October 10, 2005 Hello! Whether a person is nine, nineteen, ninety, or somewhere in between, there is going to be a certain level of stress in life. And while the causes of stress vary at different stages in life, the coping skills learned as a child or preteen can often affect how teens and adult deal with stress. "Every kid (and adult) worries
and feels stressed out sometimes. But what do kids do about it?
The National Association of Health Education Centers [NAHEC]
and the Nemours Center for Children's Health Media (creators of KidsHealth.org), wanted to find out, so they asked 875 kids ages 9 to 13 to answer
some questions about stress. First, kids were asked to choose from a
long list of stuff that might worry them.
"The
top five things kids said they worried about were: "Then they asked kids what they
do during those times when they feel stressed or upset. Here are
the top things kids said they do most often. (Kids who answered
could say more than one thing, so these add up to more than 100%.)
This study also found that what preteens do, and what they want, can be in conflict. "Only about 1 in 5 kids said they
talk to a parent when they're upset, but a whopping 75% of kids
said they'd like their parents to help them in times of stress.
Sometimes parents might feel like kids don't want them to get
involved. That's why it's good to talk to a parent - even if all
you want to say is that this problem is going on and that you'd
like to try to solve it on your own. More often, you might want
your mom or dad to offer ideas or at least a little encouragement."
But what is stress? "Stress is defined as a feeling
of emotional or physical tension. Emotional stress usually occurs
when situations are considered difficult or unmanageable. Not surprisingly,
different people consider different situations as stressful."
What is "considered difficult or unmanageable" to one person, might be a fun adventure to another. Some things that might be stressful for one person, might be enjoyable or interesting for another. "Stress can come from any situation
or thought that makes you feel frustrated, angry, or anxious.
Stress is a normal part of life. In small quantities, stress is
good -- it can motivate you and help you be more productive. However,
too much stress, or a strong response to stress, is harmful. It
can set you up for general poor health as well as specific physical
or psychological illnesses like infection, heart disease, or depression." As preteens grow into teens and adults, how they deal with stressful situations can grow and change. For those teens who might (directly or indirectly) want the help of a parent, but don't want to ask, some suggestions for the parents include: "Parents can help their teen in
these ways: As a teen (or preteen), are these suggestions you would like a parent or other adult in your life to follow? Are these tips that might help you when dealing with a friend or family member who may be stressed? While adults, friends, and family members can help, each person really needs to take steps to take deal with the stress in his or her own life. "Teens can decrease stress with
the following behaviors and techniques: Balancing a healthy level of stress is a key component of a healthy lifestyle. Since different people find stress in different places, this healthy balance can be found in a different place for each person. That said, some physical and mental issues contribute to the level of stress in all of us. "Attitude: The attitude of an individual can influence whether a situation or emotion is stressful or not. ... "Physical well-being: A poor nutritional status places the body in a state of physical stress and at risk of infection. ... A poor nutritional state can be related to unhealthy food choices, inadequate food intake, or an erratic eating schedule. ... This form of physical stress also decreases the ability to deal with situations that are perceived as difficult or unmanageable (emotional stress) because malnutrition will affect the way our brain processes information. ... "Physical activity: Inadequate physical activity can result in a stressful state for the body. Physical activity has many physiologic benefits. ... "Support systems: Most everyone needs someone in their life whom they can rely on when they are having a hard time. Minimal or absent support systems make stressful situations more difficult to deal with. "Relaxation: People with no outside
interests, hobbies, or means of relaxation, may be unable to handle
stressful situations because they have no outlet for stress." Questions of the Week:
Please email me with any ideas or suggestions. I look forward to reading what you have to say. Cindy |
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