Signs & Symptoms of Stress in Teenagers

The American Institute of Stress reports that stress causes the heart to beat faster and blood pressure to rise. Stress also raises blood sugar levels in order to produce more energy. Over prolonged periods, stress begins to wear on the body and psyche. Teenagers experience stress symptoms for a variety of reasons including isolation at school, body changes, peer pressure, changing schools, family or friend death, parents' divorce or a push from parents to excel at sporting or academic events.

Depression

• According to the Stress, Anxiety and Depression Resource Center, approximately 5 percent of children and teenagers experience depression. Depression has been linked to lower levels of serotonin, genetic disorders and chemical imbalances in the brain. Prolonged or sudden, unexpected high levels of stress can trigger depression in teenagers. If left untreated, adolescent depression can lead to more severe depression as an adult. Depressed teenagers might exhibit prolonged sadness, talk about hopelessness, write sad poems or draw pictures that reflect sadness or despair. The first step toward treating depression in teenagers is to recognize the change, talk with the teenager and seek professional assistance. Adults who present solid examples of how to deal with stress will help teenagers positively manage their stress.

Isolation

• Teenagers who have difficulty dealing with stress might isolate themselves. This might happen because of a bully at school, at home or in the community. A teen might feel tremendous embarrassment over stress-related challenges like making top grades, lack of money in the family, sexual or mental abuses or dealing with a jam-packed schedule. In the teenager's mind, the best way to deal with stress and its emotions might be to avoid discussing the experience or to keep to herself.

Change in Appetite

• Teenagers who experience heightened or prolonged stress levels might gain or lose significant amounts of weight. Young Women's Health reports that millions of young women deal with eating disorders. Symptoms of stress-related diseases like anorexia nervosa and bulimia include low blood pressure, a slow heart rate, nervousness, low self-esteem, low body temperature and dehydration. Akin to Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), exaggerated weight loss or weight gain might cause a teenager to feel "in control" of her life. As soon as you become aware of eating or appetite symptoms, seek professional assistance.

Nervous Habits

• Nail biting, pulling out hair, constant whistling, foot tapping and nibbling of lips are a few nervous habits teenagers exhibit when under stress. Often a teen may not be aware of what he's doing. Habits like these start soon after a particularly stressful event like the loss of a friend or relative, a poor summer job evaluation, failing a driver's license exam or moving to a new city and school. Some nervous habits go away naturally in time; others do not. Become aware of when your teen displays a nervous habit to determine what triggers the nervousness. Talk openly with your teenager and seek professional assistance to alleviate nervous habits.

Difficulty Sleeping

• Teenagers experience both psychological and physical reactions to stress. If left untreated, the reactions can create habitual brain responses that make it difficult for teenagers to get a good night of rest. Signs that your teenager might be experiencing sleeplessness or insomnia include extreme fatigue, particularly early in the morning, a decreased ability to focus, irritability, poor grades in school, clumsiness, being prone to accidents or an increased desire to nap. Each night the body and brain go through four sleep stages that allow the body and brain to maintain a healthy immune system, work through daytime challenges and restore the overall body. Without proper sleep, a teen's brain and body operate in an imbalanced state.