MODULE 6: Coping with Stress in Middle and Late Adolescence

What is Stress according to its definition?

It is the reaction of the mind and body to stimulus that causes tension on the well-being and
disturbs the state of calm or equilibrium of a person. Stress is now understood as a way of life
crisis (Masih & Gulrez, 2006) affecting any individual regardless of their developmental stage
(Banerjee & Chatterjee, 2016).
In the lives of most individuals stress has been identified as a continuous condition. Stress
affects the life and functioning and therefore there has been an importance of stress as a
research topic (Abdollahi, 2002). In addition, Selye, (1956) has been recognized and credited by
many researchers as defining the term stress in the context it is presently used (Oxington,
2005). Selye has been quoted by Oxington in Psychology of Stress, saying that there would be no
life without stress. According to Oxington, stress is an inevitable result of life.

Stress according Psychologist can be:

1. Beneficial stress

- Stress can be beneficial and helpful to individuals when a small and sporadic amount of stress
occur. It became a motivation for you to work hard and conquer those conflicts that makes you
stressed.

2. Destructive stress
- stress can be destructive to both physical and mental health when excessive amounts of stress
sustained over lengthy period.

Three (3) Views About Stress 1. Stress as STIMULUS

- Caused by situations (which often called stressors) that may be life threatening or life
changing. Examples: Car accident, breakup with boyfriend or girlfriend, and separation from
loved ones.

2. Stress as RESPONSE

- This is the aspect of stress emphasized by Selye (1956), the way the body reacts to challenging
situations. It involves the interactions between the hormones, glands and nervous system where
adrenal gland drives the production of cortisol (produces energy to an action) and release
norepinephrine (triggers the body’s reaction; increased heart rate, higher blood pressure,) or
better known as “stress hormone”.

- Adolescent’s physical response to stress is faster than that of an adult. Simply because the part
of the adolescent’s brain, the prefrontal cortex, that assesses danger and directs action during
stress is not fully developed.

- Prolonged or chronic situations that involved both cortisol and norepinephrine affect the body
to wear down fast. And that is the reason why is often causes fatigue, aging, and illness caused
by low immune system.

Example: Your mother is too stressed due to financial instability and it causes her to higher blood
pressure.

3. Stress is RELATIONAL
  - Lazarus and Folkman's (1984) definition of stress reflects very clearly this way of
thinking.
 - Assessment here means that when a person allows reasoning to prevail and weigh the
relevance or irrelevance of situation. Example of this is a flight delay.

Healthy Stress

1. It can motivate, energize, and produce fruitful actions. Examples: Stage performance-
stress can help individual to perform something better, it can develop and individual.

Usual Stressors of Middle and Late Adolescents

According to some research studies, there are two sources of stress:

1. External Stressors – comes from the outside of you like certain situations and people.

Example: Major life changes, such as death of a loved one. Work or school.

2. Internal Stressors – coming from within your thoughts that caused you to feel fearful about the
future and personal beliefs, which include your own expectations.
Example: Negative self-talk, Unrealistic expectations

Some possible sources of stress for teenagers includes:

1. School demands (test and homework) and frustrations

2. Negative thoughts and feelings About themselves
3. Change is their bodies
4. Problems with friends and/or peers at school
5. Unsafe living environment or neighborhood
6. Separation or divorce of parents
7. Chronic illness or severe problems in the family
8. Death of a loved one
9. Moving or changing schools
10. Taking on too many activities
11. Family financial problems
12. Moving to a new home and school 13. Dating
[Link] high parental and school expectations
[Link] and other extracurricular activities
15. Job hunting
16. Social backwardness
[Link] many things to do
18. Having a boyfriend or a girlfriend
[Link] achieving something that you really wanted
[Link] problems
21. Thinking about future
22. Watching parents argue
[Link] pressured to do something you know is bad for you, like smoking
24. Worrying about how your body’s changing
25. Dealing with sexual feelings
[Link] about neighborhood or world problems
27. Money problems
28. Thinking about future
29. Watching parents argue
30. Being pressured to do
31. something you know is bad for you, like smoking
 32. Worrying about how your body’s changing
33. Dealing with sexual feelings
34. Worrying about neighborhood world problems
35. Feeling guilty

The body is a finely tuned machine that can change quickly to do what we need it to do, like
react to stress. The body has two systems – The voluntary system does what you want it to do –
walk, talk, move. The involuntary system keeps the body running even without you thinking
about it – breath, sweat, digest.

Coping can be problem-focused, when remedies or solutions are thought of change the situation
to reduce the stress or emotion-focused, objective is decreasing the emotional effect caused by
the stressful situation (Feist and Rosenberg, 2012).

Teens can handle stress with the following behaviors and techniques.
[Link] and eat regularly.
[Link] excess caffeine intake which can increase feelings of anxiety and agitation.
[Link] illegal drugs, alcohol, and tobacco.
[Link] relaxation exercise (abdominal breathing and muscle relaxation technique).
[Link] assertiveness training skills. For example, state feelings in polite firm and not overly
aggressive or passive ways: (“I feel angry when you yell at me” “please stop yelling”).
[Link] and practice situations which cause stress. One example is taking a speech class if
talking in front of class makes you anxious.
7. Learn practical coping skills. For example, break a large task into smaller, more attainable
tasks.
[Link] negative self-talk: challenge negative thoughts about yourself with alternative
neutral or positive thoughts. “My life will never get better” can be transformed into “I may feel
hopeless now, but my life will probably get better if I work at it and get some help”.
[Link] to feel good about doing a competent or good enough job rather than demanding
perfection from yourself and others.
[Link] a break from stressful situations. Activities, like listening to music, talking to a friend,
drawing, writing, or spending time with pet, can reduce stress.