It's completely normal for teens to experience stress. They deal with school and social pressures on a regular basis. However, stress can become a problem and lead to mental health issues such as anxiety and depression if a teen doesn't know how to cope with it in healthy ways. Some healthy ways to deal with stress include exercising, eating healthy, practicing relaxation techniques and seeking the help of a licensed mental health professional.
School Pressures
Many teens are stressed about whether they'll succeed in school. It's not enough anymore to get average grades, play a sport and join the German club. Some teens believe they have to get straight A's, be the soccer captain and be president of the German club in order to be successful. Students know that they won't get into a top-tier college if they aren't one of the best, which can put a lot of pressure on someone so young. Teens are pressured to figure out what they want to do and who they want to be before their personalities and brains are fully developed. Many times, adolescents choose to focus on what their parents want them to be or do rather than figuring out what they want for themselves.
Social Pressures
The most significant support group for a teenager is his peers. If he has a difficult time making and maintaining healthy relationships, he'll probably become stressed and anxious. Teens need to connect with other teens. When someone is bullied or teased at school, he could fear for his safety or develop feelings of shame and embarrassment.
Teen relationships are volatile. A teen might be best friends with someone one minute, and the next minute she might be fighting with that friend over the same guy. It's incredibly stressful for teenagers to be fighting with their peers and close friends. Television shows such as "Gossip Girl" give teens messages about how they should act and feel. Sex, alcohol and drugs are glorified, which makes it more difficult for adolescents to deal with peer pressure.
Appearance
According to Teens Health, 25 percent of teens feel stressed about their appearance when they're going back to school in the fall. Most teenagers feel judged by their appearance, which can be stressful if a teen doesn't like the way she looks. Teens are bombarded by pictures of gorgeous, skinny celebrities in the media, and they're given messages about how they should look. If they don't meet society's demands, they might feel that they don't fit in and could develop a low self-esteem.
Issues at Home
Adolescents may seem to think about only one thing--themselves--but they are affected by issues at home. They might feel stressed out if their parents fight constantly, if one of their parents has a mental health disorder such as depression or if a family member is sick.
