Navigating Stress in Youth: Understanding, Addressing, and Managing the Impact of Stress on Children and Teens
Stress can have both positive and negative effects on children and teens. While short-term stress can motivate them, chronic stress, especially due to ongoing challenges like the pandemic, social unrest, or violence, can lead to various physical and mental health issues.
Effects of Long-Term Stress
Prolonged stress can result in health problems such as high blood pressure, weakened immune system, obesity, heart disease, anxiety, and depression, which have become increasingly common among young people, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Impact of COVID-19 on Mental Health
The pandemic has significantly contributed to a surge in mental illness among children, with studies indicating a substantial increase in anxiety and depression diagnoses. Additionally, many children have experienced the tragic loss of caregivers due to COVID-19.
Coping with Stress
Children and teens, even those facing significant losses, can develop healthy coping mechanisms with the support of their parents or caregivers. It is crucial to identify signs of excessive stress and equip them with effective stress management tools.
Sources of Stress in Young Children
Young children often experience stress from familial discord, major life changes, and school-related concerns such as making friends, dealing with bullies, and academic pressures. The pandemic has also led to a rise in mental health-related emergency department visits for children aged 0 to 11.
Sources of Stress in Adolescents and Teens
As teens age, external factors such as social relationships, peer pressure, and academic challenges become more prominent stressors. Mental health-related emergency department visits have increased for adolescents, mainly due to issues like self-harm, substance abuse, and eating disorders. College students have also reported a high prevalence of mental health problems.
Recognizing Signs of Stress
Identifying signs of stress in youth is crucial. These signs can manifest as irritability, changes in behavior, sleep disturbances, neglect of responsibilities, altered eating habits, and increased susceptibility to illnesses.
In summary, chronic stress can have detrimental effects on the physical and mental well-being of children and teens, particularly in the context of ongoing global challenges. Recognizing these effects and providing appropriate support is essential for their overall health and development.
Strategies for Managing Stress in Children and Teens
Dealing with stress is a part of life for both kids and adults. Implementing the following techniques can help in managing stress effectively:
Adequate Sleep
Getting enough sleep is crucial for children’s and teenagers’ physical and emotional well-being. It is recommended that 6—to 12-year-olds get nine to 12 hours of sleep each night, while teenagers need eight to 10 hours. Prioritizing sleep is essential to coping with stress. To ensure good sleep, it is advised to limit screen time before bed and avoid keeping electronic devices in the bedroom.
Regular Exercise
Physical activity is a key stress reliever for individuals of all age groups. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services suggests at least 60 minutes of daily activity for children aged 6 to 17.
Communication
Discussing stressful situations with a trusted adult can aid kids and teens in gaining perspective and finding solutions.
Leisure Time
Like adults, children and teens require time to engage in activities that bring them joy, whether unstructured playtime or uninterrupted hours for hobbies like music or art. Finding a healthy balance between structured activities and free time is crucial.
Outdoor Time
Spending time in nature is an effective way to alleviate stress and enhance overall well-being. Research indicates that individuals living in greener areas experience lower levels of depression, anxiety, and stress.
Journaling
Writing about one’s feelings has been shown to reduce mental distress and improve overall well-being. Expressing positive emotions through writing can also alleviate symptoms of anxiety and depression.
Mindfulness
Research has shown that mindfulness training can significantly reduce mental distress in teenagers. Engaging in mindfulness activities can be beneficial for stress management.
Parental Role in Stress Management
Parents and caregivers play a vital role in helping children and teens adopt stress-managing strategies by modeling healthy behaviors and promoting positive coping mechanisms.
Encouraging Problem-Solving
Allowing children to solve their problems cultivates healthy coping skills and boosts their confidence in dealing with stressors and setbacks.
Media Literacy
Parents can help children become discerning digital consumers and limit screen time to combat issues such as exposure to inappropriate content and cyberbullying.
Positive Thinking
Encouraging children to reframe negative thoughts into positive ones can help them develop resilience to stress. Instead of simply disagreeing with negative self-talk, parents can prompt children to reconsider the validity of their statements or remind them of past accomplishments.
Children and teenagers can effectively manage and cope with stress by following these strategies and with the support of parents and caregivers.
Source:
American Psychological Association (2022). How to help children and teens manage their stress. https://www.apa.org/topics/children/stress. Accessed April 3, 2024
Also read:
Understanding Courage and Anxiety in Children
