4 Red Flags of Pandemic Stress in Teens: A Psychologist's Advice

We’re nine very long months into the pandemic. Although families have adjusted as best they can, many tweens and teens are still struggling to keep it all together.

A recent study from the American Psychological Association (APA) revealed that long term stress due to the pandemic is especially serious for young people ages 13-17, otherwise known as “Gen Z” teens, and young adults age 18-23, known as “Gen Z” adults. On top of this, colder weather and seasonal affective disorder (SAD) can also have a negative impact on mental health and behavior.

Dr. Claire Nicogossian, Clinical Psychologist, Clinical Assistant Professor, and author of the breakthrough new book, Mama, You Are Enough: How to Create Calm, Joy and Confidence Within the Chaos of Motherhood joined me to talk about the impact of the pandemic on tweens and teens. Dr. Nicogossian is not only an accomplished psychologist but also mom to four teenage daughters. She explained her concerns.

When you look at the impact of stress on children and youth, you're really looking at what would typically be happening during this time of social, emotional, [and] cognitive development. Adolescents and young adolescents and, and going through puberty and changes already brings a lot of changes physically and emotionally because of their hormones, but also the independence that's happening in their social development. So friends take top priority. Getting together and being social and participating in team sports or other activities and pursuits are really key right now in terms of their overall development. Isolating, having to socially distance, going to school in a hybrid model, or maybe all distance learning creates isolation for our youth and teens. And that is increasing rates of depression, anxiety, and a lot of stress.

 So, we know the stress is real. But what can we do about it? How can we help our teens get through these challenging times? As parents, we want to protect our kids from harmful and stressful situations. But more importantly, we want to offer them helpful tools that can foster resilience and guide them with a positive approach on how to handle a devastating situation such as this pandemic.

Dr. Nicogossian’s top tool for helping our kids navigate the pandemic might surprise you.

4 signs of stress in teenagers to watch for

Watch for sleep pattern changes in your teen

Most of us are feeling overwhelmed, anxious, and sad due to the pandemic and that could trigger physical problems. Dr. Nicogossian explained...

Keep reading on Quick and Dirty Tips