Causes of Stress

There are many aspects of adolescence that can cause you stress. Your body changes rapidly and so does your view of the world around you. You may begin to view people, situations and yourself in a new light.

Some people take all this change in their stride and adapt quite easily to the transition of adolescence. Others might need more help, or may have additional causes of stress.

Click on the link below to find out more information about stress.

Abuse

Abuse can take a number of different forms. It may be physical, emotional, result from neglect or be sexual. Girls are more likely to be abused, but abuse of boys happens too.

All types of abuse can be emotionally devastating for victims regardless of their age, gender or culture. It is important if you are being abused in any way or know anybody that is that you approach an adult, such as a teacher or trusted relative, as quickly as possible. The person you tell will be able to help you contact the police or Social Services, if the person you tell does not believe you it is important that you do not give up. You could try informing the police directly with the assistance of a friend.

Alcohol and Drugs

As young people enter adolescence it is necessary that they will begin to experience adult situations. Some of these situations may involve the consumption or use of tobacco, alcohol and drugs. For some individuals these experiences may occur very rarely and never develop beyond an “experimental” stage, however for others, use of these substances may quickly become excessive and cause, or be a symptom of, a mental health disorder.

If you feel you have a substance misuse problem, or know someone who does, you may be able to access help from a number of sources, listed below, or alternatively you can contact your GP or school nurse or counsellor in confidence.

Bereavement

Bullying

Unfortunately, bullying is an all too common phenomena and may take the form of physical violence, emotional torment such as name calling, and exclusion from activities and conversations. It is very hurtful for the victim or victims and can leave those affected feeling upset and isolated. It can result in a lot of unnecessary stress and may even lead to mental health issues.

Divorce

Statistics show us that a large minority of all marriages end in divorce, and therefore a large number of children will see their parents divorce or separate.

When this happens it is not only the married couple who are affected, but also any children they have. If your parents divorce or separate you will probably initially feel quite shocked if they have successfully managed to hide any difficulties they have been having away from you. After this though there may be a number of other things you need to deal with: such as making a decision who to live with, facing the possibility of moving house – which may involve moving school or moving away from friends, and dealing with all the other emotions you may experience, such as guilt, anger, a feeling of abandonment and a sense of loss or grief for the way your family used to be.

If you are in this situation and are finding it difficult to cope, the following links may be useful.

Exams 

Exams are a stressful time for most people. It feels as though the success of your whole life depends upon them, and that is a pretty scary prospect. If you would like more information on how to cope during this stressful time then you may find the following links on coping with exam stress useful.

Finding a job or education course

So, you made it through your exams, you waited for the results, you’ve relaxed a little and recovered from the stress, but now what?

For many people the next stage is to find a job or secure themselves a place on a further education course, if they have not already done so.

Anxiety is a feeling of fear and worries, which is a natural respose to experiences that are new, frightening or uncertain. Everyone feels anxious at times but some children and young people worry more than others and have greater difficulty coping with the inevitable challenges and uncertainty of growing up.

It is often hard for children, especially young children, to find words to describe their feelings, and anxiety may be expressed in their behaviour. For example, they may be afraid of the dark or of going to sleep, they may be clingy, restless or fussy and find it hard to cope with separating from their parents and settling down at school.  Older children and young people may experience panic attacks, palpitations, fear of leaving home and high stress levels.

For more information about anxiety check out the fact sheet below:

Depression

Depression is a common mental health problem that occurs if your feelings of sadness and low mood persist for a few weeks. A young person who is depressed may have low spirits, feel inadequate, be downcast and stressed, feel guilty or responsible and worried or lonely. Depression can also show itself in other ways, for example, self harm, substance misuse, eating disorders and even bullying.  In its extreme form it can lead to suicide attempts. If you think you may be depressed it is very important to tell someone you trust and get help from your doctor.

Eating problems

Eating problems are particularly common among teenage girls, but an increasing number of boys are suffering from them as well.

Many of us will be unhappy with our body size or shape at some point in our lives and will try to change it. This isn't necessarily going to be a problem unless eating patterns become unhealthy, or worries about body size and eating become a constant preoccupation.

Things such as worry or stress can cause eating problems. People who feel under pressure may lose their appetite or may turn to food for comfort and eat even when they are not at all hungry. In some cases there may be more serious underlying disorders.

Self-harm

Self-injury is a way of dealing with very difficult feelings that build up inside. People deal with these feelings in various ways. Here are some examples:

Cutting or burning themselves, bruising themselves, taking an overdose of tablets, pulling hair, or picking skin.

Some people think that the seriousness of the problem can be measured by how bad the injury is. This is not the case - people who hurt themselves a bit can be feeling just as bad as people who hurt themselves a lot.

Self-injury can affect anyone. It is a lot more common than people think. Many people hurt themselves secretly for a long time before finding the courage to tell someone.