Is your child feeling the pressure of studies? Here’s how you can identify and deal with it

Is your child easily irritated or behaving differently? There is a chance that academic stress is getting to him or her and it is affecting the day to day life and behaviour. A study on stress in school students conducted by the NYU shows alarming findings: “Nearly half (49%) of all students reported feeling a great deal of stress on a daily basis and 31 percent reported feeling somewhat stressed. Females reported significantly higher levels of stress than males (60% vs. 41%). Grades, homework, and preparing for college were the greatest sources of stress for both genders. A substantial minority, 26 percent of participants, reported symptoms of depression at a clinically significant level.” Your child might be affected too.

Signs of stress to look out for

If you observe your child carefully, you are bound to see the effects of stress. However introverted or extroverted your child might be, stress does leave its symptoms all over the place. Here are some changes which you might want to look out for.

• Increased irritation or anger
• Sudden withdrawal or aggression, or both
• Fear of failure or exams
• Drop in performance
• Altered food or habits
• Poor attention span
• Frequent emotional outbursts
• Avoiding school
• Sudden and random pains which can’t be tracked to some problem

As a parent it is natural to be utterly confused and worried when your happy sweet child suddenly shows these behaviour changes. Instead of panicking, talk to your child and seek help if necessary.

How to help your child overcome stress

It is absolutely normal for parents to feel at sea when their little one is going through something like this. But you need to stay calm and handle the situation wisely

Keep your calm

Berating your child when he or she is already stressed out will only pile on more stress. Stay calm and talk to your child about what is bothering him or her. Together you can figure out the best way to manage stress.

Find some engagement of interest

A fruitful hobby or an engagement can effectively channel some of the additional stress into creativity. Not only is it useful for alleviation of stress, it helps your child develop a new skill or two. Hobbies like gardening, music, writing, arts etc. help in improving creativity and calming while sports, video games, martial arts etc. help neutralise the rage. Hobbies bring about a sense of fulfillment and purpose.

Meditation is a mighty aid

Mindful meditation can improve sleep schedules and even increase concentration and mental strength. Fifteen to thirty minutes of meditation can be of immense help for anyone who is struggling with pressure and stress. It soothes and calms the mind effectively.

Seek medical help

If your school’s counsellor is not doing much good, don’t shy away from seeking medical help. Talking to a therapist or even taking relaxing medicines like Nootropil can help your child understand and reduce stress effectively. It is important to seek medical help before stress levels hit too high.

Image source :- pharmacer.com

Academic stress hampering everyday life is a very common condition which affects majority of school and college students. With some help students can easily manage academic pressure more efficiently.