Adolescence is a time in a young person’s life that is filled challenging lessons, immense physical growth, surging hormones, a newfound need for autonomy and all else needed to assist a young person’s development into adulthood. Societal norms and the subliminal pressures associated with American culture can be severely overwhelming to young people. The Cleveland Clinic describes stress as “a normal reaction the body has when changes occur, resulting in physical, emotional and intellectual responses.” Stress responses are designed to help a teenager adjust to new situations. Stress can be useful as it can help a teen remain alert, motived, and prepared to avoid danger. Stress can produce unwanted symptoms when stressors persist without a teenager experiencing periods of relaxation or relief. When a young person experiences chronic, long-term stress he or she is at increased risk for developing adverse physiological effects.
There are behavioral, physical, and emotional signs and symptoms that can manifest because of prolonged stress. The Mayo Clinic provides the following examples:
In situations where chronic stress is left untreated it could lead to a variety of unwanted health complications, including heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and/ or obesity.
There are a variety of contributing factors that could contribute to a young person’s stress. Some common teenage stress triggers, according to the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry include:
The internal and external pressures placed on adolescents can be crushing. Often teenagers internalize increased stress when encountered with a situation that is perceived as painful, difficult, and/ or dangerous. Learning different coping mechanisms and various stress management skills can be advantageous for any teen.
Seeking help is never easy, but you are not alone! If you or someone you know needs mental health treatment, we strongly encourage you to reach out for help as quickly as possible. It is not uncommon for many mental health difficulties to impact a person for the long term. The earlier you seek support, the sooner you and your loved ones can return to happy, healthy, and fulfilling lives.
Our admissions team is available to answer any general questions regarding mental health issues, treatment, and/or specific questions about the program at Pacific Teen Treatment and how we might be able to help your family. We can be reached by phone 24/7 at 800-531-5769. You can also contact us via email at info@pacificrtc.com.
PTT provides treatment for the contemporary issues facing teenagers in today’s world utilizing a family focused and collaborative approach providing individualized care for teens and their families. Licensed by the State of California, Community Care Licensing Division #198209636
At a time when most residential programs are affiliated with large healthcare corporations or backed by private equity, Pacific Teen Treatment is proudly a private, family-owned operation.
