While the high school years are often referred to "as the best years of your life," all teenagers still experience stress. Stress can be caused by school and peer pressures, sporting and extra curricular activities, strained family relationships, divorce, financial stressors of the family, work, and love interests. It's important to not minimize the stress your teenager is under, to keep the lines of communication open and to keep your teenager on a balanced diet, an established sleep routine and a regular exercise routine. Also, maintain regular visits with your health care provider, and make family time a priority.
Headaches
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) reports that 75 percent of teenagers report having a headache at least once a month. While not all these headaches are attributable to stress, some are. Stressful periods, such as exam time, are common times for teenagers to complain of headaches. If your teenager is having recurring, frequent headaches, see your health care provider to rule out any physical cause.
Acne
Old wisdom tells us that acne during your teenage years is frequently caused by your diet. The AAP explains that there's no link between the food a teenager eats and breakouts. Actually, stress can trigger acne. If your teen's acne becomes troublesome or painful, consult your health care provider to help you develop a solution.
Sleep Issues
Teenagers are known for staying up late, sleeping in, taking naps and being lazy--but, if your child's sleep patterns are changing, stress might be to blame. If your teen is having a difficult time falling asleep, staying asleep or is having nightmares, you may want to spend some time looking at the stressors in her life. Keeping your teenager on a well-balanced diet, as well as a consistent exercise and sleep regimen, may help. You may also want to help her develop a nighttime ritual or routine that includes some sort of relaxation technique and set consistent sleep and wake times.
Depression
Teenagers who are suffering from stress may become depressed or experience anxiety or panic attacks. If your teen is having trouble concentrating, her grades are slipping or she's staying in more often, these may be signs of depression. Other signs include anxiety, profound fatigue with difficulty sleeping, anger, hostility, bouts of crying, feelings of worthlessness, physical pain, and emotional pain. Consult your health care provider immediately if your teen is experiencing any of these symptoms. While all these symptoms are normal on their own and for short periods of time, they aren't normal to experience all at once, to a point of interference with daily life.
