Teens Under Pressure

Written by Ann Musico

This article is courtesy of Living with Teenagers.

One recent survey revealed that 70 percent of teens consider themselves stressed. It’s estimated that approximately 10 percent of all children and adolescents have some form of anxiety disorder. These are alarming statistics. Even more alarming is when you, as a parent, notice that stress is taking a toll on your teenager’s life.

Reading the Signs
Stress is a body’s reaction to the perception of an event. God created our bodies to handle stress by producing adrenaline and cortisol. In a dangerous situation, these hormones prepare us to respond with a heightened sense of alertness and strength.

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However, continual stress depletes the body’s supply of these hormones and weakens the immune system, eventually damaging internal organs. Some of the symptoms of stress might include headaches, stomach/digestive problems, muscle pain, and chest pain. Stressed-out individuals also might display depression, apathy, anger, irritability, moodiness, sadness, hopelessness, and frustration.

Sleep problems, intense allergic reactions (such as hives or asthma), and appearance changes are common physical tell-tale signs, and a sudden, unexplained drop in grades also might point to a problem. Parents should take seriously any mention of suicide or feeling like life is too difficult.

What Parents Can Do
• Emphasize proper nutrition, exercise, and sleep. The angel encouraged Elijah to eat and rest to regain his strength and perspective (1 Kings 19:3-8).
• Help your teens to break larger tasks into smaller, more manageable steps.
• Guide your teens to pursue excellence without setting unrealistic expectations for themselves or others.
• Encourage your teens to talk with you, a trusted friend, or a counselor — without criticism. Encourage them to ask for help when they need it.
• Do a dry run of stressful situations. Suggest that your teens practice giving a speech or oral report, asking someone out on a date, confronting someone who’s hurt them, or seeking forgiveness from someone they have offended. The prodigal son rehearsed what he would say on his way home to his father (Luke 15:18-19).
• Teach your teens relaxation techniques, such as taking deep breaths to release unnecessary stress or to walk around to shake away the jitters.
• Try a little music. Music soothed King Saul when he was stressed, and listening to music can release feel-good brain chemicals. Research shows that music actually bypasses the conscious mind, directly stimulating the portion of the brain that controls emotions.
• Don’t forget prayer. Whether spoken or written, prayer is powerful. King David’s prayers in Psalms express every conceivable emotion. By journaling feelings and prayers, teens learn to lean on God in stressful times.

You are a powerful influencer in your teen’s life. You can remind your teens daily that they serve a powerful God who longs to reach out to them and loves them more than they can imagine (1 Pet. 5:7). 

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