Young People & Stress

We've entered one of the most demanding stretches of the year. Many young people are heading into finals or exams, projects are piling up, and even the most organized students are feeling the pressure. Meanwhile, parents are closing out the calendar year at work, preparing for the holidays, and managing family logistics. And while the holidays can bring joy, connection, and tradition... they often bring stress, expectations, and overload, too, for everyone.

This month, we're diving into what stress looks like for teens and young adults, why it's on the rise, and how parents can support their child and themselves through it.

Stress in Teens and Young Adults is Real

According to the American Psychological Association, adolecents experience stress patterns similar to adults, sometimes even higher, especially during the school year. They face academic pressure, social dynamics, digital overstimulation, and the biological changes that push them to perform. Recent research shows:

• 67% of adolescents say stress makes it hard to focus

• Nearly 60% feel "completely overwhelmed"

• Adolescents now rate their average stress level at 6 out of 10, up from 5 the year before

Your young person isn't exaggerating when they say they're stressed. Their bodies and brains are responding to very real demands, and while some stress can be good and help motivate young folks, sometimes, like for all of us, those demands feel impossible to manage all at once. Being a teenager or young adult isn't easy. Whether it's pressure from school, work, friends, or family, it's completely normal to feel stress or anxiety during this time in life. Our bodies can handle small amounts of stress, and in fact stress can help us be more productive, but too much can take a toll on physical and mental health.

Teens and young adults today navigate multiple layers of stress, often all at the same time. While everyone faces unique challenges, here are some of the most common sources:

 

School and Academic Pressure

Whether it's keeping up grades, applying to colleges, deciding what to do after graduation, or navigating the transition to college life, school-related stress is real. Homework and heavy academic loads compete with extracurricular activities, social events, work obligations, and sports. The pressure to perform can feel relentless, and for young adults in college, the stakes can feel even higher as they balance newfound independence with academic demands.

Social Media and Digital Overload

It's natural to want to fit in with friends and peers. But with our non-stop connection to social media, it's hard not to compare yourself to others constantly. The overuse of electronics for gaming and watching videos can also add stress because of their always-on nature. Every notification, every post, every scroll can feed anxiety. For young adults, this can extend to comparing career paths, looks, relationships, and life milestones.

Peer Pressure

Sometimes teens and young adults feel pressured to take part in activities or behaviors outside their comfort zone. This can add to their worries and make it harder to trust their own instincts, whether it's about drinking, substance use, academic choices, or career decisions.

Family Challenges

Teens and young adults also face worries at home. Family conflict, divorce, illness, and financial hardship can cause stress. And sometimes, parents (often unintentionally) add to that stress by placing high expectations or pressure on their teens and young adults without realizing it. For young adults navigating independence, balancing family expectations with their own path can feel particularly challenging.

Body Image and Physical Changes

Teens go through many physical changes, and these changes are usually hard to hide. It's easy to compare themselves to friends and peers who are going through the same transitions. Your teen may develop faster or slower than others, which can make "fitting in" feel difficult. This transition may also make them feel like they've lost a sense of self, as the body they've known for years starts to change. Young adults may continue to grapple with body image concerns as they navigate new social contexts and relationships.

Friendships and Romantic Relationships

Friends can feel like the center of their world. It's easy for teens and young adults to feel stressed about the "right" way to respond to their friends or navigate romantic feelings. While it's important to learn how to support others, it can be hard to set boundaries. Many also feel added stress if they're navigating questions about gender identity or sexual orientation. For young adults, the pressure to maintain friendships while everyone's lives diverge can add another layer of complexity.

Work and Financial Stress

For young adults, work-related stress becomes a major factor. Whether it's balancing a part-time job with school, figuring out career paths, dealing with job insecurity, or managing student loans and financial independence, these pressures can feel overwhelming. The transition from school to the workforce (or the uncertainty of what comes next) creates significant stress.

Major Life Events and Transitions

Major life changes create stress. Illness, accidents, bullying, or abuse can have a huge effect. Family changes like divorce or the death of a loved one can leave teens and young adults trying to figure out how to express their feelings. Moving and starting at a new school or in a new city also creates stress as they try to form new friendships and adjust to new routines. For young adults, transitions like graduating, leaving home, or entering the workforce bring both excitement and uncertainty. And hearing frightening news, locally or globally, can leave anyone stressed about personal safety and the safety of loved ones.

Sometimes, even with the best intentions, parents find it hard to break through. Your teen or young adult might shut down when you ask questions, resist your suggestions, or simply not want to talk to you about what's really going on. That's not a reflection of your parenting, it's developmentally normal.

How Coaching Can Help

Teens and young adults are wired to seek independence and often hear advice from parents differently than they'd hear it from another trusted adult. A coach provides that outside perspective, someone who isn't their parent, teacher, or peer, but someone who's genuinely in their corner.

Here's what coaching offers that can be hard to replicate at home:

• A Safe, Non-Judgmental Space

• Help Identifying What's Really Getting in the Way

• Building Executive Function Skills

• Creating Actionable Plans (Not Just Pep Talks)

• Accountability Without Shame

• Teaching Them to Advocate for Themselves

You're Doing Better Than You Think

Parenting a stressed young person during an already stressful season is hard. You're balancing your own demands while trying to support someone who may not always let you in. That's exhausting.

But here's what I want you to know: Your presence matters more than perfection. The fact that you're reading this, trying to understand what your teen is going through, and looking for ways to help? That's enough.

You don't have to fix everything. You just have to show up. And when you need support navigating this season, I'm here.

If you want to explore how coaching can support your teen or young adult, I invite you to schedule a free consultation.