How do I know if I am stressed?
- Anxious, irritable, moody, or fearful?
- Having difficulty concentrating?
- Forgetting things or feeling preoccupied?
- Acting impulsively, snapping at friends or family, or grinding your teeth?
- Experiencing frequent or severe headaches?
- Having back or neck problems?
- Dealing with an upset stomach or sleep problems?
There are other physical and mental signs of stress to look out for
Stress can have many signals. Your feelings, thoughts, behaviors and even your body can let you know when it's getting to be too much.
Is all stress the same?
Everybody experiences stress in their own way. Something that is stressful to your friend may not seem stressful to you, and vice versa. It's all about how you interpret what you're going through, and what you do with your feelings. We run into trouble when we don't know how to deal with these feelings, we stress too much, or we stress over things we can't control.
Responding to Stress
To take control, put together a healthy coping
strategy that makes sense for you.
Things that can stress you out:
- Friendships or romantic relationships
- Not having enough money
- Dealing with racism, sexism, homophobia, or adultism
- Family problems
- Death of someone close
- Having too many time commitments
- Reaching an important goal, like graduating from school
- Being hungry
- Living in a tough neighborhood
- Immigration issues
- School, homework, and a whole lot more!