Why Teens Are at Risk for Stress-Related Problems

Lorena is 17 years old and has two part-time jobs and responsible for helping to care for her younger sister and broth- s. School is challenging because she is bussed every day between er home school and the area career technology center, where she’s studying cosmetology. If the bus isn’t on time she’s sometimes late class, or she misses her ride home after school.

Lorena is glad to have some income, but her restaurant job means she has to come right home from school, do all her homework and keep an eye on her siblings, and be at work by 6 P.M. If it’s busy, she might not get home until past midnight, which, of course, means she’s exhausted the next morning.

There’s not much time to rest on weekends either, because she works both days in a hair salon to earn some extra money and get some experience that she hopes will help her career.

Lorena tried to talk to her mom about how stressed out she feels, but since her dad left them her mom isn’t very interested in Lorena’s problems. She just tells Lorena they all need to work hard and Lorena has nothing to complain about—she should be glad she has a chance to earn some money.

Some days Lorena feels so tired she can hardly drag herself to class. Other times she’ll start crying without even knowing why, or she’ll be really nasty to her little sister and brothers—something that didn’t used to happen. Her friends have told her she’s no fun to be around anymore, which is just as well, since she’s too busy to do anything.

Lorena, of course, is a teenager suffering from an incredible stress load, and she’s not alone. Teens are busier than ever, trying desper­ately to juggle school, work, sports, extracurricular activities, friends, and family relationships and responsibilities. For many, stress is just a normal part of life.

Teens are very much at risk for high levels of stress and stress-related problems. In fact, some doctors feel that teens actually may experience more stress than adults. While all age groups are exposed to stressful situations, there are some special circumstances that make teens more susceptible to stress and the problems that accompany it. In this post, we’ll look at some of the reasons why many teens are more prone to stress than other age groups, and why it’s important for you to be aware of them.