The teen years are full of pressure, from getting good grades to excelling at sports to fitting in socially. The pandemic has brought additional challenges, including isolation, readjusting to life in the classroom, and grieving the loss of loved ones. It\u2019s no wonder teens are experiencing negative stress-related reactions like stomachaches, headaches, and anxiety.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With the significant stress today\u2019s teens are facing<\/a>, how do we help them cope and instill healthy approaches to stress management that will follow them into adulthood?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Endocrinologist Hans Selye divided\u202fstressors into two types: eustress (good) and distress (bad)<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Good stress feels manageable and makes life exciting and interesting. For teens, some examples of good stress include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Bad (unhealthy) stress, aka distress, is the result of perceived unmanageable pressure and can result from difficult experiences, such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your teen may have difficulty telling the difference between good stress and unhealthy stress because both types of stress can be physically tiring, according to Steve Sawyer, senior clinical consultant at Embark Behavioral Health\u2019s New Vision Wilderness<\/a> in Wisconsin, Deschutes Wilderness Therapy<\/a> in Oregon, and First Light Wilderness<\/a> in Georgia. Sawyer is also a therapeutic development staff member with HeartMath Institute<\/a>, a company that provides cutting-edge technology, education, and techniques for managing stress.\u202f<\/p>\n\n\n\n Unhealthy stress can do damage, according to the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When you perceive a situation as overwhelming, it triggers the \u201cfight, flight, or freeze response\u201d \u2014 called sympathetic reaction \u2014 because it signals danger to the more primitive and nonrational thinking parts of the brain. Your body releases hormones like cortisol and epinephrine that increase your heart rate and blood flow because you might have to run or fight from perceived threats. You might also feel a sense of dread or an upset stomach as part of the fight, flight, or freeze response.\u202f<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), high levels of stress early in life<\/a> can take their toll on mental and\u202fphysical health, so how do you help your teen navigate a stressful world, especially if they already seem to be struggling?<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cTeens need to be able to sense their emotions. And when I say sense,\u201d Sawyer said, \u201cthey need to be able to sense those emotions in their bodies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cEveryone is different in their individualized needs for stress management. Some move, some rest. Some socialize and some isolate. That\u2019s why there\u2019s no specific equation, because everybody has different early childhood programming for individualized stress responses. Some people\u2019s shoulders will roll forward, while some people will sit stiff and upright.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Chances are, you know your teen\u2019s individual signs of stress<\/a> \u2014 whether they furrow their brow or avoid eye contact. You\u2019ve read them for years. But they<\/em> may not be aware of how their body expresses their stress, both long term and in the moment. If you help them become aware of how they feel in their bodies when they\u2019re stressed, they learn to recognize that they are, in fact, stressed, whether it\u2019s good stress or unhealthy stress.\u202f<\/p>\n\n\n\n By learning how to sense their emotions in their bodies, teens can then learn to regulate their\u202fstress response<\/a>. They realize their shoulders are tight and work on relaxing their muscles. Then they can challenge the thoughts that caused them to internalize their stress. This helps teens learn to filter their stress so more of it remains external, which helps them deal with it more effectively and easily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Stress regulation is a broad topic, mostly because each teen is unique. Every temperament is different, and so are each teen\u2019s families and life experiences.\u202f<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to a study, introverts and extroverts<\/a> differ in how they recover from stress, with extroverts coping more actively as stress increases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Introverts, Sawyer said, are \u201cinternalizers.\u201d They restore by going \u201cwithin.\u201d Part of their\u202fcoping strategy\u202fis to rest or do something that gives them alone time that refills their bucket.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With both personality types, movement helps because it connects to the lower parts of the brain and autonomic nervous system, which Sawyer noted regulates heart rate, stress, and the fight or flight response. An introvert might respond well to a quiet walk or a workout alone or with someone they\u2019re close to, while an extrovert might appreciate something more physically and socially engaging.\u202f<\/p>\n\n\n\n When it comes to managing stress, Sawyer said it\u2019s important to consider how many physically and emotionally healthy, reliable, and supportive adult figures teens have in their lives. Adults can have a significant impact on reducing youths\u2019 stress and provide an important level of supervision in their lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOftentimes, where things start to go off track for teens is they go to their friends to manage their stress, and that takes them in an unhealthy direction,\u201d Sawyer said. \u201cSupportive and healthy caregivers and other adults who walk through that journey side by side with them and help them unload and unpack their distress<\/a> are a key variable to how they manage their stress in a healthy way.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n To help teens struggling with unhealthy stress, Sawyer likes HeartMath Institute techniques<\/a> because they’re simple and based on research, with a focus on the body\u2019s reaction to stress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For example, teens can use the institute’s Quick Coherence Technique<\/a> to help them release stress and balance their emotions. It consists of three steps:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once teens have become aware of their emotions and learned to regulate their stress response, yoga, exercise, deep breathing, and journaling are effective maintenance tools. They help your teen manage stress levels throughout their daily lives so they\u2019re better able to manage a stressful situation when it does arise. Maintenance tools also help your child better recognize when they\u2019re feeling good vs. unhealthy stress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A nutritious diet, exercise, and enough hours of sleep are all healthy ways to help teens make big changes in their physical and mental health. For example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cTeaching your kid how to self-manage stress is only half the equation. Environment is the other,\u201d Sawyer said. \u201cIs your household a place of safety? Does the atmosphere support emotional regulation and stability?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sawyer noted that one factor that pushes teens away from adults is when adults are already at their \u201cred line\u201d of stress. \u201cA teen senses this, and so they\u2019re not going to bring in more stress or talk to you about their own struggles,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Be sure to prioritize your own self-care and well-being so you can make the home a safe place that supports everyone\u2019s growth and health.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Teens are under stress that puts them at risk for behavioral issues, mental health issues, and feelings of isolation. Here\u2019s how to help your teen.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":27,"featured_media":22287,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[973],"tags":[1743,1757,158,1003,1663,1699,1712,1723,1742],"yoast_head":"\nWhat Is Good Stress and Unhealthy Stress?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Teach Your Teen To Be Aware of and Manage Their Stress<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Regulation techniques for high-stress times<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
How introversion and extroversion play a part in de-stressing<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Don\u2019t underestimate your role in helping your teen manage stress<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Encourage your teen to use breathing techniques to regulate stress<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Maintenance techniques for when your teen isn\u2019t stressed<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Final Thoughts: Create a Safe Place Through Your Own Stress Management<\/h2>\n\n\n\n