What
is stress?
According
to a high school psychology textbook, stress is "a particular
pattern of disturbing psychological and physiological reactions
that occur when an environment event threatens important motives
and taxes one's ability to cope."
In plain English,
stress is the "wear and tear" our bodies experience as we adjust
to our continually changing environment.
But not all
stress is bad -- some stress is good. In fact, everyone needs
stress in their lives; without it, life would be dull and unexciting.
Stress adds flavor, challenge and opportunity to life. Stress
can pump you up, give you energy, supply that zest for living.
Stress is
an unavoidable part of life. The challenges caused by stress help
to develop new skills and behavior patterns. The problems occur,
however, when stress becomes excessive. It can become destructive
and can turn into distress. Too much stress on your mind and body
can make you feel miserable, worried, sad and ill.
Contrary to
popular belief, stress is not the pressure from the outside--the
divorce, the death, the burned supper, the vacation, the isolation.
Those are stressors. Your response to those situations
constitutes stress.
The
Causes of stress
Stess is a
part of all our lives. It is especially likely to happen when
you're experiencing changes--either happy or upsetting changes.
You may be
feeling a lot of stress now if:
- You're
experiencing--or facing--a change in schools.
- Your physical
development is behind or ahead that of most of your classmates.
- There are
problems at home: parents fighting, an alcoholic parent, a serious
illness in the family, money worries, a parental separation
or divorce, psychological or physical abuse from a parent or
sibling.
- Someone
close to you died in the past year--a grandparent, parent or
other close relative, a special friend, or a pet.
- Everyone
in your life seems to expect a lot of you now--from the coach
at P.E. to all your teachers and your parents.
- You're
feeling a lot of conflicting things: sometimes loving and sometimes
feeling close to hating your parents; wanting to be on your
own, but sometimes secretly wishing you could be a little kid
and totally taken care of again; feeling close to, yet competitive
with, a good friend; wanting to be a good person, but feeling
that, lots of times, you fall short.
What are other
things that may causes you to experience stress?
- Having
a job
- Extra-curricular
activities that are time consuming
- Not fitting
in to a social group
- School
expectations
- Parent
expectations
- Being unable
to prioritize things -- it all seems important
- Being pushed
& pulled by different classes
- Lack of
preparedness from middle school
Teenagers
face a specific kind of stress. It could be problems at home--with
parents, with siblings, an alcholic parent, divorce--or it could
be problems at school--pressure from your teachers, pressure from
your friends, or pressure from your parents to do well.
Other stresses
teens face may include:
- High competition
for jobs - the feeling that there are no jobs out there
- Education
choices - after high school, paying for college
- Stress
of living at home, but yet feeling old enough to be on your
own
- Financial
pressures - part time work is scarce and parents don't have
as much money as they did 20 years ago
- Disfunctional
families - teens from divorced families, alcoholic, or abusive
families
- Blended
families - teens may feel out of place
How
to Prevent Stress
What can you
do about stresses such as these? The number one way to prevent
a lot of stress is to keep the lines of communication open.
- Communication
-- Keep the lines of communication open with parents, but if
parents are the problem, then talk to somebody you trust - maybe
a teacher, a friend, or a pastor
- Peer
support -- There are many peer support groups--either at
your school, in your community, or even over the internet.
While
you can't completely avoid all stress, you can take control
of your life and make it less painful.
Simple
things like avoiding spicy foods can help.
But
if you just ignore your stress, it will get worse. It can also
make you sick. The latest medical literature suggests that either
stress overload or underlaod may be hazardous to your health.
In fact, some authorities believe that up to 90 percent of all
illness is stress-related.
While
all chronic problems should be checked by a physician, teens who
suffer from stomach ulcers or ulcerative colitis (ulcers in the
colon with resulting cramps, bloody feces and diarrhea) need regular
medical care and possible psychological therapy to further reduce
stress.
