Learn to manage stress
We refer to our emotional, psychological, and social well-being when we talk about mental health. As we grow older, we realise that each stage of life - childhood, pre-adolescence, adolescence, and adulthood, has its own set of obstacles, which can seem overwhelming to those who experience them, which is why mental health is crucial at all stages of life.
Personalising your mind-health programme
People who prioritise their mental health can reach their full potential, manage with life's stressors, work productively, and contribute meaningfully to their communities.
A few ways to take care of your mental health are getting professional help if needed, interacting with people, staying positive, being physically active, eating in time and eating the right kind of meal, helping others, getting enough sleep, and learning healthy coping skills.
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Academic pressure and Stress
Academic pressure is when a student is burdened by time and energy demands in order to meet certain academic goals. This stress can originate from a multitude of places and have a wide range of emotional and academic consequences for students. Students can cope with academic pressure by developing healthy lifestyle habits such as getting enough sleep, exercising, and eating well.
Academic stress: Academic stress is the mental load related to upcoming academic challenges or failure, or fear of academic failure. A lot of factors in the student's environment can be attributed to academic pressure, such as school, their house, peer relationships, and even community. The most common components of academic stress identified by students are academic frustration, academic conflicts, academic anxieties, and academic pressures. Among the top academic stressors for most high school students are tests, grades, homework, academic and success expectations, and family pressure.
General Stress and Anxiety
It's important to recognize that stress is a part of life. In order to effectively manage stress, it needs to be approached with a calm sense of state. Stress is a normal reaction to external pressures or demands, and subsides when the stressful situation is resolved. Anxiety is a more persistent feeling of worry, nervousness or unease and can interfere with daily life even when initial stressor is gone. Stress is a common occurrence in everyday life. People may feel apprehensive when dealing with an office task, taking a test, or making a major life transition. Rather than pondering whether something unpleasant will occur, it is more important to consider how to deal with it. One cannot change or prevent something from happening, but yes, one can definitely be ready to face it.
Relocation stress
Relocating may elicit a range of emotions. On one hand, it's the start of a thrilling new experience; the first step toward a new life where one explores and meets new people. On the other hand, it entails a significant amount of change, like being independent. All these emotions, building up all at once leads to relocation stress. When preparing for a significant life change, there is no single source of stress. Rather, it's a pile up of mixed emotions that add up to making relocation such a stressful experience.
Youth Stress management
Relationship management
Friends: Friends and friendship are often considered healthy, but some friendships may pull one down. The idea of a "harmful" friend may be uncommon, but negative friendships can have very negative effects on psychological well-being and cause damage, including betrayal, peer pressure to misbehave, insults or passive aggression, promise-breaking, contempt, dependency, meddling, and competition.
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Family: According to the Encyclopedia of Behavioral Medicine (2013), “Family stress can be defined as any stressor that concerns one or more members of the family (or the whole system) at a defined time, which impacts the emotional connection between family members, their mood, well-being, as well as the maintenance of the family relationship.”
Partner: Even the strongest of relationships can be weakened when there's minimal communication. When one starts thinking, "My partner and I don't get along anymore," the chances of developing distance, arguments, and separation are more likely. However, by being there for each other and communicating effectively when upset, not only will one learn how to manage stress in relationships, but also establish a new level of intimacy that will bring both closer together.
Many teenagers may face stress on a daily basis and practicing stress management techniques can help in coping. When a situation is perceived as dangerous, challenging, or unpleasant, and they aren't equipped with the right resources, the stress level increases. Some sources of stress for youth and teens are school/university demands, negative perceptions about themselves, changes in their bodies, problems with friends and/or peers at school, separation or divorce of parents, death of a loved one, relocating or changing schools, setting high expectations, and/or family financial problems. Some may be stressed out to the point of exhaustion. This can result in anxiety, burnout, aggression, anxiety induced physical illness, or poor coping methods, such as drug and/or alcohol abuse.
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The way one approaches people and situations impact the level of stress. If one takes a deep breath before reacting with anger, muscles feel calmer. But when the situation seems unpleasant, one prepares to respond to danger. Increased heart rate, irregular breathing, increased blood flow to arm and leg muscles, chilly or clammy hands and feet, unsettled stomach, and/or a sense of fear are signs of the "fight, flight, or freeze" reaction.
Changes: Every relocation brings significant changes. Relocating means a new house, a different layout, and navigating new friendships while still keeping old friendships. Change is unavoidable, and positive changes too can seem a lot.
Money: Money is always a concern when planning to relocate. Packing up everything is not possible on your own, and additionally, there are charges/rent associated with moving into a new apartment. Money - or the lack thereof - is a major source of worry for many individuals.
Time: It can take time till one feels settled in the new house. Whether it's moving across the country, across the globe, or just down the street, it takes time to get oneself and one's belongings settled in a new house. Having to pause and put one's life on hold while figuring out the next move might be difficult, given the significant changes one deals with.
