Stress in teenagers is very overlooked in our society, and who could understand it better than a teenager right? We’ve all heard adults say, “You’re just a kid, what stress could you possibly have?”. In a sense, that’s quite correct, we’re getting money from our parents, everyday meals, and all basic necessities. BUT, we also got our personal lives . The teenage years play a significant role in shaping our personalities and they come with life-changing experiences that adults sometimes forget about. In these years, we experience important life lessons like dealing with heartbreaks, losing friends, disagreement with parents, losing ‘ourselves’ , identifying our passions, change of career goals and what not!
Which is why we need to discuss a few ways I , as a teenager use to cope with stress relating to academics, college, and all the external drama life throws at us. let’s jump into it
1. CALMING YOUR MIND
When you’re stressed, the mind moves in a thousand directions at once and you can’t stop dwelling on that one single thought. here, the first step is to calm yourself . remind yourself that its going to be fine and all of this is just magnified in your head. most of the time we manage to amplify any situation in our head making them feel bigger than it is in reality.
Begin by taking few deep breaths. There’s no benefit in continuously thinking about it , yet not taking action to resolve it, right? we need to analyze the matter from a logical point of view rather than an emotional perspective. That’s why its essential to ground yourself at that moment, Try using 5-5-5 breathing technique or any other that works best for you.
After you get into a calmer state of mind, you could proceed with analyzing the situation and take required action. And yes, sometimes if it’s just too much to handle I tell my brain to “shut the f up” and take a nap. It’s a temporary fix though, i know when I wake up it’s necessary to address the situation.
2. WRITE-down your thoughts
“what if things go wrong”
“i cant handle this”
“why cant i just stop thinking about it”
“people are going to judge me”
“what if he doesn’t like me”
listen to me love—write all of those down. it doesn’t have to be an organized and beautiful writing. you just need to get that tiny voice in your head , down onto a paper. and sometimes its possible to shy-away from writing, like you don’t want no proof of this to exist. (especially if it’s about some crush 😉 but don’t worry about it, if needed—you can always paint on it , tear it up or burn it).
As you continue writing every possible thought you’re having, you’ll start to notice your mind clearing up and your thoughts becoming more organized. And here’s a little nudge- try adding questions like “How can i possibly solve this?” and you’ll find yourself searching for answers and eventually end up writing a solution to it.
Writing out your thoughts will solve 90% of the problem -the last 10% is just putting your plan into action. This always, always works for me.
3. TALKING WITH A FRIEND
Yes, it’s a huge help for your mental health when you talk out your problems. you are not alone and you don’t have to handle every problem by yourself, its absolutely okay and necessary to share your burden with someone you trust. it could be a sibling, friend, best friend, parents—anybody you feel safe to share your emotions without feeling judged.
Sometimes, getting a second opinion can be incredibly helpful. often, They can see the situation through a different perspective, one you might not have considered. Also, a friend’s calming words can quiet your mind, helping you step away from the constant replay of problems in your head. It can bring you relief and clarity and even solutions you hadn’t thought of.
4. GETTING SHIT DONE
Once you’ve shared your thoughts or talked things over with a friend, you may feel much calmer now. But if your stress revolves around some work you’ve been putting off—like an assignment, or a big event coming up that you haven’t prepared for….then you need to get that done ASAP.
Strategically planning how to reach your goals can help you release the tension and slowly progressing with the work will seem less overwhelming. When i have a big presentation coming up but haven’t started preparing yet, I feel immensely stressed. But, as soon as i take that first step, it starts to feel manageable and achievable.
It’s tempting to keep procrastinating but that only makes the stress worse. I’ve discovered what works best for me is listing every work down, getting started with something simple but quick, and working my way through each item until I’ve checked everything off. You can try the same or yk just get up from that couch and finish your duty!
5. STOP OVERWHELMING Yourself
Overthinking any recent life event— such as an argument with parents, dispute with a friend, love-life issues, academic setback, etc.- can be extremely overwhelming . But in these moments, we gently need to remind ourselves that it can be resolved and that we are capable of handling the situation.
Doing something that brings you joy or lightens your heart can make a big difference, whether it’s engaging in your a favorite hobby, spending time with people who lift your spirits, or taking some quiet time alone if that’s what you need.
instead of overwhelming yourself with all the emotions, focus on doing things that bring you comfort. Being kind to yourself is incredibly important in that moment. Treat yourself to your favourite meal, watch a movie, go out with your friends, or stay in and order from zomato (not sponsored!) you don’t need to solve every issue of your life in one day, take it slow and steady, and you’ll see every piece coming back together <3
CONCLUSION:
After all, Stress is a part of life and we’ve just got to find some way to handle it. I wish we all keep flowing through life with ease. cause it’s life, we need to LIVE it instead staying buried in stress, drama and negative emotions right?
leave a comment down below on how it helped you, and also share your ways to manage stress in life<3
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