From the relentless demands of school to the constant comparisons online, teens are grappling with a mix of external and internal stressors that can lead to anxiety, burnout, and more. TAS Weekly invited Dr. Cheryl Persis Petit (MBBS, DPM, MD), Specialist Psychiatrist at Badr Al Samaa, to delve into the complex world of adolescent stress, and highlight the causes, consequences, and coping strategies.
Read on to understand the silent crisis, as Dr. Petit shares her expertise in the following interview.
What are some of the most common pressures teens face today?
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Adolescence is marked by significant physical, emotional, and social changes. Teenagers are in a vulnerable stage of development, facing changes biologically and socially. They are exploring their personalities and friendships and contemplating about their future and adulthood, all while dealing with biological changes taking place in their bodies.
Teenagers encounter a myriad of stressors in their daily lives. Academic pressure, with its demanding schedules and high expectations, is a significant source of stress for many teens. This pressure may be compounded by social stress stemming from peer relationships, body image issues, and the desire for social acceptance.
Other biological changes include an influx of hormones, changes in the body and physical features of teens. An increase in hormones can make teens more moody or aggressive. Physical changes in the body, such as acne, body odour and facial hair can make some teens uncomfortable and insecure.
Teens can also face worries at home. Family conflict, divorce, illness and financial hardship can cause stress.
Teens are often faced with peer pressure or put into situations where drug and alcohol use is encouraged. Some teens may feel like they need to partake in these behaviors to fit in.
Can societal expectations around success, appearance, or achievement contribute significantly to teen pressure?
It is seen that young people are at particular risk of social comparisons, particularly appearance, in both the real and online world. Teens tend to compare themselves with others in order to gain information of ‘how they fit into the world’ when objective standards are missing or when they are unsure of their own self-evaluation. A negative perception of self when comparing to others can have an adverse effect on mental health, well-being and physical self-esteem.
In adolescence, a girl’s identity is influenced by societal demands for slimness and physical beauty, while physical height, strength, muscularity, attractiveness as well as the functional aspect of body are very important factors of social competence for boys. Adolescents often compare appearances with their peers or internalise an ideal body appearance to attain social acceptance and prestige.
How does the pressure to succeed academically compare to other pressures, such as social media influence or peer expectations?
Academic pressure has been cited as the number one trigger for anxiety in teens. This can include fear of failure, concerns about the future, chronic stress about workload and exams, worries about parental expectations, and competition with peers for grades. Schools and parents often place high workload and expectations on children, and prioritise compliance and performance over individuality and autonomy. The competition between peers can be intense, with the pressure to excel extending to sports, volunteering, and other extracurricular activities.
The relentless pursuit of academic excellence can create an immense amount of pressure. Teens often find themselves in a juggling act between homework, tests, and the overarching desire to maintain impressive grades.
In addition to academic pressures, teenagers also face social stressors. From navigating relationships and facing peer pressure to dealing with bullying, the social environment in schools can be overwhelming. Furthermore, in the age of digital connectivity, social media has added a new dimension to this stress. Comparing themselves to peers and dealing with the fear of missing out (FOMO) can exacerbate feelings of anxiety and affect self-esteem.
What psychological effects do these pressures have on teenagers?
Stress, particularly when chronic, takes a significant toll on emotional health. Over time, the constant state of high alert that stress induces can lead to feelings of overwhelm, anxiety, and burnout. Prolonged stress disrupts sleep patterns, impacts concentration, and can even affect the immune system. On an emotional level, it often manifests as irritability, anxiety, and sadness. For teenagers, these impacts can be even more profound due to their developing brains and bodies. High levels of stress can lead to anxiety disorders, depression, affect self-esteem, body image, and in some cases, result in substance abuse.
Does the constant comparison to others online aggravate feelings of inadequacy or stress?
Young people of all ages feel the effects of comparison when it comes to body image. In a study of young teenagers, boys and girls were aware of the importance attached to so-called ‘ideal’ body and appearance. Although the girls felt that weight and shape should not be important, they acknowledged how difficult it is to avoid comparisons around body image. Besides, the girls reported enjoying stories and photos of celebrities and fashion models, but also admitted that such content created pressure and expectations around their own appearance and weight.
Teens may spend some amount of time on social networking sites updating their profiles and posting; however, they spend vast majority of their social media time looking at peers’ profiles and photos. This, therefore, leads to constant comparisons, consequently making them feel more negative about their bodies.
Are unrealistic expectations from parents or family members a contributing factor?
