If life stresses you out.... Tips for teens

Growing up is not always easy and there can be times when you feel totally overwhelmed.   This means you just feel like you are trapped and have nowhere to go.  You can also have a problem which you feel you will never find a solution. 

Most of the time when you feel like this, it is a good idea just to take a step back - do not allow the problem to take over your life.  Do something you enjoy and forget about your problems for a while.  It is also good to have somebody, be it a parent, adult or friend that you can talk to.

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Lets have a look at different things that can make you feel overwhelmed:

You spend a lot of time at school and it will not be enjoyable if you hate every moment of it.  Not everybody loves to learn, but some thing we just have to do, but going to school and feeling unhappy the whole time or getting bullied can be very overwhelming and can cause damage to your self esteem.  You have to talk to somebody about this.  Nobody has the right to spoil your experience of school or hurt you in any way.  If you just do not like school, you will unfortunately just have to get through it.  We cannot always just do what we like. Sometimes we need to make commitments and get it done.

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Exams and test can make you stressed and feel overwhelmed.  So in order to avoid this feeling, or having a fear for it, it is a good idea to be prepared.  Make sure you study and if you do not understand the work, ask your teacher or friend to help you.  Once we are prepared for certain things in life, we will feel less overwhelmed.

Humans are social creatures and nobody wants to be alone and feel left out.  Enjoying your own company from time to time is good, but you may feel overwhelmed if you do not have friends and feel isolated.  It is a good idea to join certain activities or clubs at the school where you will meet people that has the same interests as you.  Do not worry if you want to join the 'chess club' for instance, "The other kids are going to laugh at me..."  So what?  Let them laugh.  You need to do what makes you happy, not what you think others expect from you.

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Many children grow up in houses that are not really good for them.  Being around adults that fight the whole time or are going through a divorce or abuse you in any way can be very overwhelming.  Remember it is your right as a child to be protected.  It is not your job to sort out your parent's fights or decide what is best for them.  They need to do that for you.  If you are in any type of abusive situation, you need to get help immediately, even if it means you have to go live with somebody more stable.  Learn from your parent's mistakes and try and be better than that so that one day you will be a responsible adult and give your children the love they deserve.

Nobody has the right to discriminate against you - no matter if it is on race, age, sex or religion.  If people discriminate against you, it will either be out of ignorance or jealousy, but whatever the reason is, do not get involved in a 'mud slinging' contest.  Sometimes it is just better to avoid certain people and make sure that you live your life the way you must, without negativity or fear, and sometimes it is good to show them how wrong they are about you.  'Actions speak louder than words.'  So show them that you are so much more than the one aspect of you that scares or upsets them.

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Life can be hard, but the question is, are you going to stop and lie down and give up, or are you going to get up, face your problem head on, sort it out, take what comes your way and say "Life, you hit like a girl..."???

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