How Does the Brain React to Stress?
This is a great question! Since the brain of a teen is still developing, it is very sensitive to stress. When stressed, the brain reacts as if it is about to face a challenge or danger. The response to that is referred to as “fight-or-flight".
First, the brain will sense stress. The part of our brain that sense stress is the amygdala. Second, the body will receive a message from the brain and decide how to react. Lastly, your body will act on the message. This is your body's way of protecting you to let you know that you are in a stressful, challenging, and / or dangerous situation.
Another way your brain can act on the message is with fight-or-flight. Fight is when you act on the emotion of stress, like arguing or snapping at someone. Flight is when you feel like running away to avoid what is stressing you, such as skipping school, zoning out, etc.
If you are in a constant state of stress, you may have trouble sleeping, it may become harder to concentrate, you may feel anxious / overwhelmed very often. If you are experiencing that, TeenHealth FX recommends finding out what relaxes you! Exercising, talking to someone you trust, deep breathing exercises, doing something fun that is not related to school, sports, or other responsibilities.
If you need help finding a doctor and live in northern New Jersey, you can call the Adolescent/Young Adult Center for Health at 973-971-5199 for an appointment with an adolescent medicine specialist. If urgent care is more comfortable for you, please visit this site for a list of Atlantic Health urgent cares.