Research shows that parental pressure, whether direct or indirect, can take a major toll on kids’ psychological well-being. When affection and approval are conditional on meeting parental expectations, kids often start to withdraw. They may hide their true feelings, avoid asking for help, and struggle to form close relationships.
Children who face frequent verbal criticism and unrealistic expectations from parents are at higher risk for depression. Kids and teens whose parents tease them about weight or police their eating habits are more likely to develop disordered eating and poor body image. Even if well-intentioned, comments about appearance send the message that they are being judged.
While parents often push kids academically in hopes of motivating them, studies find that children with controlling parents actually tend to do worse in school. Constant pressure saps their intrinsic motivation.
In your practice, do you notice any differences in the pressures faced by male vs. female teens?
In practice it is seen that girls present more often with anxiety and depressive disorders while boys are diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and other behavioural problems.
While boys and girls face many of the same pressures – for example, they are about equally likely to say they feel pressure to get good grades – their daily experiences differ in other ways. Girls can be vulnerable to emotional problems due to earlier pubertal timing, negative coping styles such as rumination, and more problems in relationships with parents and peers, willing to seek support through family, school, and/or friends.
Girls are more likely than boys to say they face a lot of pressure to look good, girls say they often feel tense or nervous about their day. Girls may perceive more difficulties from the same stressors and report more frequently than boys. This can be related with the fact that boys tend to ignore problems as a strategy to cope with problems or seek distraction through physical activities, while girls are more willing to seek support through family, school, and/or friends.
What coping strategies do teens typically use to handle stress and pressure?
Often stressed teenagers’ resort to substance abuse and other risk-taking behaviours, or they may avoid and withdraw from family and friends. Eating disorders- binge eating, anorexia, bulimia can be ways of dealing with stress. Academic stress and parental expectation can lead to negative self-talk like ‘I’m a failure’, ‘I’m not good enough’.
Excessive scrolling of social media posts, playing video games constantly leading to sleep deprivation and lack of nutrition, lack of physical activity are ways in which teenagers may handle stress.
What role can schools play in alleviating pressure?
Schools play a crucial role in a teenager’s overall development; as academic stress is one of the main concerns, creating a ‘positive, safe, and affirming’ environment at school will help students feel comfortable and valued every time they set foot on campus. Schools can offer stress management and wellness programs; teachers and staff can help create a supportive environment that encourages open communication. Schools can also provide resources like counselors and mental health professionals for early intervention.
How can parents and caregivers support their teens in managing pressure without adding to the stress?
As damaging as parental pressure is, it usually comes from a place of love and concern. Ultimately, most parents simply want the best for their children. But in the present achievement-obsessed culture, it’s easy to lose sight of what really matters for kids’ long-term happiness and well-being. Pushing them to live up to an idealised vision of success often does more harm than good.
Some tips to keep in mind are:
- Praise effort, not just achievements.
- Validate their feelings.
- Encourage open communication: Always be there to listen.
- Use open-ended questions and ensure that you are there to listen and support, not judge or reprimand.
- Encourage a balanced lifestyle that includes time for relaxation and hobbies.
- Seek professional help when necessary.
At what point should parents or teens seek professional help for mental health concerns related to stress or pressure?
While some levels of stress can be considered ‘normal’, prolonged, or severe stress is concerning. If your teen is consistently struggling to cope, showing signs of withdrawal, facing declining academic performance, persistent disturbance in sleep and appetite, or expressing feelings of hopelessness, thoughts of self-harm, it might be time to seek professional help.
What advice would you give to teenagers who feel overwhelmed by the pressure they are facing?
Teens can decrease stress with the following behaviours and techniques.
- Exercise and eat regularly, get enough sleep and have a good sleep routine.
- Avoid excess caffeine which can increase feelings of anxiety and agitation.
- Avoid illegal drugs, alcohol, and tobacco.
- Learn relaxation exercises (abdominal breathing and muscle relaxation techniques).
- Rehearse and practice situations which cause stress. One example is taking a speech class if talking in front of a class makes you anxious.
- Learn practical coping skills. For example, break a large task into smaller, more attainable tasks.
- Challenge negative thoughts with alternative, neutral, or positive thoughts: ‘My life will never get better’ can be transformed into ‘I may feel hopeless now, but my life will probably get better if I work at it and get some help.’
- Learn to feel good about doing a competent or ‘good enough’ job rather than demanding perfection from yourself and others.
- Take a break from stressful situations. Activities like listening to music, talking to a friend, drawing, writing, or spending time with a pet can reduce stress.
- Build a network of friends who help you cope in a positive way.