It may surprise you to hear that stress isn’t always a bad thing! Having some stress actually can make us more focused, motivated, and excited. Too little stress can result in feeling unmotivated, but too much can result in feeling overwhelmed and unable to take action.
When we talk about stress, we are really talking about two different parts, stressors and the stress response. Stressors are the causes of our stress (an upcoming exam, not getting along with our parents, a messy room, the championship game or school play around the corner), while the stress response is how we react to these stressors. To effectively deal with stress you must address BOTH pieces.
If you are experiencing a mental health emergency please reach out for help.
Resources
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: call 988 or Chat Online (also available for mental health crises, relationship issues, etc.)
- Teen Link: If you’re under 21, you can call Teen Link at 866-TEENLINK (866-833-6546) and ask to talk to a peer.
- Emergencies: call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room/hospital.
Dealing with Stress
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Exercise– You may hear this all the time, but that’s because it’s crucial to managing stress. Exercise doesn’t necessarily mean strenuous activity as much as it means moving your body, which could look like walking or hiking, dancing, riding a bike.
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Make social connection– Connect with people you care about! It’s best if this is in person, but if that can’t happen, aim for a FaceTime or phone call rather than texting.
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Nourish your body– Your mental and physical wellness are so closely linked. Make sure to eat regularly and drink water. This includes reducing caffeine and sugar intake.
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Sleep– When we are feeling overwhelmed, our first inclination may be to stay up late to get things done, but this is actually doing more harm than good typically. Sleep is key to your well-being.
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Feel your feelings– Bottling up your feelings keeps the stress in your body. All feelings are temporary, so allow yourself to move through them by journaling, practicing mindfulness, doing a breathing exercise, etc.
Dealing with Stressors
- Ask for help- You don’t have to go through this alone. Please reach out to a counselor, teacher, parent, or other trusted adult for help.
- Pare down your to-do list- Make a to-do list and then analyze it. Which things must get done? Which would be nice if you have the time? Which can be eliminated altogether? Prioritize accordingly.
- Set healthy boundaries- Boundaries are about honoring your own limits, needs and values. This could look like passing up on an event that you’d rather not do, requesting time to think about something before making a decision, or many other things. It’s okay to say no.
- Examine your coping mechanisms- Many people tend to distract themselves when they are feeling overwhelmed, which is useful in helping to regulate feelings. It is helpful to notice when this is happening to be able to decide if it’s helping, or delaying a problem for later. Looking at you TikTok rabbit holes.
- Reframe problems- Our attitude and perception of our problems greatly impacts how we feel about them. So maybe studying for that Chemistry test can be seen as a chance to get to study with your friend.
