ADOLESCENT STRESS By: Dulce Ballinas Diana Avina Jennifer Beard Gerardo Cazares

WHAT IS STRESS? “Everyone is affected by stress and reacts to it in different ways. Stress is a way that our body responds to the demands made upon us by the environment, our relationships, and our perceptions and interpretations of those demands.” (NCLD)

TYPES OF STRESS Good Stress Results in our feeling energized and motivated to do our best work Encourages us to develop effective coping strategies Contributes to our resilience Bad Stress Coping mechanisms are overwhelmed We do not function at our best Can become distressed when we are unable to cope or when we believe we can’t do it (NCLD)

SYMPTOMS OF STRESS IN TEENS Physical Inability to concentrate Toileting or eating concerns Headaches or stomachaches Sleep difficulty or nightmares Drug or alcohol experimentation Emotional Irritability or unusual emotionality or volatility Unexplained fears or increased anxiety Isolation from family activities or peer relationships Cognitive Drop in grades or other functioning Regression to earlier developmental levels (NCLD)

WHAT STRESSES TEENS OUT? Homework/School 55% Parents/Family 15% Social Life 9% Time 8% Sports 4% Other 9% (BROWN)

SCHOOL-RELATED STRESS 32% academics 55% social issues & appearance 13% other (extracurriculars, etc.) (TEENSHEALTH)

ACADEMIC STRESS “Stress can come from an unstructured classroom, unclear or unreasonable expectations, or fear of failure.” (NCLD)

ACADEMIC STRESS Advanced/Honor Courses:  Receive college credits  Academic intensive  Looks good on college applications

ACADEMIC STRESS Effects of Academic Stress: Less time for other activities Unable to manage time Unable to handle pressure Grades suffer No time for active play Miss out on learning essential social skills Unbalanced brain development Tendency toward childhood obesity

TESTING Why do we stress before an exam?  Competition  Lack of self-confidence  Negative thoughts How stress affects our learning  Decreased memory  Inability to concentrate  Tiredness

HOW TO DEAL WITH STRESS IN HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE How to manage stress in high school and college: Get organized Prioritize Get some sleep Don’t even think about skipping class Eliminate distractions (SHAFFER)

SOCIAL & PEER PRESSURE Peers play a large role in the social and emotional development of children and adolescents.

SOCIAL & PEER PRESSURE Positive:  Natural, healthy, and important for children to have and rely on friends  Can be positive and supportive  Can help each other develop new skills or stimulate new interests Negative:  Can encourage each other to skip classes, steal, cheat, use drugs or alcohol, or become involved in other risky behaviors  Give in to peer pressure because they want to fit in  Increased worry that they may be left out or made fun of if they don't go along with the group (AMERICAN)

SOCIAL & PEER PRESSURE Social stress can be a result of: Changing school buildings or moving to a new community Having to deal with a bully Fitting in with the crowd & peer pressure Making new friends & maintaining friendships (BARKER)

SOCIAL & PEER PRESSURE Teens often feel internal pressure to do the things that they think their peers are doing. "Most kids wildly overestimate the prevalence of alcohol and drug use." While 71% of teens have tried alcohol by the end of high school, far fewer drink to get drunk. In 2010, 27% of students said they got drunk in the past year. This is down from almost 40% in In 2010, 34% of students had ever used drugs and only 27% had done so within the past year. Teens who had ever used drugs peaked at 43% in Close to 31% of students reported having ever smoked a cigarette, compared to almost 54% in (BARKER)

EXTRACURRICULARS

Negative Effects:  Increased stress  Less time for homework/study  Drop in grades  Drop in overall wellbeing Examples: Nunley (livescience.com) Christian Madrigal (CSU Stanislaus soccer player) (DAILYMAIL.CO)

EXTRACURRICULARS Positive Effects:  Have fun  Great way to socialize with peers  Learn to work in groups  Improves written & oral communication skills  Enhance students' time management and stress management skills, improving overall productivity  Increases appeal when applying to college (IHAVEAPLANIOWA.GOV)

EXTRACURRICULARS How to balance school & extracurricular activities  Get work done in short time periods. (Collegeexpress.com)  Identify what needs to happen each week, e.g. practice, game, and larger school projects. (Uwhealthkids.org)  Always pay attention in class. (Studymode.com)

STRESS PREVENTION & MANAGEMENT The solution is to adapt, change, and find methods to turn that bad stress into good stress.

STRESS PREVENTION & MANAGEMENT Factors That Help Prevent Stress: Positive problem solving and coping skills Close, supportive relationships at home and school, with peers and adults Clear expectations & consistent, positive discipline Permission and ability to learn from mistakes Developing competencies (academic, social, extracurricular and life skills) Ability to express feelings appropriately Feeling physically and emotionally safe Good nutrition and exercise Get enough sleep Time to relax or do recreational activities (NCLD)

HOW PARENTS CAN HELP Be aware of your child’s behaviors and emotions Build trust with your child Be available and open to talk with your child when they are ready Encourage the expression of feelings Teach and model good emotional responses Encourage them to tell you if they feel overwhelmed Encourage healthy and diverse friendships Encourage physical activity, good nutrition, and rest Monitor your own stress level Teach your child to problem solve Remind your child of his or her ability to get through tough times, particularly with the love and support of family and friends Keep your child aware of anticipated family changes Monitor television programs that could worry your child and pay attention to the use of computer games, movies and the Internet Use encouragement and natural consequences when poor decisions are made Help your child select appropriate extracurricular activities and limit over-scheduling Make your child aware of the harmful effects of drugs and alcohol before experimentation begins Contact your child’s teacher with any concerns and make them part of the team available to assist your child Seek the assistance of a physician, school psychologist, school counselor, or school social worker if stress continues to be a concern (NCLD)

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