‘‘एक कदम काफी है मेरे लिए !
मंजिल दिखाओ, दयालुतापूर्ण प्रकाश...
स्थिर रखो, मेरे पैर, मै तुमसे नहीं कहता
कि दिखाओं दूर का दृश्य
मेरे लिए एक कदम काफी है। ‘‘

Teenagers like youth may experience stress everyday and can benefit from hearing stress management skills. Most teens experience more stress when they perceive a situation as dangerous, difficult or painful and they do not have the resources to cope:

School/college demands and frustrations.

Negative thoughts or feelings about themselves.

Change in their bodies.

Problem with friends and /or peers at school.

Extracurricular commitment.

Unsafe living environment/neighborhood.

Separation or divorce of parents.

Chronic illness or severe problems in the family. 

Lack of time having too much to do, feeling unprepared or overwhelmed. 

Death of a loved one.

Lack of sleep.

Life challenges, such as leaving school or college getting into tertiary studies or employment.

Moving or changing schools

Taking on too many activities or having too high expectations.

Family financial problems.

Some teens become overloaded with stress, when this happens. It can lead to anxiety, withdrawal, aggressive, physical illness or poor coping skills such as drug and/or alcohol use.

The survey commissioned by the Mental Health Foundation also found that almost half of young people (47%) had experienced significant stress in relation to body image and worries about their appearance. Almost six out of ten young (57%) of people said they had self harmed as a result of feeling high level of stress. A further four out of ten (39%) young people had experienced suicidal feelings as a result of stress.

Mental Health Foundation CEO Mark Rowland said: “Our survey highlights just how vulnerable young people are to Mental Health Problems.

It shows how much pressure young people are feeling to be a success. The Pressure to confirm to ideal body image is also intense. Moreover, it is shocking how many young people have self-harmed or had suicidal thoughts as a result of stress.

 “Given that three questions of mental health problems are established in people by the age of 24, it is vital we tackle this as a national priority. 

“That is why we are asking for all young generation to receive the very best mental health education at all schools to promote their well being and residences.”

When we perceive a situation as difficult or painful, changes occur in our minds and bodies, to prepare us to respond to danger. This “fight, flight or freeze response includes faster heart and breathing rate, increased blood to muscles of arms and legs, cold or clammy hands and feel upset stomach and /or a sense of dread. They cannot sleep or getting to bed later than usual, seem fatigued, disengaged panicky or down, having trouble concentrating and not eating very well.

The some mechanism that turns on the stress response can turn it off. As soon as we decide that a situation is no longer dangerous, changes can occur in our minds and bodies to help us relax and calm down. This “relaxation response” includes decreased heart rate and breathing rate and a sense of well being. Teens that develop a “relaxation response” and other stress management skills feel less helpless and have more choices when responding to stress.

Parents can help their teen in following ways:

Monitor if stress is affecting their teen’s health behavior, thoughts or feelings listen carefully to teens and watch for overloading.

Learn and model Stress Management skills.

Support involvement in sports and other pro-social activities.

Teens can decrease stress with the following behaviors and techniques:

Exercise and eat regularly.

Get enough sleep and have a good sleep routine.

Avoid excess caffeine which can increase feelings of anxiety and agitation.

Avoid illegal drugs, alcohol and tobacco.

Learn relaxation exercises (abdominal breathing and muscle relaxation techniques).

Develop assertiveness training skills for example state feelings in polite form and not overly aggressive or passive ways: (“I feel angry when you yell at me” “Please stop yelling”).

Rehearse and practice situations which cause stress. One example is taking a speech class if talking in front of a class makes you anxious.

Learn practical coping skills for eg. break a large task into smaller, more attainable task and to learn creative skills.

 Decrease negative self talk: challenge negative thoughts-with alternative neutral or positive- thoughts. “My life will never get better” can be transformed into “I may feel helpless now, but my life will probably get better if work at it and get some help”.

Learn to feel good about doing competent or “good enough” job rather than demanding perfection from yourself and others.

Take a break from stressful situations activities like listening to music, talking to a friend, drawing, writing or spending time with a pet can reduce stress.

Build a network of friends who help you cope in a positive way.

By using these and other techniques, young generation can being to manage stress. If a teen talks about or shows signs of being overly stressed, a consultation with a child and adolescent psychiatrist or other qualified mental health professional may be helpful.

References:

1. International Best seller “How to Stop worrying and start living” by Dale Carnagie.  

2. Press @ mentalhealth.org.uk.

3. Supportive parenting parents au.reachant.com

4. 2022 the American Academy of child and Adolescent Psychiatry.