Effects of Stress on Teens

If you believe that only adults have problems and experience stress then you are completely wrong. Effects of stress on teens is as much as it is on adults. Stress in teenagers is also more dangerous than it is in adults. This is mainly because of the fact that teenage is a stage where there is very little or no understanding of how to manage stress.

All teenagers are likely to experience stress at some point in their lives. The stress may come from family, school grades, getting a summer job or even getting the drivers license. Broken relationships, especially those with the other sex, questions about who they are and how they fit in, acceptance by peer group, changes in puberty or simply stress from frequent boredom are also some of the prime sources of stress in teens.

A stressful situation at home is very likely to spill over and affect a teenager’s academic performance at school. Many students report family tensions between parents as a major cause of a fall in school grades. Conversely, demands made at school and stress over school grades may affect a teenager’s life at home.

Stress has numerous effects on teenagers and as a parent you should be on the look out for signs of teen stress so as to be better prepared to help your child in finding a solution.

  • Sudden drop in school grades
  • Excessive sadness
  • Irritability
  • Frequent crying without any obvious reason
  • Withdrawal from friends and family
  • Inability to find interest in fun activities
  • General fatigue
  • Inability to concentrate in studies
  • Mood swings or temper tantrums
  • Aggression

Some studies reveal that stress in adolescence can negatively affect the cardiovascular health of otherwise healthy teenagers. Left unattended teen stress can potentially lead to anxiety disorders, teen depression or drug abuse, which may require professional help.

The reality is that high stress is a bigger threat to teenagers than frequent boredom and spending money. If teenagers are not tutored how to cope with stress it can have dangerous consequences that include alcoholism and drug abuse.

As a responsible parent it is incumbent on you to monitor your teen’s behavioral patterns. Any change that has negative connotations should be a cause of concern and should be addressed. However, you need not be unduly alarmed as most teens are receptive and will listen to you if you are not too judgmental about the problems that they are going through. You need to engage the child and be sensitive to his/her feelings and try to help in finding solutions. It is always better that you only provide backend support and let your teen find a solution himself/herself.

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