The Nexus Teen Academy editorial and clinical team is dedicated to providing informative and accurate content to help families who are struggling with adolescent behavioral health problems. The editorial team works directly with the clinical team to ensure information is accurate and up-to-date.
To do this, our team uses the following editorial guidelines:
We generally only cite government and peer-reviewed studies
Scientific claims and data are backed by qualified sources
Content is updated to ensure we are citing the most up-to-date data and information
Clinically reviewed by Executive Director Hannah Carr, LPC
Executive Director Hannah Carr, LPC
Hannah graduated from Arizona State University with her Bachelor’s in Psychology and Master’s in Counseling and is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Arizona. She began her work as a therapist 12 years ago in South Phoenix with an intensive outpatient program for teens and their families. She joined Nexus in the residential program as the clinical director, eventually being promoted to the executive director, creating and building the clinical program structure and a strong culture focused on redirecting the trajectory of young lives.
The Nexus Teen Academy Editorial Staff is composed of writers, editors, and clinical reviewers with many years of experience writing about mental health and behavioral health treatment. Our team utilizes peer-reviewed, clinical studies from sources like SAMHSA to ensure we provide the most accurate and current information.
Experiencing various physical, emotional, and cognitive changes during adolescence can be overwhelming and cause stress in teens. The added pressure of school and their social lives contributes to this stress, which can take its toll on their minds and bodies. As a result, their physical and mental health deteriorates. Teenagers who do not learn stress management techniques can experience a mental breakdown if the problems persist.
This article will explore stress in teenagers. It will highlight its causes, symptoms, and how teenagers can get help. It will also discuss the effects of stress on your teen’s body. If you are looking for professional help for your teen’s stress or behavioral health struggles, contact our team today.
Common Causes of Stress in Teens
There are several causes of stress in teenagers, including:
Academic Pressure and Performance Anxiety
Every parent, caregiver, or teacher wants a teen to perform well in school. Although their attitude is well-intentioned, it can be overwhelming to some teenagers who are often stressed by their grades and academic performance. Not performing well in school can take its toll on your teen’s mental health. This, coupled with the fear of failure and pending college admissions, can cause teenagers to crack under the weight of their parents’ expectations. As a result, they can become physically ill or experience a mental or behavioral health episode.
Social Stressors
Teenagers strongly desire to be accepted by their peers, which leads many to adopt certain beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors that can negatively impact their lives. Many want to climb the social ladder and increase their social status. As a result, they experience peer pressure that can lead to emotional distress. This social pressure can be hard to deal with and may lead to an emotional breakdown.
Family Issues
Teenagers experiencing a tumultuous home environment can become stressed. Issues like divorce, financial issues, abuse, and strained relationships can contribute to your teen’s stress. Many teens may even shoulder some of the blame on themselves, causing them to struggle with self-worth issues.
Identity Struggles and Self-Worth
Adolescence is a time for identity formation. As teens grow, they explore different beliefs to shape their identity. They also explore their sexuality, cultural norms, and religious beliefs. Some teenagers find it challenging to build their identity amidst all the challenges they face. This can lead to emotional distress or a mental health episode.
Overscheduling and Burnout
Balancing various obligations like schoolwork, extracurricular activities, and social events can be difficult. At times, your teen’s schedule looks so full that they may feel like they don’t have time to rest. As a result, they become stressed about how to accomplish all their obligations, leading to burnout.
Physical, Emotional, and Behavioral Symptoms of Stress in Teens
Stress looks different in different people. However, the following are symptoms of stress in teens:
Physical Signs of Teen Stress
Headaches
Muscle tension
Insomnia or other sleep disruptions
Racing heart
High blood pressure
Fatigue
Dizziness
Gastrointestinal issues
Appetite changes
Skin-related issues
Chest pains
Emotional Symptoms
Overwhelming sadness
Anxiety
Irritability
Anger
Lack of interest in activities
Mood swings
Crying spells
Behavioral Changes in Teens
Skin-picking and nail-biting
Social withdrawal or lack of social interactions
Lethargy and staying in bed all day
Lack of motivation that leads to procrastination
Unhealthy or risky choices
Substance use
Neglecting one’s responsibilities
A decline in academic performance
Effects of Untreated Stress on Teens
There are several long-term effects of stress in teens, including:
Mental Health Risks
Unmanaged stress can have mental health implications. It can lead to anxiety, teen depression, or panic attacks. Stress is part of the fight-or-flight response. It enables teens to protect themselves from perceived threats. However, when the brain remains in a constant state of fight-or-flight, it can lead to debilitating anxiety. Similarly, stress increases the cortisol levels in your teen’s body. High cortisol levels have been linked with depression and other mental health challenges.
