Helping Children and Teens Manage Stress

Let's Do This

Stress among children and teenagers has been on the rise, and the number of youth diagnosed with anxiety and depression grows each year. School is a frequent source of stress and, as youth get older, sources of stress expand and include more events or situations outside the home.

As children and teens in your life are preparing to go back to school or getting ready to go off to college, look for signs of excess stress. Some of these signs could include:

• Irritability and anger
• Changes in behavior
• Trouble sleeping
• Neglecting responsibilities
• Eating changes
• Getting sick more often

Help youth manage stress by working with them to develop strategies to cope with it. Here are some examples of strategies that caring adults can help with:

• Model healthy coping
• Let youth be problem-solvers and solve low-stakes problems on their own
• Promote media literacy
• Combat negative thinking and negative self-talk

Stay Inspired

This article from the American Psychological Association further discusses how stress impacts the health and well-being of children and teens as well as more strategies for managing it.