Life as a teenager can sometimes feel like walking a tightrope. Balancing academics with social life, while dealing with a whirlwind of hormonal changes, can be overwhelming and stressful.
From Exam Stress to Hormonal Mess: Tale of Teenage Years
Every man or woman experiences a phase of life called teenage years. This age is important because it bridges the gap between an innocent child and a responsible adult. Teenagers discover a lot about their responsibilities, feelings, and internal conflicts.
They undergo drastic bodily transformations and a sudden influx of various emotions. The uncertainty of their future and career path often weighs heavily on them. The world of social media shapes their perceptions in ways before they fully understand how life works.
Let us dive into this world of infinite capacities and rushing hormones.
Unhealthy Eating Habits and A Sedentary Lifestyle
With humongous academic pressure, long study hours, and an increase in competition, many teens often tend to skip meals. They start indulging in junk food or develop irregular eating patterns. This has been particularly exacerbated by the easy availability of food via online delivery apps. To maintain focus, they tend to rely on energy drinks and caffeinated beverages. Further, they are known to develop addiction and deteriorate dental health.
Some teens also try to adapt to strict dietary restrictions to look a certain way. On the other hand, others might consume processed food in uncontrolled quantities. Poor nutrition affects a person physically and mentally. Nutritional deficiency may lead to fatigue, irritability, and lack of focus.
With the availability of smartphones, gaming consoles, OTT Platforms, and Social Media, they often sacrifice their sleep and physical activity. This directly affects one’s physical well-being. Therefore, there is the risk of back pain, posture problems, strain on the eyes, and so on. No doubt, this takes their social skills backstage. Also, it has an adverse impact on one’s attention span.
Parents can come forward by promoting homemade alternatives and enforcing regular meal times. They can also limit their child’s screen time and allow them to interact with friends outside the home.
Academics and Career Anxiety
During teenage years, teens often feel intense pressure to excel in school, crack competitive exams, and secure a stable career. They often stress about disappointing family expectations, and this takes a toll on their mental and emotional well-being. While you prepare for these exams, creativity and leisurely activities often take a backseat. Many parents or educators discourage them from choosing their preferred courses. They prevent them from pursuing their hobbies, forcing them to dedicate all their time to coursebooks.
Coaching centers, which are becoming more popular, often make children want things they might not need. They do this by pressuring them, using their parents as leverage, and making their futures seem perfect. To chase this dream, students tend to sacrifice their sleep, meals, and social life just to end up in a trap of burnout and depression.
This is when parents should step in. Parents should have an open conversation with their children. They must remind them of the fact that failures in such exams do not define their entire life. Educational institutions should create a balanced timetable with slots for relaxation and hobbies, and they should readily provide professional help.
Social Media and Peer Pressure
Social media is a powerful tool to enhance communication and learning. It provides a platform for the expression of talents and opinions. But social media also empowers a comparison culture and a place for perfect beauty standards. It is a haven for online trolls and cyberbullies. Also, the story of its addiction is not unheard of.
Teenagers often have a strong desire to fit in with the people around them. This might play both positive and negative roles. It can influence one’s fashion sense, academic performance, lifestyle habits, and moral values. There is always a fear of being left out (FOMO). Hence, pushing them to adopt behaviors they are not even comfortable with.
Peer pressure in their teenage years might impose risky behaviors. This could include bunking classes, smoking, drinking, or substance abuse in teens, just because their friends encouraged them to. Sometimes they might feel the urge to buy expensive products just because their friends have them.
Social Media often fuels body-image issues, where teens might doubt their beauty or physical standards. But, peer pressure might also be good, especially in a good social circle. For example, by inspiring healthy competition, better academic performance can be achieved. However, being around responsible and ambitious peers might push a teenager towards better ethical values.
Social Media should be mindfully utilized where one is constantly aware of the deceit being imposed. It should be used as a tool to stay informed and not to be validated. One needs to develop self-confidence to make independent decisions based on personal values. Children must be taught to set boundaries to say ‘no’ without being guilty. For this, parents and teachers should offer open and trustworthy communication.
Hormonal Responses to Stress
The body’s response to stress involves activating the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which regulates hormonal responses. Stress triggers the release of hormones like cortisol. It is essential for coping with stress but can have detrimental effects when elevated chronically.
Effects of Chronic Stress
- Prolonged activation of the HPA axis due to ongoing stress can lead to dysregulation of cortisol levels. This, in turn has been linked to various mental health issues, including Major Depressive Disorder (MDD).
- Elevated cortisol levels can impair cognitive functions and negatively affect mood. Hence, leading to a cycle where stress exacerbates mental health problems.
Navigating Relationships With Parents
Throughout their teenage years, many children are confused about whether they should act and behave like adults or continue doing things like children. There are often clashes of opinion between parents and kids. Thus, this often leads to them questioning their self-worth and identity. It’s, therefore, important for parents to hold open conversations with their children. Moreover, talk to them just like a friend. Teens often struggle with numerous doubts about their future, career, world, society, and themselves. Further, this can be overwhelming, and feeling the need to confide in someone.
This is also the time when many of them might experience a feeling of crushes or love. They should understand that this is completely normal and they should always respect the person concerned. Also, if they face rejection in their teenage years, they should be brave enough to act maturely. With the right support system, they can always navigate this rollercoaster of emotions with confidence and resilience.
Conclusion
The teenage years are a time that people fondly remember. With support from parents, teachers, and friends, teens can navigate challenges more easily. Addressing stress early can mitigate its long-term effects on physical and mental health. Moreover, open communication, healthy habits, and emotional intelligence can help them reach their full potential and make them an asset to the nation.
References
- S, A. P. (2024). A study of stress management and causes of stress among youth. Journal of Research in Business and Management., 12(8), 22–28. https://doi.org/10.35629/3002-12082228
- Lovin, D., & Bernardeau-Moreau, D. (2022). Stress among Students and Difficulty with Time Management: A Study at the University of Galați in Romania. Social Sciences, 11(12), 538. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci11120538
- Handbook of Adolescent Psychology. (2004). In Wiley eBooks. https://doi.org/10.1002/9780471726746
- Morgan, J. K., Conner, K. K., Fridley, R. M., Olino, T. M., Grewen, K. M., Silk, J. S., Iyengar, S., Cyranowski, J. M., & Forbes, E. E. (2023). Adolescents’ Hormonal Responses to Social Stress and Associations with Adolescent Social Anxiety and Maternal Comfort: A Preliminary Study. Child Psychiatry & Human Development. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-023-01521-0
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I am currently pursuing Masters degree in Chemistry from the University of Lucknow, and I hold a keen interest in both the subject and its broader applications. With a particular fascination for physical and organic chemistry, my academic path is complemented by a passion for science communication and writing.
I am also actively involved in extracurricular activities, especially public speaking, and debates, where I learned to think clearly and communicate effectively. These experiences have been instrumental in developing my confidence, critical reasoning, and a sense of responsibility toward effective knowledge-sharing.
My skill set includes research writing and editing, and of course, a constant zeal to learn more from everybody. Alongside academics, I enjoy reading poetry and history. My hobbies include singing and gardening.
I have participated in platforms that support women in science, such as IUPAC’s Global Women’s Breakfast. These engagements have helped shape my perspective and strengthened my resolve to contribute positively wherever possible.