Parents must remember these things to help their children overcome

Stress is a state of physical (elevated autonomic nervous system excitability) or psychological (feelings of discomfort, tension, loss of control) response to factors that disturb the balance. and overcome their own adaptability.

Dr. Duong Minh Tam, Head of Stress Disorders Department, Institute Health Psychiatry, Bach Mai Hospital shared, in a study in 2019 -2020 at the National Children’s Hospital with students from 10-19 years old, it was found that: 55.6% of children had psychological trauma (study pressure) 20%, family pressure 20.5%, school friends 8.9%). Research results also show that stress and depression are most common at the ages of 14 and 17, the time when students pass exams to high school and university. It is worth noting that stress is more common in well-behaved and well-educated children.

Most of the children who come for examination and treatment for depression and stress come from specialized schools and selected classes. With good children, high achievement in study often have more self-pressure than children who are busy playing, pressure of position in school, self-image in the eyes of family, teachers and often live, think and think. Thinking more responsible makes children have to make constant efforts. These children are often stressed and stressed, especially when they do not meet expectations, will suffer more than other children. This shows that the pressure from studying, pressure from family, pressure to achieve is one of the causes leading to stress in school age.

Through taking the medical history, most of the students suffered from chronic stress, the stress process silently took place from about 3-5 years ago and the exam pressure was just “the last drop of water”. Psychological development and personality changes of students coincide with puberty, so many parents implicitly accept that change. It is only when children have behaviors that hurt themselves or are too abnormal that parents can identify and take the child to the hospital, often the child is already in a stage of severe depression and stress.

Stress often develops silently, but parents should be extra vigilant when they see behaviors such as self-destructive (cuts in the forearm or thigh, biting nails, clicking on the fingertips ..). This self-injury is a way to relieve a child’s emotional turmoil.

In addition, children have unusual behaviors, contrary to their previous personality such as children becoming aggressive, rebellious or overly compliant, disorders in eating behavior such as eating too little or too much, confusion. Sleep disorders such as sleeping too much or too little, boredom, reduced connection to society… Besides, there are also forms of functional stress such as children with abdominal pain, headache, stomach pain, gastrointestinal bleeding. .. These pains often appear when the child is preparing for an exam or before an important event. Once the event is over, the pain subsides.

The 5 R’s rule helps reduce stress

Chronic stress can lead to serious health problems if not handled appropriately. Chronic stress weakens the body’s immune system, leading to a number of mental and physical illnesses such as depression and cardiovascular diseases. To deal with this situation, families can refer to the 5 R’s.

Recognition: Identify causes and sources of stress, educate and raise awareness. To overcome, adapt to stress.

Relationships: Seeking help, support, reassurance.

Removal: Removes stressors and triggers.

Relaxation: Relaxation through techniques such as meditation, massage, breathing exercises, etc.

Re-engagement: Re-engagement through managed re-exposure and desensitization.

Besides the 5 Rs, a simple, easy-to-implement factor is to support sleep control for children. Dr. Tam emphasized, sleep is essential for physical and mental health. Children between 6 and 12 years old should sleep 9 to 12 hours a night. Teenagers need 8 to 10 hours per night. Sleep is an important factor in stress management.

In addition, parents need to know that stress causes illness and disease type depends mainly on personality. For children with weak personalities, romantics, writers and artists, closed personalities or lack of will, lack of energy, shyness, low self-esteem, inferiority complex, lack of control, explosive tempers, conflicts are often prone to stress. than children with strong personality. Therefore, families should build for children an environment of emulation, striving, mutual support and progress together. This helps children cope better with stress.

Exercise and physical activity are essential stress relievers for people of all ages. Besides, outdoor activities, spending time in nature is also an effective way to reduce stress and improve overall health.