Stress Reduction Techniques

I’m so pleased to introduce a new post series for December on teens and mental health, written by local teens in our Young Adult Advisory Board. First up, Bridget, our Young Adult Advisory Board President, talks about stress and how to deal. Enjoy!  – Andria

Stress can be brought on by almost everything whether it’s work, school, or just things in your personal life. Stress is something that everyone has and it’s so important to find ways to help us reduce stress in our lives.

I’ve personally struggled with stress from school and things in my personal life. I’ve listed some ways that have helped me, hopefully they can help you too.

• Get enough sleep. A good night’s sleep can go a long way, 7-9 hours is great! Be careful not to sleep too much more than that though.   
• Take a breather. Sometimes a break for a bit from the things that are stressing us out can really make a difference in the way you’re thinking about things. 
• Exercise. Taking walks and moving around can be really helpful to get the mind thinking. 
• Doing things you enjoy. Everyone has things that they do to help them stay calm and grounded. Sometimes those things are art, reading, and many many more. Just do what makes you happy. 
• Talk with someone. Talking to a friend or family member about the things that are happening in your life can be very relieving to the mind and body. 
• So, you didn’t follow step one and now you’re running on 5 hours of sleep? Don’t overdo the caffeine! Caffeine  is a stimulant and can actually increase your anxiety and make you feel shaky and agitated causing your stress to increase.
• Look in a mirror and tell yourself three positive things about yourself, here are some ideas: “I am valuable”, “I am beautiful”, “ I am kind”. Remember you are valuable and you are special!
• If a big school project is stressing you, get out your pen and paper or handy planner and break that huge, overwhelming project into smaller chunks. Monday do a portion, Tuesday do another small part. If you are able, schedule a break night on Wednesday and keep going from there.  
• Remember, even though things feel really tough right now drugs and alcohol are not the answer. If you are thinking about using drugs to cope. STOP. Remind yourself you are more valuable this and reach out to a trusted adult, maybe a parent, a teacher, or a family friend. 

You are valuable, you are kind, you are important. Hang in there, follow these steps or reach out to a trusted adult to talk about your stress. It will subside, this is not permanent. You got this!

-Bridget M., Young Adult Advisory Board President

This post is part of a series “Mental Health: Teen to Teen,” written by teens in the library’s Young Adult Advisory Board.

The Young Adult Advisory Board is made up of teen volunteers who desire to help with and be a part of the library’s events and services aimed at middle and high school students. Interested in joining? Fill out an application here.