twenty-six African-American teens living in or attending ninth grade in East Baltimore, Maryland, participated in the study.
Most teens are learning about relationships "on the job," that is, they are learning from their first experiences with a girlfriend or boyfriend. Infatuation, jealousy and sadness can accompany young and immature relationships, while the need to have a relationship can cause stress for a teen who has not yet experienced one.

Busy Schedules

Jobs, school, family obligation and sports can all crowd your teen's schedule, making her feel stressed and overwhelmed by all of the things that require attention, says KidsHealth.org, a division of the Nemours Foundation. Packing her schedule full of activities so that she has little down time or time to enjoy activities of her own can bring her close to stress overload and eventual burn out.

Family

While home should be a safe haven for stressed-out teens, his growing independence can make it hard to get along with the family, says the University of Minnesota Extension. Siblings and parents alike can be causes of stress, asking much of your teen and challenging his growing autonomy. Arguments are a major cause of stress, so firm rules and guidelines are an important to help your teen know what to expect from the family.

Self Esteem

Your teen's body is changing every day, says American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Puberty and growth can make your teen's body something she doesn't recognize, which can affect her self esteem and cause her stress. Being a teenager can be tumultuous and awkward at times. She might also suffer from low self esteem because of her performance at school and her social status.


Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/article/128380-causes-stress-among-teens/#ixzz2M9eXHEyw