Helping Your Teen Deal With Stress | Red Rock Canyon School

Helping your teen deal with stress may seem like a foreign concept, Red Rock Canyon School presents parents with ways they can do that. Red Rock Canyon School is residential treatment program established to help family heal. For more infomation please contact us at Because stress is a natural part of life, teens also deal with stress. Uninformed parents may unintentionally worsen their teens stress. Your help is vital. Teens who are emotionally isolated, who do not get the support of adults, and who do not have confidence in themselves are the teens who do not handle stress well

Helping Your Teenager

several things in a teens life causes them stress: their changing bodies, struggle with sexuality and search for their identity. Teenagers can talk about their problems and should have developed problem-solving skills. However, because of the emotional upheaval and their uncertainty about important decisions, they need special help and support from adults. Common stresses include: taking tests, pressure to make good grades, pressure to experiment with sex and drugs, problems in boy/girl relationships, concerns about fairness, right and wrong, nervousness about speeches and competition, uncertainty about personal appearance, pressure from too many activities, caring for younger brothers and sisters, not enough time, and lack of self-confidence.

How can you tell that your teen is under too much stress?

you can get an idea for your teen's stress level by paying attention to certain signs: eating or weight problems, excessive daydreaming, drug abuse or nervous tics like unusual eye-blinking, nail biting, and muscle twitching. Emotional stresses can lead to talk about suicide, delinquency, perfectionist behavior, isolation, and failure in school, neglecting personal appearance, withdrawing, not communicating, becoming rebellious, and getting into trouble, increased irritability and exhaustion are other signs of stress.

What can you do to help? Teenagers need to find constructive ways to deal with stressful situations. As your teenager learns that he can deal with problems, he gains a positive attitude about himself. Offer honest praise when he does a good job on something. Remember to say thank you. Teenagers often feel unappreciated.

Consider your child's schedule. Is he over-extending himself? Some teenagers find themselves swamped when they add an after-school job to an already full day. Is he expected to do too much at home? Although teenagers should be doing regular chores, some do become overburdened with them. Teenagers are still children, and they need time to relax and play.

Perhaps the most effective way to help your teenager manage his stress is to keep the lines of communication open. He may not want or need your advice, but he will appreciate your attention. Most teenagers like adults to just listen to them. They want someone to hear what they have to say. This doesn't mean that you shouldn't express your opinions, particularly on important matters like values. But if every discussion turns into an argument, you may need to spend more time listening, and to express your opinions calmly and quietly.

Encourage your child to get physical. Teens can work off some of their stresses in aerobics, cycling, skating, or jogging. This is a very constructive way of dealing with stress. Other positive approaches include learning to be assertive, to control anger, and to say "no."

When should you seek help? Adolescence is a difficult time for teens and their families. When pressures become extreme and when solutions run out, it's time to talk about getting help. When you see evidence that your child is using drugs or when your teen talks about suicide or begins giving away treasured items, get professional help immediately. Watch for warning signs of depression, risky sexual practices, unusual antisocial behavior, and personality changes.