Everyone experiences stress in their life. Increasing demands can be a key cause of stress, with teens having to manage pressures to perform at school, responsibilities at home, social demands and part-time work. Signs of stress may start to show if your teen is unable to cope with challenges in life. These signs may include:
Not wanting to see others
Not able to sleep or sleep for long periods
Refusal to go to school
Change in or aggressive behaviour
Change in mood
Feeling sad
Change in appetite
Weight changes
Having problems remembering or concentrating.
Tips on balancing demands
You can encourage your teen to:
Talk it through – encourage your teen to talk to you or to their friends, or teachers to help find new ways to manage workload and stress.
Have a healthy lifestyle and a full night’s sleep to help improve overall moods and ability to cope with pressures.
Avoid negative thoughts as they can take over and make situations seem worse than they are.
Break larger tasks into smaller ones and make time to relax and have fun.
Find hobbies, sports or activities which bring happiness and enjoyment.
Take up Mindfulness Activities – Mindfulness helps to still the active mind and become more present in the moment to help deal with the stresses of work, study, play and people. Mindfulness can be done in a few ways:
Colouring or drawing
Going for a walk at a local park
Listening to music
Meditation
If you are worried that your child may be struggling to cope with stress, consider seeing a GP or health professional.
Young Carers
A young carer is a person under 25 years who helps provide care and support for family members or friends who may be old or have a disability, a physical or mental illness, or a substance dependence.
Being a young carer can be something different person to person. Roles can be short or long term and include care like:
Administering medication
Changing dressings
Repositioning
Helping with feeding
Showering, bathing, dressing or personal hygiene
Cooking and cleaning
Looking after siblings
Budgeting and paying bills
Transporting or running errands.
Being a carer can be something teens or family members take on with no hesitation, but it is always good to know they have support. Support for young carers includes:
