By: Neha Aarav
What is stress?
Stress is hard to define at times, and the sources seem boundless. Academic pressures are some of the biggest concerns for students around the world, relationship stress can have a drastic effect on your mood, and the fear of loss can be devastating. It is important that we understand the effects of stress on a student’s mind because it’s that kind of pressure that leads to serious problems.
Even though we may not realize it at first, we experience stress almost every day of our lives, whether it’s related to grades, friends, or seemingly forgettable inconveniences! Many of these reasons are worth worrying and many more are not; it’s time we think about the pressure we’re putting on ourselves.
Effect of stress on teenagers...
The first and probably the most obvious cause of stress is academics. Surprise! Students are always being challenged in an academic environment and many struggle to manage time. Studying for however many different subjects at the same time can be exceptionally demanding and the additional load of extracurriculars doesn’t help. The effects of prolonged stress can be fatal to much of your mental health. It may even become self-reinforcing.
The second most obvious reason for stress would be the loss of someone close to you. Grief is something that closely follows the death of a loved one, and it can become so overwhelming that it may lead to depression and anxiety.
The third most evident cause of stress is definitely relationships. It is not a simple task to keep your partner happy while taking care of your grades and the rest of your hectic life. High school students tend to make partners throughout their experience, and there is always a certain fear to not make them upset or to keep being good enough. This stress could be a negative influence on your self esteem and overall happiness.
How to combat stress...
Daily life stress can have many bad effects on your mental health, so you should learn how to not let small worries get to you. The key to keeping stress under control is to maintain a timetable that will enable you to keep track of your progress and plan your day. You should strive to give enough time to your loved ones and your education.
If you are a high school or college student in a relationship, remember to always check in with yourself and look for ways to balance personal life with education. There are a lot of ways you and your partner can spend time together as well as ways to prepare for tests and do homework together. Keep study sessions, join extra curricular activities together, and play the same sports!
This will strengthen your bond and help you achieve better grades and a more positive mindset.
If you have recently experienced the loss of a close friend or family, consult your elders, they will do a good job explaining how to deal with it and focus on your future as that is what matters the most. Stress can have serious consequences, but you can prevent that by not letting it consume you. It is you who must change your mindset, so stay positive!
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Sources
Cherry, Kendra. “5 Surprising Ways That Stress Affects Your Brain.” Verywell Mind, 20 Mar. 2020, www.verywellmind.com/surprising-ways-that-stress-affects-your-brain-2795040.
“The Mind and Mental Health: How Stress Affects the Brain.” Touro University WorldWide, 9 June 2020, www.tuw.edu/health/how-stress-affects-the-brain/#:~:text=It can disrupt synapse regulation,responsible for memory and learning.
Publishing, Harvard Health. “Protect Your Brain from Stress.” Harvard Health, www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/protect-your-brain-from-stress.