Sources of Stress and Anxiety in Adolescent Students Study - Assignment Example

 Abstract Stress in adolescence is a well known problem that is plaguing our society today. A close look at this problem will show us that it is mostly study pressure that is creating stress on the teenagers. Parental pressure, peer pressure, heavy load of home work, and various other school assignments are pushing these young children against the wall. In addition, there are also worries for future career studies, and high pressures to excel in all academics. This article will take a look at the causal factors for study related stress on adolescents, their effects, and the ways to disseminate such high levels of stress. Sources of Stress and Anxiety in Adolescent Students’ study Introduction Stress is the response or the reaction that a body shows when faced with disturbances that may be external or internal in nature, and is actually a process by which one meets the challenges and threats in our daily lives (Myers, 2005). In an adolescent if stress enhances the learning abilities it is known as good stress (“Eustress”), but if it inhibits or suppresses the capabilities and inherent potentialities of the adolescent, then it is bad stress (“Distress”) and must be avoided. An adolescent may face stress owing to parental pressure to excel in their studies, poor time management while organizing studies, while planning for their future which may often be hampered by parental interference, and also often due to impending school report cards and the parental reaction thereafter. This article will examine these causal factors for ‘adolescent stress related to studies’, and will explore its outward manifestations in various ways, like psychological, physiological and social dysfunction in adolescents, and interventions to lessen stress. Body “Children are constantly being subjected to stress and conflict in their external environment: from family school and work, and nature; and in their internal environment: from their feelings of anger, anxiety, sadness and loneliness” (Arnold, 52). Stress may manifest itself in various ways, which may in effect cause our bodies to function differently as a reaction to the stressful situation. Khalid in his research papers on adolescent students has shown that over one-third (35.5%) of adolescents have had stress (Khalid, 33-37) while Bawens and Jack in their papers have concluded that adolescent stress comes mostly from school and are related to disproportionate amounts of assignments amounting to huge workload, frequent class examinations, biased behavior of the school teachers and the indignity of lagging behind the school peers in class studies (Bawens and Jack, 97-103). A research conducted by Latha and Reddy on school going adolescents, reported that, there are “four major categories of stress amongst adolescents: difficulties with peers at school, worries about school achievement, schoolwork pressure, and conflicts with parents and/or teachers” (Latha and Reddy, 6). The main causal factors for stress in adolescents arise from parental pressure to excel in academics, poor time management while planning for studies, while chalking out future plans which may often be hampered by parental interference, and also often due to poor grades in school report cards. Here one has to keep in mind that all adolescents, react differently to stress. What one adolescent finds to be stressful, may not create stress in another. However, the palpable effects of stress are generally common in all, and can be broadly divided into physiological/physical/biological, psychological, and social effects. 1. Physiological effects: These are caused by the body (adrenal cortex) increasing the release of the hormone known as Cortisol. Meanwhile the sympathetic nervous system also starts functioning faster, resulting in the increased production of epinephrine from adrenal medulla. This response of the SNS is what prepares an individual to either ‘fight’ back or take ‘flight’, from a particularly stressful situation. “The major effects of increased sympathetic activity, including secretion of epinephrine, almost constitutes a guide to how to meet emergencies in which physical activity may be required and bodily damage may occur." (Vander, Sherman, and Luciano, pg 730) The visible physiological effects of stress on the body are regarded as the first signs that an individual is under stress. To find out whether an adolescent is undergoing stress or not, one will have to be on the lookout for the following symptoms: Frequent Loose motions and headaches. Sudden, unexplained and increased frequencies of stomach upsets, stomach cramps and digestive problems, in adolescents may often be related to stress. Body aches especially in the shoulder and neck region. Increased palpitation or heart beat rate. Sleeplessness. An adolescent undergoing stress will show disturbances and restlessness while sleeping, and very often