Friday, November 9, 2018

Teen Stress & Drug Abuse… there is a strong link between stress and drug abuse in teens.


Tapping into the TEEN BRAIN right here and right now….  Youth Action Board Teens are talking about stress, pressure and anxiety.  Root causes and ways to cope.  They want you to know where it’s coming from, who’s contributing, who’s helping and HOW teens can help themselves in healthy and productive ways.

Youth may feel a lot of stress during their teenage years and this increases their risk for drug abuse. Teens and their parents can learn ways to reduce or manage stress, which improves a teen's overall health and well-being and makes them less likely to abuse drugs. The teenage years bring a lot of changes, and these changes be stressful.

Teens may worry about school, friends, family, extracurricular activities, and the future, as well as the many upheavals and disasters in the world. Teens who have been exposed to some sort of trauma, like abuse, disasters, accidents, or violence in their home or neighborhood, may even develop post-traumatic stress disorder.

Being under a lot of stress can increase the risk that a teen will use drugs. In fact, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, stress is one of the major factors leading to teen drug abuse and to relapse in recovering drug users.

While stress is a natural response to problems teens may face, and can be helpful in small doses, long-term stress causes a lot of negative mental and physical health problems in teens, such as:

             Insomnia, or trouble sleeping

             Headaches and unexplained aches and pains

             Frequent illnesses

             Tense muscles or jaw

             Upset stomach

             Eating too much or too little

             Feeling shaky

             Increased heartbeat

             Cold, sweaty hands

             Feeling out of it or disconnected

             Trouble concentrating or getting things done

             Irritability or anger

             Always feeling tired

             Depression or anxiety



When teens don't have healthy ways to cope with stress and its effects, they may turn to drug abuse to treat some of the symptoms. Of course, using drugs can actually increase stress and cause other mental and physical health problems. Teens can learn healthier ways to manage stress and reduce their chances of turning to drug abuse. Some methods that can help teens manage stress include:

·         Learn a relaxation technique for reducing feelings of stress, like deep breathing, visualizing a peaceful place, meditation, tai chi, or yoga.

·         Try to get enough sleep and eat a healthy diet.

·         Exercise, especially when you start to feel stressed. This can be as simple as taking a walk around the block, going on a bike ride, lifting weights, or doing some push ups.

·         Listen to calming music.

·         Watch or listen to something that makes you laugh.

·         Find a stress-free activity that you can enjoy like music, art, or writing.

·         Find a friend or family member to talk to about your concerns.

·         Try taking a break or having a change of scene. Sometimes doing something different for a while can make problems seem less overwhelming.

·         Learn to accept that you cannot control everything going on around you and that not everything is your responsibility, and then focus on the things you can control.

·         Set realistic expectations for yourself, even if those expectations are not the same as what friends, family members, teachers, or coaches have for you. This may include accepting that you don't have to try to be perfect and that it's okay to make mistakes or to fail sometimes.

·         Try not to put off important things that need to be done, like writing a paper that's due soon. Procrastination can increase stress.

·         Make time to do fun, safe activities with friends or family members.

·         Try not to be so busy that you don't have any time to relax. While it's great to be involved in a lot of good activities, it's also important to have some quiet time for yourself.

·         Try to keep time spent watching TV or using other media in balance with other activities in your life.

·         Focus on your accomplishments and on positive events rather than on setbacks and negative events.



Source:  http://www.teendrugaddiction.com/content/stress-drug-abuse.html



#teensarestressed

#teenssupportingteens

#teenshaveinsight

#focusonthepositive

#youcandothis


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