How stress affects the mind, and how it can be healed

Mental health can affect a person’s ability to realise their potential, cope with the normal stresses of life, work productively, and contribute to their community.

But stress can have a significant impact on mental health, leading to anxiety and depression, impairing concentration and memory, and making it difficult to focus on tasks and recall information.

When it becomes chronic, stress can even affect the prefrontal cortex, which is crucial for decision-making, and weaken judgment.

Stress also takes its emotional toll. It can result in mood swings, irritability, anger, and increased emotional sensitivity. Those with chronic stress report feelings of despair and a sense of being overwhelmed.

Under stress, people can disrupt their sleep patterns, leading to insomnia and other sleep problems.

The impact of stress can be particularly sharp on teenagers' brains. Our brains are still developing, and their response to stress can be more pronounced and, potentially, more dangerous than in adults.

The teenage years are also a time when children typically take on additional burdens physically and emotionally. During this turbulent time, some find it difficult to express their feelings of stress, causing it to build up, with potentially destructive consequences.

But teenagers can also overcome their stress by making healthy lifestyle choices, using relaxation techniques, and communicating openly.

While teenagers might want to spend time with their friends and enjoy their adolescence, this should not come at the cost of their sleep, regular exercise, or maintaining a balanced diet.

They could also learn techniques for relaxation, such as mindfulness and meditation, that could calm them down in times of difficulty.

And then there is the matter of self-care. By engaging in hobbies and interests, teens can find an outlet for stress that improves their mood.

For me, this means spending time in nature.

I also find that creativity calms my mind, and art heals me. Whether it is drawing or painting, I find myself at peace. But it is not a passive sense of comfort. It is exciting and engaging. Then, there is the relief and sense of accomplishment that comes with completing an artwork. When I finish putting down the final strokes, I feel complete. My mood lifts greatly.

I encourage those who have concerns about the stress in their lives to take up a hobby that can give them that same feeling. Drawing, crafting, reading books, and gardening can be great ways to feel active and engaged while also being relaxing.

My hobbies haven’t just warded off the dangers of stress. They have also shaped and nurtured the person I am, pushing me to grow and look at the world through a different and distinct lens. They are now part of who I am.

And whenever I find myself overburdened and struggling, I turn to them to build me up and give me the comfort and confidence necessary to take on the world once again.

References

WHO. Mental health of adolescents. Fact Sheet. 2024.

NIH Medline Plus Magazine. Teens and stress: When it’s more than worry. 2023

Johns Hopkins Medicine. Anxiety and Stress in Teens. 2021

Canadian Red Cross. The impact of stress on your mental health. 2020

American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. Stress Management and Teens. 2019

Reporter: Samiha Mehbub Hiya

District: Rangpur

Age: 17