there will be a change in the pattern of sleep. Loss of appetite. The adolescent will show a lack of appetite, or there might be a sudden change in his eating pattern, indicating that there might be something that is emotionally disturbing him. Increase in blood sugar levels and sudden outbursts of anger for no apparent reasons. These physiological symptoms may leave the teenager feeling tensed, jittery and trembling, or with an upset stomach (especially during examinations or when class results are declared), but these soon disappear with the dissipation of the hormones cortisol and epinephrine, that cause these symptoms. One has to keep in mind that these physical symptoms are not normal for a body, and are seen only under duress. It becomes dangerous when these symptoms keep on reoccurring frequently for a long time period. It is then, when stress becomes ‘chronic’ and overwhelming, that it causes actual bodily harm to adolescents. 2. Psychological effects: “When an imbalance between individual demands and societal pressures occur, the individual becomes anxious… To deal with this anxiety an individual uses defensive mechanisms” (Gullotta, Adams and Ramos, 4). In an adolescent this ‘defensive mechanism’ manifests itself into various psychological problems like Irritability and needless aggressive and rebellious behavior. Constant anxiety and fear and sense of consistent tension Crying and whining Stubbornness in attitude and disregard for all parental guidance and advises. Reluctance to take part in family and school activities Regression in the learning and developmental processes of the adolescent, leading to a sudden degradation in school marks. This sudden deterioration in academics is a warning signal for the parents that the adolescent is facing study related problems, and it should be taken seriously and dealt accordingly. Mood fluctuations are a common sign of psychological effects of stress in adolescents. Depression and loss of interest of adolescents in their daily activities are other important signs of stress. Researchers have shown that adolescents have high suicidal tendencies and depression rates, owing to lack of performance in school and resulting poor grades. If psychological signs are neglected for a long time it may lead to ‘risky behavior’ by the adolescents, when they stop perceiving differences between the good and the evil, and often end up as drug addicts and leading risky sex lives. Sometimes it may also lead an adolescent to commit suicide. Teenage suicides are very common especially among high school children, and in most cases the cause for suicides are poor grades in class, or following parental rebuke owing to poor performance in exams. So physiological and psychological effects are like a warning bell for the parents, to check for causes of stress in their school going teenage children. 3. Social effects: Social effects of stress in school going children may result in cutting off all contacts with the parents, teachers and in extreme conditions also with the class peers. The adolescent may feel that he is unloved by one and all, and this may lead to his becoming a recluse. His lack of performance at school may lead the parents and teachers to put more pressure on him, which would in turn levy more stress on the child, making him even more withdrawn from social life. He may start feeling that he cannot emotionally relate to neither his parents nor his teachers. This may have two diametrically opposite repercussions. The teenager may become a social recluse and a social misfit and would prefer to remain withdrawn within his own shell, or he may become extremely aggressive with angry outbursts and sometimes may also exhibit violent behavior. Study related stress may also reflect itself in the poor or below average grades of the student in class assessments. Interventions to solve stress related problems in school going adolescents: “The milieu of secondary education has always been regarded as a stressful environment to students. 20 percent of children around the world were estimated by World Health Organization to have mental health problem” (Yusoff, 1). Young school children often undergo stress owing to pressure in studies, heavy load of school assignments and parental pressure to excel in all fields of studies. As Latha and Reddy point out “The pressure to study was a common source of stress. Long college hours and having to concentrate for long during this period were also perceived as stressful. It is not surprising that academic issues are of central concern at this developmental stage. The competition, stress on high grades/merit, parental expectations, and the desire for admission to professional courses and in reputed institutions puts immense pressure on adolescents. Academic performance is also important for self-identity and the respect among peers…” (Latha and Reddy, 8). If the signs of stress are left uncared for a long time, it may create serious