Academic Stress

Welcome to the Youth Outreach blog! Every week we will discuss an important issue for youth in our community. To start things off, let’s talk about one of the biggest concerns for children and teenagers; school stress! The school year is now in full swing and for many students that comes with a lot of anxiety. Students are concerned about getting good grades, applying to colleges and balancing homework and extracurriculars.

Here are some tips for students who are feeling stressed.

Go outside and get active: Go to a once a week yoga class, or make time to go for a run after school. While the weather is still nice, you can go for a walk and grab some ice cream!

Make a schedule: Make a study schedule for yourself and allow time for breaks, you may even consider studying with a friend for support.

Reward yourself: Find a study snack that you like and can motivate yourself with, or go see a movie at the end of the week.

Laugh: Laughter is a great stress reliever, so put on your favorite comedy and have a giggle.

Deep Breathing: Many students feel anxious during class and do not know what to do in the moment to make the anxiety go away. Next time you are feeling anxious in the middle of a lecture, sit up straight in your chair and tae a few deep breaths. No one will notice and your body will instantly relax.

As parents, it is important to give your children space when they need it, but also know when to intervene. Here are some warning signs that the stress is becoming too much:

More Frequent Colds or Flu: There’s an inverse relationship between stress and immunity, so if you’re under too much stress, you may be getting sick more often.

General Anxiety: Anxiety does serve an important function for survival, but if you’re feeling anxious much of the time, it could be because you have too many stressors in your life, or it may indicate a medical condition like generalized anxiety disorder. If you experience an increase in anxiety, you may want to talk to your doctor.

Lack of Enjoyment: anxiety and stress can get in the way of your child’s day to day functioning, to the point where they do not enjoy the activities they used to. If you are noticing that they no longer want to go to an event, it may be due to stress.

Feelings of Frustration: Many teens who are stressed start to feel frustrated when they are overwhelmed. They may say things including, “I just can’t do this, it’s too much.” When a teen feels overwhelmed, it may be because they feel powerless about their situation.

If you see any of these changes in your child, please seek a professional counseling referral. One way to do this is to contact your insurance company and ask for providers in your area. Another source of help is your family’s doctor or pediatrician. You are also welcome to call us at Medfield Youth Outreach!

Another important reminder for your child is that although school is important, they have many other strengths. Your child may excel in dance, football, drama, debate club, art, or ultimate frisbee, not just school. Remind them that you are on their side and proud of their hard work.

Other resources for stress reduction:

http://kidshealth.org/teen/your_mind/stress_center.html

http://www.education.com/reference/article/Ref_Ways_Stress_Help/?page=2