[Khushboo]

Stress Management Tips for Teens


Dr. James Farrow offers the following tips to help teens alleviate stress.






Being a teenager can also mean being stressed. Understanding how to identify sources of stress and finding ways to alleviate stress are important to help teens put their lives into balance. Not all stress is from school. For many teens, stress may come from home, says Dr James Farrow, associate professor of paediatrics and medicine and director of the Adolescent Medicine Clinic at University of Washington Medical Centre. This may occur when parents expect a child to meet high academic standards or live up to performances of an older sibling.
Some teens under stress may be prone to act out at school or become confrontational with their peers, teachers or parents. In other instances, teens may become withdrawn and depressed, avoiding school or distancing themselves from social interaction. Farrow notes that teens may also turn to cigarettes, alcohol, or other drugs in order to cope with daily stress. Mental stress can result in physical symptoms, such as headache, chest pain, panic attacks, and insomnia. He suggests that teens see a healthcare provider to discuss their problems and identify the cause.
"The best thing teens can do is learn strategies they can quickly use to reduce stress and feel in control," Farrow says. "Sometimes it can help to speak with someone like a healthcare provider or counsellor to find out what the source of stress may be."
Farrow offers the following tips to help teens alleviate stress:

• Try deep breathing, meditation or other relaxation techniques.
• Make sure to get a good night's sleep.
• Eat a light breakfast before going to school.
• If behind in schoolwork, sit down today to organise daily activities with a calendar.
• Finish an evening of studying with some leisure reading or listening to music.

If parents become concerned that a child is not handling stress effectively, Farrow recommends making contact with a counsellor or teacher who may be able to help identify problems.
And when it comes to handling stress, teenagers also learn from their parents' example. "The best thing parents can do is deal with their own stress effectively," Farrow notes.