What causes stress in teens?

The events in life that cause the body to experience stress are called stressors. A few stressors teens deal with arechanging schools

going on a first date

high expectations placed upon them by

parents and teachers

competing in sports

participating in extracurricular activities

having a job

being over-scheduled

not fitting in socially

being ahead or behind in physical development

throwing a party

family disfunction such as abuse or alcoholism in the home

winning a scholarship to the college of their dreams

If stressors that a teen is dealing with are allowed to pile up and are not dealt with in a proper manner, the teen will experience distress.

Too much stress can cause the teen to go into a physical state of distress. As the stress depletes their brain of important chemicals needed to regulate emotion, they will begin to feel physical and mental symptoms that can disrupt enjoyment of normal life.

Types of Stress
Stress can be defined as any type of change that causes physical, emotional or psychological strain. However, not all types of stress are harmful or even negative. There are a few different types of stress that we encounter:

Eustress, a type of stress that is fun and exciting, and keeps us vital (eg skiing down a slope or racing to meet a deadline)

Acute Stress, a very short-term type of stress that can either be positive (eustress) or more distressing (what we normally think of when we think of “stress”); this is the type of stress we most often encounter in day-to-day life (eg skiing down said slope or dealing with road rage)

Episodic Acute Stress, where acute stress seems to run rampant and be a way of life, creating a life of relative chaos (eg the type of stress that coined the terms “drama queen” and “absent-minded professor”)

Chronic Stress, the type of stress that seems never-ending and inescapable, like the stress of a bad marriage or an extremely taxing job (this type of stress can lead to burnout)

The Fight or Flight Response
Stress can trigger the body’s response to perceived threat or danger, the Fight-or-Flight response.

During this reaction, certain hormones like adrenalin and cortisol are released, speeding the heart rate, slowing digestion, shunting blood flow to major muscle groups, and changing various other autonomic nervous functions, giving the body a burst of energy and strength.

Originally named for its ability to enable us to physically fight or run away when faced with danger, it’s now activated in situations where neither response is appropriate, like in traffic or during a stressful day at work. When the perceived threat is gone, systems are designed to return to normal function via the relaxation response.

Stress and Health: Implications of Chronic Stress
When faced with chronic stress and an over activated autonomic nervous system, people begin to see physical symptoms. The first symptoms are relatively mild, like chronic headaches and increased susceptibility to colds. With more exposure to chronic stress, however, more serious health problems may develop. These stress-influenced conditions include, but are not limited to: