Stress and Mental Health
Stress and Mental Health
As a Senior High School student, you’re probably familiar with the experience of stress—a condition
characterized by symptoms of physical or emotional tension. An individual may feel when he/she is struggling to
accept changes with physical, mental, and emotional responses. It may give tension which will lead into various
responses such as anger, frustration, and nervousness. What you may not know is that it’s a natural response of the
mind and body to a situation in which a person feels threatened or worried. Stress can be positive (the excitement of
preparing for your 18th birthday) or negative (dealing with a loss of a family member).
Stress was used to describe a variety of unpleasant feelings such as overtime we feel angry, conflicted,
overwhelmed, frustrated or fatigued. Demanding or threatening events are often referred as stressors. These events
can cause stress, the organism’s biological and behavioral response to the stressor. Prolonged stress can cause high
blood pressure, weaken the immune system and contribute to diseases such as obesity and heart disease. It can also
lead to mental health problems such as anxiety and depression—disorders that are becoming more common in youth.
In a 2018 study, researchers analyzed data from the National Survey of Mental Health and found that rates of anxiety
and depression had increased in kids ages 6 to 17, from 5.4% in 2003 to 8.4% in 2011-12.
Stress comes in different forms. But like adults, adolescents can find healthy ways to cope. Together, teens and their
parents can learn to spot the signs of excess stress and, with the right tools, manage it.
Mental Health
As defined by Merriam-Webster dictionary, it is a condition of being sound mentally and emotionally that is
characterized by the absence of mental illness and by adequate adjustment especially as reflected in feeling
comfortable about oneself. It is also a positive feeling about others, and the ability to meet the demands of daily life.
Having a good mental health is also a state of the overall wellbeing of a person associated with, can set and aim your
goals, enjoying your life to the fullest, can have and maintain a good relationship with other people especially your
classmates and colleagues and lastly, you are able to manage and recover from loneliness and stress. A good mental
health doesn’t necessarily mean being happy or successful all the time. Most people feel depressed, lonely, or anxious
now and then, but those with good mental health can take these feelings in stride and overcome them. When such
feelings or moods persist and interfere with a person’s ability to function normally, though, it may be a sign of a more
serious mental health problem and time to seek help. Wellbeing is the holistic view of our self and our health. As an
adolescent, there are several factors that could influence your wellbeing such as pressure due to exams, assignments
and projects, family issues, financial status, relationships among other people, and mobile addiction. It is your task to
cope with stress and manage your mental health. Having a good mental health means that you are stable enough to
face challenges brought by the different daily circumstances. Whatever life may bring to you, you can ‘bounce back’
and get to action again.