Shiverdecker 1

Tiffany Shiverdecker

Professor Johnson

English 1201

28 October 2020

Research Essay

Everyone has stress. From children to adolescents to adults, we all deal with some

amount of stress in our lives. This is normal. However, complications begin when stress becomes

chronic. Chronic stress has significant negative physical and emotional effects on everyone.

Acute and/or chronic stress is a serious subject matter that shouldn’t be taken lightly. Although,

stress is unavoidable. So, the question is, how can young adults manage their stress to perform

better in life? Let's talk statistics first.

Findings from Stress in America™: Are Teens Adopting Adults’ Stress Habits?,

conducted online by Harris Interactive Inc., (on behalf of APA) among 1,950 adults and 1,018

teens in the U.S. in August 2013 suggested that unhealthy behaviors associated with stress begin

early in life. During the school year, the teens reported that their stress level on a 10 point scale

is (5.8), which tops the adults’ average reported stress levels (5.1). During summer, the teens

reported their stress level as a (4.6). As a result of stress, many of the teens also reported feeling

overwhelmed (31%) and sad or depressed (30%). More than one-third of the teens also reported

feeling fatigued or tired (36%) and nearly a quarter of the teens (23%) reported skipping a meal

due to stress. Almost one-half of the teens (42%) reported they are not doing enough or are not

sure if they are doing enough to manage their stress and (13%) say they never set aside time to

manage stress. APA CEO and Executive Vice President Norman B. Anderson, Ph.D. said, “It is
 Shiverdecker 2

alarming that the teen stress experience is so similar to that of adults. It is even more concerning

that they seem to underestimate the potential impact that stress has on their physical and mental

health. “In order to break this cycle of stress and unhealthy behaviors as a nation, we need to

provide teens with better support and health education at school and home, at the community

level, and in their interactions with healthcare professionals.”

The survey also explored the relationship between stress and health behaviors such as

sleeping, exercising, and eating. On average, teens report that they sleep 7.4 hours on school

nights and 8.1 hours on non-school nights. Which is far less than the recommended amount of

sleep recommended by the National Sleep Foundation, 8.5 to 9.25 hours. Nearly 1 in 5 teens

(18%) say that when they do not get enough sleep, they are more stressed. However, 36%

percent of teens report feeling tired because of stress. The survey then found that more than one-

third of adults (37%) and 1 in 5 teens (20%), report that they exercise less than once a week or

not at all. Some say they experience positive benefits from exercise, such as a better mood and

less stress, but few say they take the time to exercise every day. 23% percent of teens report

skipping a meal in the past month due to stress. 39% percent say they do this weekly or more.

The first thing you will need to do to try and manage your stress is to identify where your

stress is coming from. To truly identify what is causing your stress, you must look closely at

your attitude, habits, and excuses. However, until you accept the responsibility for the role you

play in creating or maintaining your stress, it will remain outside your control. From

helpguide.org, practicing the four A’s is the best way to start managing your stress. The four A’s

are, avoid, alter, adapt, and accept. When it comes to avoiding stress, learn how to say no. Know

your limits, and stick to them. Avoid people who stress you out. If someone constantly causes

stress in your life, you should limit the amount of time you spend with them or end the
 Shiverdecker 3

relationship completely. Take control of your environment and the places that cause your stress.

Try to find ways around them. If you cannot avoid a stressful situation, try to alter it. Instead of

bottling up your feelings, express them. Be willing to compromise. When you ask someone to

change their behavior for you, be willing to do the same. Create a balanced schedule for time to

work and play. Adapt to the stressor. Change yourself if you cannot change what is making you

stressed. You can do this by regaining your sense of control and changing your attitude and

expectations. Reframe your problems. Try to view a stressful situation from a more positive

perspective. For example, if traffic is moving slow on your way home from work, try to look at it

as an opportunity for quiet time, or maybe to be able to listen to your favorite songs. Look at the

bigger picture in the stressful situation. Ask yourself how important it will be in the long run.

