Stress Management Tips for Teens

Being a teenager can bring about a lot of stress, regardless of who you are. A movie that is very popular among teenager’s and has brought in billions of dollars is the Spider-Man series. A reason for it’s popularity is due to the way the movie appeals to teens, by using the metaphor of super powers to relate to the changes that the average teenager goes through physically and emotionally. If you are a teen looking for ways to deal with stress, the following are some stress management tips to consider.

Breathing and Relaxation Exercises

Muscle relaxation techniques and breathing exercises are excellent ways to combat stress. Here is an example of a breathing exercise that you can do to feel more at ease: Breathe through your nose slowly and count to six. Hold the air in your lungs for a six count, then slowly breathe out after counting to six again. Doing this several times will supply more oxygen to your blood. Once the brain receives this oxygenated blood, certain chemicals that relax you can be triggered. So, you can relax yourself without any use of drugs.

Another stress management tip for teens is to lay down in a dark room and listen to music, while contracting and relaxing your muscles. You can begin with your toes and steadily move up your body until you reach the top of your head. Visualizing in your mind a place that makes you happy will help you think more positively as well.

Communication

Teenagers often think that no one can relate to what they are currently experiencing, and therefore believe that are all alone. Though, everyone has been a teenager at some point in their lives. While this may mean that your experiences are not completely unique, the upside is that you can find people in your life, such as teachers, classmates, or adults that can sympathize with you.

A word of caution however. Some adults may use their position of authority to sexually prey on teenagers. Try to avoid being completely alone in an area where there aren’t any people. Though, this usually isn’t an issue if you are in a school setting.

Keep it Real

A major source of stress for many teens is wanting to be a part of the “cool” crowd. Often times this means not truly being yourself and instead being who others want you to be. This could mean dressing the same way as others, as well as adopting the same interests and behaviors of others you want to be around. Some teens don’t realize until it’s too late that being yourself and not worrying about what others think is the way to true happiness. That’s one group you don’t want to be a part of.