Stress Awareness Month

Melissa Forfitt • March 31, 2021

This month, it’s Stress Awareness Month. Every April since 1992, Stress Awareness Month has been held to raise awareness of stresses that are experienced on a daily basis around the world and how these stresses can be alleviated. We will be bringing you a couple of blog posts this month around stress awareness. I will be kicking off the month with stress awareness for teenagers and later in the month Fay will be discussing stress awareness for children. 


Stress Awareness Month

Over the past year, I think it is fair to say that we have all experienced some sort of stress. Whether this has been adjusting to working from home, having to assist children whilst they study from home, or even just a trip to the supermarket can be pretty stressful. Whilst stress can be difficult for everyone, it can be particularly challenging for children and teenagers.


Being a teenager can be tough. Things are changing, GCSEs and college are on the horizon, and it can be time to start thinking about what career options there are in the future. I found being a teenager to be really difficult at times, so I can only imagine what it is like with the ever-changing circumstances at the moment. 


Recognising signs of stress

There are many signs that your teenager may show if they are experiencing stress. These include being angry, often crying, withdrawing from activities and people, changing eating habits, headaches, and a lack of energy. 


The first step to supporting teenagers through stressful times is to ensure that you make it known that you are there for them. Try to be there whenever they need a chat, whenever they need someone to confide in. The best coping mechanism that I discovered as a teenager was talking; it is surprising how talking to someone about your stressful situation can make it immediately so much less stressful. Just listening can be enough, but offering your support and brainstorming solutions together to resolve or ease the situation could be really beneficial. 


Spend time together

Another great thing that you can do is to organise time that you can spend together. Plan something fun, whether this is a BBQ in the lovely summer evenings that will be coming up soon, or a day trip out to a favourite place. Eating healthy and getting good exercise are two more stress-busters. You can easily make these fun by giving your teenager the option to choose a recipe and help to prepare the ingredients. A long walk or cycle through the city or countryside can be a great way to clear the mind. It is the simple things that can be really effective and help to take the mind off of any stress that is being experienced. 


Connect with those around you!

The theme of 2021’s Stress Awareness Month is ‘Regaining Connectivity, Certainty and Control’. This year is all about connecting with those around you and regaining control over your life and situation. This year, there is a 30 day challenge that you can get involved with. On average, it takes 30 days to turn actions into habits, so why don’t you and your teenager pick something for your physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing to work on and turn into a healthy habit? 


What are you going to do for Stress Awareness Month this year? Let me know in the comments below; it would be great to have a discussion about this.


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