Physical Health Complications
Unmanaged stress can lead to many physical complications. When teens are stressed, they experience rapid heart rates that can trigger heart attacks. They may also develop arrhythmia and high blood pressure. Additionally, unmanaged stress can cause your teen to develop a substance use problem. Alcohol and drug use can increase the risk of developing other physical complications, like heart disease.
When stressed, your teen may also engage in unhealthy habits and even develop teen eating disorders, such as binge eating. Binge eating, coupled with high cortisol levels, can increase the risk of obesity. Cortisol manages how fat is stored in the body, and an elevated amount of cortisol causes increased fat deposits in the belly, which can further affect physical health, self-worth, make eating habits worse, and more.
How Teens Can Cope with Stress in Healthy Ways
Too much stress is bad for your teen’s health. As a result, they need to develop healthy stress-management skills. The following are effective coping mechanisms for teens with stress:
Self-Regulation Techniques
Teenagers need to develop self-regulation techniques for managing stress. Teenagers can learn different breathing and meditation techniques that can help them regulate their emotions. One popular breathing exercise is square breathing. It involves inhaling, holding in the breath, exhaling, and waiting to inhale again. Each step of the process should be done for an equal amount of time. Meditation and grounding techniques can also help your teenager manage stress.
Time Management and Balance
Procrastination can trigger stress. Teenagers should develop a system for managing their time properly. Making time for work and play is essential for preventing burnout. As a parent or guardian, you should encourage and help your teen to schedule their activities and avoid procrastination and overscheduling. When done right, scheduling can save your teen from a lot of stress.
Support from Parents and Trusted Adults
If you notice your teen is feeling overwhelmed, offer your help. Go on a walk, make their favorite meal, or talk about their problems. This allows teenagers to have an outlet for their negative emotions, which can even help with stress relief.
Other ways of managing stress include the following:
Practicing mindfulness
Creating downtime
Saying no to some tasks
Reframing negative thoughts
Setting realistic expectations
Teen Stress Management at Nexus Teen Academy
Stress is a normal part of life. However, its build-up can have adverse physical and mental health effects. As a result, teenagers need to learn effective stress management techniques. At Nexus Teen Academy, we offer high-quality support for stressed teenagers. Our facility is located in a serene environment where your teen can focus on unwinding and develop stress-management techniques and coping mechanisms. At Nexus, we offer teen treatment for mental health conditions that may arise from stress.
Our team provides tailored experiences for every teen. Once your teen is enrolled in our facility, we ensure all their needs are met. We use evidence-based and holistic approaches to ensure positive mental health outcomes. If you need help managing your teen’s stress, contact us today, and we can walk you through the treatment process.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How do I know if my teen’s stress is serious?
If your teenager exhibits serious changes in their behavior, emotions, or physical appearance, it may indicate that their stress is serious.
Executive Director Hannah Carr, LPC and nexus_admin
Stress in Teens: Causes, Symptoms, & Getting Help
FACT CHECKED
The Nexus Teen Academy editorial and clinical team is dedicated to providing informative and accurate content to help families who are struggling with adolescent behavioral health problems. The editorial team works directly with the clinical team to ensure information is accurate and up-to-date.
To do this, our team uses the following editorial guidelines:
Clinically reviewed by Executive Director Hannah Carr, LPC
Executive Director Hannah Carr, LPC
Hannah graduated from Arizona State University with her Bachelor’s in Psychology and Master’s in Counseling and is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Arizona. She began her work as a therapist 12 years ago in South Phoenix with an intensive outpatient program for teens and their families. She joined Nexus in the residential program as the clinical director, eventually being promoted to the executive director, creating and building the clinical program structure and a strong culture focused on redirecting the trajectory of young lives.
Published By Nexus Teen Academy
Nexus Teen Academy
The Nexus Teen Academy Editorial Staff is composed of writers, editors, and clinical reviewers with many years of experience writing about mental health and behavioral health treatment. Our team utilizes peer-reviewed, clinical studies from sources like SAMHSA to ensure we provide the most accurate and current information.
Published On July 6, 2025
Table of Contents
Experiencing various physical, emotional, and cognitive changes during adolescence can be overwhelming and cause stress in teens. The added pressure of school and their social lives contributes to this stress, which can take its toll on their minds and bodies. As a result, their physical and mental health deteriorates. Teenagers who do not learn stress management techniques can experience a mental breakdown if the problems persist.
This article will explore stress in teenagers. It will highlight its causes, symptoms, and how teenagers can get help. It will also discuss the effects of stress on your teen’s body. If you are looking for professional help for your teen’s stress or behavioral health struggles, contact our team today.
