Isn’t it strange how stress can put us in precarious situations? One young lady recounted her ordeal as she hunted for employment in Antigua. Fresh from university and weary of rejections, she responded to a local advertisement that required a man for a so-called masculine position. Desperately in need of a job, she filled out the application but left the gender question blank and did not indicate that she had a degree. The young lady listed her CXC subjects only since a degree seemed to be more of a curse than a blessing.
She was later called for an interview and the panel was stunned. As she observed their faces, the applicant assumed that they were probably trying to determine her gender. Their confusion vanished as the she spoke about her plight. To make a long story short, the stressed lady left the interview room uncertain if they will ever call her. After a few years of chasing ads and being told that she is overqualified, the phone rang with one of the greatest news ever. She landed the masculine job, and within a year promotion followed shortly.
The financial hardship and insecurity associated with joblessness undoubtedly trigger stress, which can make people do things that they are unaccustomed to. Highlighting 10 reasons why people act out of character, the website Emotional Health placed stress at number 3: “When you’re overwhelmed, empathy for others evaporates. Your world narrows to your own concerns. You just don’t have the energy to care about anything else, even if you did before.”
“Sustained stress,” according to psychologist David Myers, “directs energy from the immune system, leaving us more vulnerable to infections and malignancy.” Myers added that the death of a spouse and the strain of an exam week have all been associated with depressed immune diseases. While we acknowledge that not all stress is not bad, chronic or long-term stress can be extremely harmful. It can reduce one’s elf-esteem and result in all sorts of mental health issues.
So, how do young people tackle stress in the 21st century? You must first identify the stressor. Seventeen-year-old Lavonté Roberts told YouthZone that he blocks out “certain distractions” such as social media, work overload—whether it be school assignments, manual labour and/or personal issues. He also does stress exercises in a tranquil environment for a certain time period.
Although it may be difficult to get rid of distractions that bombard youth daily, Lavonté encouraged his peers to try stress exercises such as walking, jogging, hiking, and meditating. These activities will not only “help with stress relief, but also help you get to the root of the problem and find a sense of purpose.
‘In order to relieve stress,” the teenager declared, “you must be able to take control over the things you are most likely able to have control of.” Lavonté also recommended that young people share their feelings with a trusted third party. “Although it may be seem as invasion of personal space, it is better than letting stress consume you,” he said.
Seventeen-year-old Zhanira Pereira believes that journaling is another effective coping mechanism for youth, “especially if they feel like they don’t have anyone to talk to, or anyone trustworthy enough. After writing about what bothers you,” she said, “it will clarify your emotions (exactly how you feel about what) and help clear your mind.”
Both teens believe that the root of stress—whether it be psychological, physical, psychosocial, and psychospiritual—can be found in youth insecurities, school demands, family issues, as well as peer pressure, overwhelming responsibilities, and social discrimination.
“And it would be best for us to pray about it and ask for help to cope with stressful situations,” advised Zhanira. “Though friends and family will fail us, He would not,” she said.
Now is a good time to discuss the significance of the Serenity Prayer, which is based on four virtues: serenity, acceptance, courage, and wisdom. The writer asked for the serenity to accept the things that cannot be changed, courage to change the things that can be changed, and wisdom to know the difference what can and cannot be changed. Psychologist Steve Rose indicated that this prayer “packed full of meaning and psychologically validated wisdom in just a few short lines” is useful for “anyone struggling with situations beyond their control.”
He explained that “being in a state of serenity is the opposite of a state of anxiety,” while acceptance means letting go of things outside of your control. Simply put, do not worry. A state of anxiety forces us not to accept reality and we try to change it through constant worrying. Courage, on the other hand, means having the strength and determination to do what is within your control, and wisdom allows us to know when to practice acceptance and when to practice courage.