Parents of teens are all-too-familiar with stress. But teens feel stress, too, and adolescents are often less quipped to deal with it.
The folks at Teen Contact offer these coping strategies for teens:
- You are in control of your own emotions and how you look at and deal with situations, even if you can't change the situation.
- Recognize that you often are in charge of your stress. Choose to make changes that reduce stress.
- Be realistic and determine the true importance of the situation. Is this going to affect you in five years? Will you even remember it? Are you overreacting?
- Give yourself or someone else a break. Remember, nobody's perfect.
- Prioritize the things you have to do and come up with a plan.
- Exercise, eat right and take care of yourself.
- Have a sense of humor about the situation (and yourself.)
- Talk to someone. Don't be afraid to ask for help.