Common Causes of Stress in Teens
There are several causes of stress in teenagers, including:
Academic Pressure and Performance Anxiety
Every parent, caregiver, or teacher wants a teen to perform well in school. Although their attitude is well-intentioned, it can be overwhelming to some teenagers who are often stressed by their grades and academic performance. Not performing well in school can take its toll on your teen’s mental health. This, coupled with the fear of failure and pending college admissions, can cause teenagers to crack under the weight of their parents’ expectations. As a result, they can become physically ill or experience a mental or behavioral health episode.
Social Stressors
Teenagers strongly desire to be accepted by their peers, which leads many to adopt certain beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors that can negatively impact their lives. Many want to climb the social ladder and increase their social status. As a result, they experience peer pressure that can lead to emotional distress. This social pressure can be hard to deal with and may lead to an emotional breakdown.
Family Issues
Teenagers experiencing a tumultuous home environment can become stressed. Issues like divorce, financial issues, abuse, and strained relationships can contribute to your teen’s stress. Many teens may even shoulder some of the blame on themselves, causing them to struggle with self-worth issues.
Identity Struggles and Self-Worth
Adolescence is a time for identity formation. As teens grow, they explore different beliefs to shape their identity. They also explore their sexuality, cultural norms, and religious beliefs. Some teenagers find it challenging to build their identity amidst all the challenges they face. This can lead to emotional distress or a mental health episode.
Overscheduling and Burnout
Balancing various obligations like schoolwork, extracurricular activities, and social events can be difficult. At times, your teen’s schedule looks so full that they may feel like they don’t have time to rest. As a result, they become stressed about how to accomplish all their obligations, leading to burnout.
Physical, Emotional, and Behavioral Symptoms of Stress in Teens
Stress looks different in different people. However, the following are symptoms of stress in teens:
Physical Signs of Teen Stress
Emotional Symptoms
Behavioral Changes in Teens
Effects of Untreated Stress on Teens
There are several long-term effects of stress in teens, including:
Mental Health Risks
Unmanaged stress can have mental health implications. It can lead to anxiety, teen depression, or panic attacks. Stress is part of the fight-or-flight response. It enables teens to protect themselves from perceived threats. However, when the brain remains in a constant state of fight-or-flight, it can lead to debilitating anxiety. Similarly, stress increases the cortisol levels in your teen’s body. High cortisol levels have been linked with depression and other mental health challenges.
Physical Health Complications
Unmanaged stress can lead to many physical complications. When teens are stressed, they experience rapid heart rates that can trigger heart attacks. They may also develop arrhythmia and high blood pressure. Additionally, unmanaged stress can cause your teen to develop a substance use problem. Alcohol and drug use can increase the risk of developing other physical complications, like heart disease.
When stressed, your teen may also engage in unhealthy habits and even develop teen eating disorders, such as binge eating. Binge eating, coupled with high cortisol levels, can increase the risk of obesity. Cortisol manages how fat is stored in the body, and an elevated amount of cortisol causes increased fat deposits in the belly, which can further affect physical health, self-worth, make eating habits worse, and more.
How Teens Can Cope with Stress in Healthy Ways
Too much stress is bad for your teen’s health. As a result, they need to develop healthy stress-management skills. The following are effective coping mechanisms for teens with stress:
Self-Regulation Techniques
Teenagers need to develop self-regulation techniques for managing stress. Teenagers can learn different breathing and meditation techniques that can help them regulate their emotions. One popular breathing exercise is square breathing. It involves inhaling, holding in the breath, exhaling, and waiting to inhale again. Each step of the process should be done for an equal amount of time. Meditation and grounding techniques can also help your teenager manage stress.
Time Management and Balance
Procrastination can trigger stress. Teenagers should develop a system for managing their time properly. Making time for work and play is essential for preventing burnout. As a parent or guardian, you should encourage and help your teen to schedule their activities and avoid procrastination and overscheduling. When done right, scheduling can save your teen from a lot of stress.
Support from Parents and Trusted Adults
If you notice your teen is feeling overwhelmed, offer your help. Go on a walk, make their favorite meal, or talk about their problems. This allows teenagers to have an outlet for their negative emotions, which can even help with stress relief.
Other ways of managing stress include the following:
Teen Stress Management at Nexus Teen Academy
Stress is a normal part of life. However, its build-up can have adverse physical and mental health effects. As a result, teenagers need to learn effective stress management techniques. At Nexus Teen Academy, we offer high-quality support for stressed teenagers. Our facility is located in a serene environment where your teen can focus on unwinding and develop stress-management techniques and coping mechanisms. At Nexus, we offer teen treatment for mental health conditions that may arise from stress.
Our team provides tailored experiences for every teen. Once your teen is enrolled in our facility, we ensure all their needs are met. We use evidence-based and holistic approaches to ensure positive mental health outcomes. If you need help managing your teen’s stress, contact us today, and we can walk you through the treatment process.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
If your teenager exhibits serious changes in their behavior, emotions, or physical appearance, it may indicate that their stress is serious.