MIND FOCUS
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT
ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION Cindy Glass, Director and Co-Founder of Step Up Education Centres, tells us how to recognise when you, your friend or, as a parent, your teen is headed down a dark road and how to help
T
he circle of life is such that your parents forget, often with some relief, what it is like to be a teenager dealing with the stressful challenges of a changing body, academic expectations and social interactions. And these days we have a pandemic, school closures and photoshop to add to the mix! But the reality is that long-term, unchecked stress can lead to the greater challenges of anxiety, depression and negative behavioural choices, and you and your parents – and your friends – need to know how to spot this before it becomes a problem...
WHAT CAUSES STRESS IN TEENAGERS? ✪ Teenagers are complex, over-thinkers by
nature. It isn’t surprising then, that what may seem to your parents to be a minor challenge, could actually be a cause of debilitating stress for you. ✪ Negative body image and self-image – social media can be fun, even helpful, but the unrealistic (and often fake) portrayal of people’s lives and bodies can be super harmful. ✪ School pressures – these can be social such as bullying, pressure to do certain things or behave and think a certain way; or academic such as feeling you have to slay at matric exams or your life is over! ✪ Making mistakes (including poor behaviour choices) and the fear of failure and new experiences can paralyse you and cause procrastination.
✪ Financial or personal worries stemming
from family issues – a parent losing a job, parents getting divorced, emotional or verbal abuse, sibling rivalry.
WHAT ARE THE SIGNS OF EXCESSIVE STRESS IN TEENAGERS? ✪ Sleeping too much or too little ✪ Experiencing panic attacks ✪ Acting aggressively or withdrawing from
activities you once enjoyed
✪ Fatigue that affects normal activities ✪ Eating way too much or way too little
(out-of-character eating patterns)
✪ Regular mood swings, crying and angry episodes
HOW CAN YOU HELP YOUR TEEN OR FRIEND? ✪ Non-judgemental communication is key!
Really listen to understand them, to support and help them find positive solutions. Challenges are a part of teenage life and can’t be avoided, just make sure they know you are the go-to person they can count on. ✪ Encourage them to exercise regularly and to make healthy food choices. Nothing beats having a healthy, fit body when the pressure is on. ✪ Get them in touch with emotional intelligence skills, or better yet, research it together: self-awareness, self-regulation, self-motivation, empathy and social skills are essential in developing positive body-
and self-image. It will also help them navigate the complications that crop up in relationships. ✪ Know that mistakes are inevitable. Speak of mistakes being learning opportunities and help them to find positive solutions. ✪ Discuss perspectives. It is essential to understand that everyone is coming from their own perspective and that, so often, upsetting encounters with others are as a result of their experiences and perspectives of life in that moment. Remember, if you have not caused the negative encounter, it is not your stuff!
WHEN IS IT TIME TO GET EXPERT HELP? ✪ If you are having suicidal thoughts ✪ If the symptoms of stress are not subsiding
or if they are getting worse
✪ If you are dealing with your stress by
carrying out dangerous, negative behaviours like cutting, drinking or taking drugs, having unwanted or unprotected sex, stealing.
Stress can be a double-edged sword. It can motivate us to positive action, but it can also result in potentially serious emotional and physical challenges, if it becomes longterm and excessive. Keep an eye out for the latter and find ways to help ease the effects of negative stress on yourself, your teens and your friends. PM
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