Will it matter in a month or even a year? Is it really worth getting worked up? If the answer is no,

focus your time and energy somewhere else. Adjust your standards. Perfectionism is a major key

to avoid stress. Stop setting yourself up for failure by demanding everything to be perfect. Set

reasonable standards for yourself and others. Learn to be okay with things in life being “good

enough”. Also, learn to practice gratitude. Take a moment to reflect on all the things you

appreciate in your life, including your own positive qualities and gifts. Accept what you cannot

change. Some stressors are unavoidable. You cannot prevent or change the stress from the death

of a loved one, a serious illness, or a national recession. The best way to cope with stress is to

accept things as they are. Acceptance can be difficult, but in the long run, it can put you in a

healthy state of mind. Do not try to control situations that are not controllable. Instead, focus on

the things that you can control such as your reaction to a problem or difficult situation. Learn

how to forgive easily. Accept the fact that we live in an imperfect world and that people make

lots of mistakes. Let go of your anger and resentments. Free yourself from negative energy by
 Shiverdecker 4

moving on. Look up! When facing major challenges, try to look at them as an opportunity for

growth. If your own poor choices contributed to your stress, then reflect on them and learn from

your mistakes. More importantly, share your feelings. Talk to friends and family, or maybe even

a therapist about what you may be going through. Again, bottling up your emotions does not

solve your problems.

Some other things to consider to manage your stress are physical activity, connecting to

others, “me time”, time management, and balancing a healthy lifestyle. Physical activity is a

huge stress reliever. Exercise releases endorphins in your body that make you feel good.

However you choose to exercise, just make sure it’s something that you enjoy doing. If you don’t

enjoy the exercise that you are doing, it may become stressful for you. Another way to help

manage your stress is to connect with others. There is nothing more relieving than

communicating with another human being that makes you feel accepted and understood.

Although, keep in mind that these people do not have to be able to fix your stress. They just need

to be good listeners. Make sure that you are also carving out time in your schedule to pamper

yourself. Nurturing yourself should be a necessity, not a luxury. This will help you to be able to

handle life’s stressors. Poor time management can also cause you a lot of stress. Being stretched

thin and running behind can make it difficult to stay calm and focused. Maintaining a healthy

lifestyle can relieve your stress as well. Eating a healthy diet, reduced caffeine and sugar,

avoiding drugs and alcohol, and getting enough sleep are all things considered to reduce stress.

Chronic stress is prolonged stress. This type of stress can negatively affect your health if

left untreated. Elizabeth Scott, MS says “chronic stress occurs when the body experiences

stressors with such frequency or intensity that the autonomic nervous system does not have an

adequate chance to activate the relaxation response on a regular basis. This means that the body
 Shiverdecker 5

remains in a constant state of physiological arousal. This affects virtually every system in the

body, either directly or indirectly.” However, it is not as easy to identify chronic stress. Since it

is pervasive and long-lasting, some people often grow accustomed to it and it begins to feel

normal to them. There are also four main types of chronic stress. They are as follows, emotional

stress (difficult emotions such as anger, sadness, or frustration), environmental stress (where you

live and work), relationship stress (how you relate to friends, family, co-workers, partners), and

work stress (challenges and pressures related to your job). Again, chronic stress can have a

detrimental impact on your health and well-being if left untreated. Some potential complications

related to chronic stress include acne, depression, diabetes, eczema, heart disease, high blood

pressure, hyperthyroidism, irritable bowel syndrome, low sex drive, ulcers, and weight changes.

It is crucial for your health to find ways to manage acute or chronic stress. This may even

involve professional treatment. If severe chronic stress is impairing your ability to function

normally, professional treatment may help you develop new coping skills and find ways to lower

your stress levels. Options include, but are not limited to, psychotherapy and/or medications.

In conclusion, stress is a very important topic and should be taken seriously. However,

stress management is definitely not a “one size fits all” and can be managed in many different

ways. Our experience of what we consider to be "stressful" is created by our own unique

perceptions of what we encounter in life. With that being said, one person's stress trigger may

not always be the same as another. This makes it important to find what works best for you in

managing your stress because it may not be exactly what works best for someone else.
 Shiverdecker 6

Work Cited

Robinson, Lawrence, et al. “Stress Management.” HelpGuide.org, Sept. 2020,

www.helpguide.org/articles/stress/stress-management.htm.

Scott, Elizabeth. MS. “How to Reduce the Effects of Stress on Your Life.” Verywell Mind,

8 Oct. 2019, www.verywellmind.com/stress-management-4157211.

Elizabeth Scott, MS. “Management Techniques Are Important If You Have Chronic

Stress.” Verywell Mind, 19 Nov. 2020, www.verywellmind.com/chronic-stress-

3145104.

Bethune, Sophie. “American Psychological Association Survey Shows Teen Stress Rivals

That of Adults.” American Psychological Association, American Psychological

Association, 2014, www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2014/02/teen-stress.

Kerrigan, Chau, et al. “Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary & Alternative

Medicine.” Oct2017, Vol. 22 Issue 4, p909-918. 10p.

Brown, Blackshaw, et al. “Journal of Adolescence.” Feb2019, Vol. 71, p150-161. 12p.

Spokesman-Review (Spokane, WA). Sept 7, 2020