In a survey done by the American Psychological Association, teenagers reported feeling a 5.8 in stress level (according to a 10-point scale). However, the article reported that teenagers believed a 3.9 was considered a healthy stress level. For junior Molly Aldridge, stress controls her mind each day.

“I feel gut-wrenchingly stressed each day,” Aldridge said. “I constantly have something to do or worry about, so no day is stress-free. Even on days when I don’t have something to do, I’m still worried because I’m thinking of all the things I should be doing.”

According to an article by the U.S. News, 61% of teenagers feel stressed about academics, specifically they feel pressure to get good grades. Aldridge believes school causes teenagers the most anxiety because of the fear of failure that can come with tests and assignments.

“If I have a test or quiz, that’s all I think about,” Aldridge said. “I feel like I can’t breathe or decompress until it’s over. I’m constantly saying ‘Just make it to Friday, then you can relax, but then Friday comes, and I have work and I never actually get a second before it starts all over again.”

Junior Elijah Dugan tries to not let school overcome his life, however he finds it difficult when teachers give excess work which can lead to hours of homework at home.

“I have a life outside of school, which is more important, but it’s hard to focus on the more important things when school is constantly bearing down on you,” Dugan said. “Most nights I can’t even go to bed until midnight because of homework, but I’m expected to learn effectively at 7:20 a.m.”

An article written by the University of California-Davis stated that being in an office or school all day can cause sensory overload. However, when we can go outside our minds and bodies lose tension and relax. Whenever Dugan feels stressed he tries to pray, play guitar or do some sort of physical activity.

“Music and physical activity help reduce stress because of the excitement and focus that it puts into my life,” Dugan said. “It also just gives me something positive to look forward to instead of thinking about all the negative.”

Student Support Counselor Amy Andra works with students at Legacy and its feeder schools to sort through emotional challenges. She believes teenagers experience more stress in recent years because of living through a pandemic and having access to all information all the time through social media and the internet.

“Stress makes it more difficult to ‘shut off’ and at times can promote feelings of inadequacy, which can lead to more avenues for bullying and a drive to portray an idealized life,” Ms. Andra said.

Ms. Andra advises students with stress and anxiety to talk to a trusted adult and find ways to cope such as breath work, exercise, being in nature, participating in activities with others and spending time with people who support and help you.

“If it is difficult to manage stress with coping skills it may be time to talk to a professional,” Ms. Andra said. “Teens can share their experiences with their doctor or seek out therapy with a licensed professional who can assist with resolving the root cause of the anxiety.”

In an article on CNBC, a Harvard-trained psychologist shared about how people today show signs of becoming addicted to stress. When experiencing stress, your body releases dopamine, activating the reward center in your brain. Without realizing it, your body can rely on these small hits of dopamine, causing chronic stress in your life.

“I think it is more complicated than that,” Ms. Andra said. “We seek out what we know even if it is difficult or hurts us in some way. Addiction to stress isn’t a clinical diagnosis, but students can certainly repeat patterns of behavior in an attempt to feel better.”

Dugan believes teenagers can’t become addicted to stress itself, however, anxiety and stress in teenagers can lead to bigger addictions like drugs and alcohol.

“Stress can affect some people’s nerves so much that they cling on to things that cause them some temporary relief,” Dugan said. “Even something as simple as an overload of work from school can cause someone’s whole life to be changed.”

Even with the coping mechanisms offered in the world, Aldridge feels she can’t manage her stress in a healthy way because she becomes too stressed about managing her stress.

“In a weird way, I need my stress,” Aldridge said. “It gets me through the moment. Even though in the long run it causes me to burn out, I need the adrenaline to push through the exhaustion and workload.”

This story was originally published on The Rider Online on November 5, 2024.