Stress in Adolescents

Everyone is affected by stress and responds to it in different ways. Stress is the body’s response to challenges that come up in life. It is important to keep in mind that not all stress is bad; stress is meant to prepare the body to respond with attention and energy. Good stress is encouraging to us and makes us strong, while bad stress occurs when the body does not function at it’s best due to an overload of stress hormones that wear it down. Bad stress cannot only be incredibly overwhelming and depleting, but also can take a toll on the immune system, memory, and overall health of the body. As the years go on, more and more adolescents are dealing with stress at a younger age due to various factors, like increase in responsibility, pressures at school and home, and social media.

         In the classroom, adolescents may feel pressured to achieve and get good grades by their teachers or parents. Students can also feel stress from an unstructured classroom or unclear expectations from their teachers. They may be confused with a concept in class but too embarrassed to ask for help. Some students (like me) can feel anxiety from an unorganized environment or something as simple as changing school buildings. Stress in school could also come from peer pressure or trying to fit into a crowd. Whether it’s a bullying situation or just a disagreement, children and teenagers can be cruel to one another. All of these school-related stressors can really have an impact on an adolescent’s mental and overall health. 

Stress in adolescents does not always have to do with schoolwork and social pressures. Another origin of stress in kids involves their time spent at home and the demands that come with their specific situations. In some adolescents, their home life may be ideal and could be the place that feels the most secure to them. Unfortunately, other children and adolescents are not as lucky. Parents could pressure adolescents to work on extra homework or college preparatory assignments when they get out of school and could have very demanding schedules. Adolescents may be coping with their parent’s divorce or a loss in their family. Some adolescents may be expected to watch their siblings when they get home from school and be responsible while their parents are at work. Other kids may be expected to work after school to help their family pay for food or bills. In the worst situations, some kids may not feel safe at home, may not have heat, no bed to sleep in, or not know where their next meal will be coming from. Excessive stress can result in inappropriate behaviors, health problems, or academic difficulties that can be viewed in the classroom. It’s important for teachers and counselors to keep these possibilities in mind when working with children and adolescents.

So how do teachers know if an adolescent we are working with is dealing with excessive amounts of stress and how can we help? Some symptoms of bad stress include a drop in grades or other functioning, headaches and stomachaches, isolation from peers, unexplained fears or anxiety, depression, and experimentation in alcohol or drugs. The best thing that teachers can do to help all students, but especially those in stressful situations, is to provide a welcoming and trusting environment for students to feel open to share their concerns. It could also be helpful to the students to introduce them to a school counselor or lunch group so they can have a more secure place to express their feelings. I especially like the idea of having students go around the classroom (or write on a piece of paper) and rate and share their weekend or just overall feelings from 1-10. I have seen this strategy work well when trying to see how the students are doing in general. It can be surprising to hear what some students will say when given the opportunity, but would have never shared it without this activity. Overall, increase in stress is a common issue that adolescents are facing more and more. It is important for teachers to keep this in mind when working with students and creating their a classroom environment.