Stress in Young People: how does it affect us and how can we manage it?
Stress can be caused by many things, some personal, some professional or some financial. Causes for stress include illness; bereavement; organising a large event; an overload of everyday tasks; going through a breakup; finding a new partner; problems with family or friends; being a carer; losing a job; failing or struggling in a class; deadlines; and, most relevant to a lot of young people in college, an overload of homework and studying.
In recent times, there has been a lot of pressure on the younger generation to get the best education possible otherwise they won’t do very well in life, especially with the rise in AI, older workers, overpopulation and the decrease in jobs following covid-19, not to mention the rapid digitalisation the world is going through.
Stress also affects younger people due to today’s use of filters and Photoshop on social media, creating a pressure on young people to look a certain way. In 2018, a stress survey was conducted and it found that 57% of young people couldn’t cope with stress gained through fear of making mistakes and 47% of young people said they couldn’t cope with stress caused by body image issues. This was before Covid-19 added extra stress and pressure on young people. As of 2023, it has been reported that around 91% of working young people (aged 18-22) reported being overly stressed compared to the average 84% of other ages.
Stress is the reaction your body has to challenges or changes in your life, stress can’t be avoided and is a natural part of life that everyone will face, so the best thing to do is try to manage it. There are three types of stress. Acute stress is short-term stress that can be positive or negative and comes and goes throughout life. Episodic acute stress is when you experience acute stress too frequently to get the adequate time to calm down. Finally, chronic stress is stress that can last for weeks or even months and is most likely to cause the worst side effects, often physical and mental health issues.
Physical health issues caused by stress include aches and pains, chest pain, difficulty sleeping, exhaustion, hypertension, digestive issues, and a weakened immune system. Whilst mental health issues and behavioural issues include anxiety, irritability, depression, panic attacks, compulsive behaviours, and even increased vulnerability to addiction. Whilst a lot of people tend to brush off the mental health effects of stress, they are just as important as the physical effects, potentially even more so, as the mental effects can lead to even more different physical issues.
There are some ways to prevent large amounts of stress, such as staying connected to friends and family; taking care of your body through exercise; eating properly; and relaxation activities like meditation or yoga. However, you cannot totally avoid or prevent stress, but there are ways to manage the stress you must face. Other ways to manage stress includes avoiding any unhealthy habits such as smoking or drinking; talking to a therapist or other professionals; giving yourself a few hours a day to relax; going to sleep at a time that will ensure you get adequate rest; trying to take control of a stressful situation you are in; challenging yourself to build confidence; being assertive rather than aggressive; and, finally making sure you don’t have any vitamin deficiencies and – if you do taking supplements. Whilst these might seem like basic, useless tips, many people don’t do these things and underestimate just how much these things can help people to manage stress.
Sources:
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/11874-stress
https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/self-help/guides-tools-and-activities/tips-to-reduce-stress/
https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/about-us/news/60-young-people-unable-cope-due-pressure-succeed
Photo:
Photo by Anna Shvets: https://www.pexels.com/photo/stressed-woman-looking-at-a-laptop-4226218/