Stressed-out teens need to learn how to 'chill'
Sept. 30, 20002

By HUYI JIN ELIZABETH KIM
Knight Ridder Newspapers

DETROIT — No longer a child. Not yet an adult. Adolescents are in the process of developing skills they will take into adulthood — and perhaps the most important of these are healthy ways to cope with stress.

Stress is what you feel when you fail to deal with pressure, either from school, family and friends or from inside yourself, like wanting to do well in school or wanting to fit in.

Stress isn’t all bad. It can help you meet deadlines and give you an edge in sports. But too much stress hurts the body and the mind.

When you’re being chased by a bully or surprised by a pop quiz, your body responds by making a stress hormone called cortisol. Over time, too much stress can decrease white blood cells that help fight infections.

In a recent study published by researchers at Murdoch University in Australia, 45 children with a history of 10 or more infections in the past year were taught stress management and relaxation skills. Afterward, episodes of chronic colds were shorter and blood tests showed increased levels of infection-fighting antibodies.

Statistics confirm that stressed-out adolescents are at a higher risk of self-destructive behavior such as alcohol use, smoking and drugs, learning difficulties, depression and anxiety disorders.

Here’s an example of how one adolescent in the Detroit area deals with stress:

Stacy Chen, 17, starting junior year at Pioneer High School, Ann Arbor, Mich.

STRESSORS: “The biggest source of stress is family,” says Stacy, who acknowledges her parents are always telling her to study harder to get into a good college.

THE COPING MECHANISMS: When Stacy felt stressed out while studying for the SATs with her twin sister, Tracy, this summer, she first talked to her parents.

“They encouraged me by telling me that I will do better. I believe them, because if I study hard enough I can improve,” says Stacy.

WHAT EXPERTS SAY: Because the family is the most intimate social environment of an adolescent, family members are a major source of both stress and social support.

Too many familial stresses can affect a child’s growth. In a study published last year by researchers at the Polish Academy of Sciences, 271 girls whose family dysfunction exposed them to prolonged distress were more likely to have early puberty and shorter stature.

Parents are advised to make more time for talking to children about all topics, not just problems.

“Parents can be a tremendous resource for kids as they move into middle and high school with the influence of peers increasing,” says John A. Ryan, a psychologist in private practice in St. Clair Shores. “Parents should be involved with open interest in what their kids are doing. The key is open communication and listening, not providing a solution. Parents tend to be solution-oriented and move too fast.”

THREE WAYS TO MANAGE STRESS

The Mind

• Maintain a positive attitude. “I can’t control what’s causing the stress, but I can change how I react to things.”
• Do not demand perfection but set realistic goals.
• Talk things out.
• Take a break. Make time for things you enjoy doing, like listening to music or spending time with a pet. Research shows people with pets have healthier lives.

Exercise

• Regular exercise for 20 to 30 minutes three times a week is effective in reducing stress.
• Workouts can raise the amount of helpful chemicals in the brain, including endorphins, which produce a sense of well-being.

Diet

• Start the day with a healthy breakfast. Research shows eating a low-fat, high-carbohydrate breakfast makes students more alert, focused and in a better mood than those eating a high-fat breakfast or no breakfast at all. Skipping breakfast can lower the body’s ability to cope with stress later in the day.
• Avoid having too many caffeinated drinks. They increase the heart rate and cause feelings of anxiety.