The Signs & Symptoms of Teen Stress

Stress is something that everyone suffers, not just adults. Most people think that teens do not have reasons to suffer stress, but they too have stressors in their lives. Teens can get stressed because of pressure from school and home, bullying and jobs, and they can get stressed out by going through the changes of adolescence. The stress response is how the body responds to stress, with symptoms like anxiety and depression.

Anxiety and Depression Responses

• Some symptoms and signs of stress for teenagers can include those related to anxiety and depression. Stressed teenagers may have anxiety or panic attacks. Panic attacks are usually recognized by a racing heartbeat and lightheaded feeling. Teenagers can also become depressed and shut people out. One major sign of stress in teenagers is irritability and mood swings, which they may not know how to handle.

Strange Body Pains

• Stress can cause teens to have strange chest pains, and even stomach problems. Stress is known to cause both constipation in some people and diarrhea in others. Stress can make the whole body ache. Teen girls may miss periods because of too much stress in their lives.

Allergic Symptoms

• Sometimes a rash cannot be explained away by a reaction to something that has actually touched the skin. Rashes, like hives and eczema, can be the skin's reaction to the stress that a teenager is suffering. Teenagers who suffer from asthma can have attacks triggered by stress.

Drug and Food Abuse

• Overeating and drug abuse can be signs that a teenager is suffering from stress. People who eat more when they are stressed put themselves at risk of eating disorders. Teens who turn to drugs and alcohol when they are stressed put themselves at risk of injury, illness and even death. Smoking cigarettes is believed by some people to calm them, and teenagers may pick up this bad habit in order to calm their nerves.