problems like, deteriorating mental and physical health of the child. However, often due to their young age, these children may not be able to understand as to what is stress, and figure out the causal factors. So it is mostly up to the parents, and to some extent the onus also lies with the school teachers, to understand and figure out whether a student is showing stress related symptoms or not. Parents have to be very careful, and detect any signs of tension or anxiety, shown by the child. They have to provide a home that is safe, secure and dependable. Parents should be ready to give time to their children and spend quality time with them, giving them the support whenever they require. The teenagers should be encouraged to go for physical exercises that help to relax, and release stress. It is very important to make the teenagers understand that their parents are always there to help them. Overwhelming pressure should not be there to excel in studies. Parents should always be aware of their child’s capabilities, and put pressure accordingly. Positive encouragement should be given more often, than punishments. The parents should also realize that adolescents need to take certain decisions on their own, like choosing their subjects for future studies, and deciding on their own career. The parents should be there to support and guide them, not force their own views. The school teachers should try to involve all children in various school activities, and see that no child is left out. Harsh remonstrations should be avoided and pressure should be kept at a minimum. A teacher should accept the fact that all students are not equally meritorious, and not all students can handle the pressure of studies. So a teacher will have to deal accordingly with the students, according to their capabilities and potentialities. Any signs of stress, and the teacher should send the child to the school counselor, and also inform the parents. Instead of just being a parent or a teacher, if they can become a friend to the teenager, then it will be easier for the latter to open up and speak, whenever he is facing trouble and stress. “An open, accepting flow of communication in families helps to reduce anxiety and depression in children” (Kaneshiro, 2008). A healthy support system between the adolescent and his parents and teachers, is the basis for a stress free, happy childhood, leading to maximum use of the child’s potentialities and talents. Conclusion Adolescence is a time of ‘stress and storm’ due to many physiological and biological factors. However stress from study related pressures, is one of the major cause for teenage depression and anxiety, which we see around us today. We have to come out of our fixed mindset that teenagers are natural rebels and trouble makers, and understand that many study related pressures often put in by the parent and schools, are the very basis of these rebellions and aggressive behaviors. As Corby aptly frames it ““The commonly held (adultist) views about adolescents are that they pose a threat to society rather than the other way round … it is important at least to redress this imbalance … for this approach is both ethical (self-evident) and practical, to avoid alienation of future generations” ( Corby, 215). A good healthy and open relationship, and a sympathetic understanding between the adolescents and his parents or teachers, is the best way to lead an adolescent out from the stress caused by study related pressures. Works Cited Arnold, E. Childhood Stress. Canada: John Wiley and Sons, 1990. Print. Burnett PC and Fanshawe JP. Measuring School-Related Stressors in Adolescents, Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 1997; 26 (4): 415-428. Corby, B. ‘Mistreatment of young people’ in Roache, J and Tucker, S (eds.), Youth in Society. London: Sage, 1997. Print. Gulotta, T., Adams, G and Ramos, J. Handbook of adolescent behavioral problems: evidence- based approaches to prevention and treatment. NY: Springer, 2005. Print. Khalid, SAG. Depression, anxiety and stress among Saudi adolescent school boys. The Journal of the Royal for the Promotion of Health, 2007; 127 (1): 33-37. Print.  Kaneshiro, N. Stress in Childhood. UW Health. 5th August 2008. Web. 3rd April 2010. http://apps.uwhealth.org/health/hie/1/002059.htm Latha KS and Reddy, H. Patterns of Stress, Coping Styles and Social Supports among Adolescents. J. Indian Assoc. Child Adolesc. Ment. Health 2006; 3(1): 5-10. Print. Myers DG. Stress and Health, in: Exploring Psychology. 6th ed. New York: Worth Publishers, 2005. Print. Vander, A., Sherman, J., & Luciano, D. Human Physiology: The Mechanisms of Body Function. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2001. Print. Yusoff, M. Stress, Stressors and Coping Strategies Among Secondary School Students In A Malaysian Government Secondary School: Initial Findings. ASEAN Journal of Psychiatry, Vol.11(2) July – December 2010. 14th February 2010. Print. Read More