Setting a good example for Stress Management

The most effective way for helping your teen deal with stress and anxiety is to deal with your own stress and anxiety effectively.

That means doing the following: 1) get enough sleep, with enough sleep you have the 'shock absorbers' you need to handle the normal ups and downs and frustrations of your day; 2) eat right, your body is what feels the stress and if it's not getting its fuel it will not be able to go the distance; 3) exercise regularly (see #2); 4) develop a supportive network of friends and peers; 5) schedule time for 'doing nothing', recreation, down time; and 6) nurture a meaningful spiritual life, prayer and/or mindful meditation are good practices for managing and coping with stress.

In doing these things you are setting an example for your adolescent. Teaching your child by word and example to take care of themselves, set time aside to relax, make good, supportive, friendships and manage time effectively will provide them with tools to handle what has become a very stressful time of our life. On a downer note, stress that goes unaddressed and unresolved can lead to depression. Depression in adolescents, especially older adolescents, is dangerous. Suicide is the 3rd largest killer of our teens and the 2nd largest amongst college age students.