Teenager
We hope that you had a good laugh watching the funny TikTok clips, but when you are strugglingit’s, it’s not really funny. Do you feel anxious, stressed or even hyperconnected? You will find lots of tools and resources on this platform that will help you manage these different emotions.
If you need immediate help, please call 811 right away.
Don’t let stress have the last word!
FEAR, STRESS and ANXIETY are normal reactions and
are terms that are often confused:
What is
anxiety?
It is a normal adaptive emotion which lets you adjust to situations by allowing you to use your resources to “tame” life’s challenges in small steps. It is therefore necessary and useful. Anxiety arises from the anticipation of potential dangers (something not currently present) and is therefore linked to our perceptions of situations. It is a tendency to imagine catastrophic scenarios and to make yourself fearful about things that have not yet happened (you know, the little hamster of your thoughts that never stops?).
When can anxiety
become a
problem?
Anxiety becomes a problem when it negatively affects your ability to function, causes you too much distress and makes you avoid anxiety-inducing situations. It is normal to experience anxiety as long as it doesn’t take over your life. Anxiety that is too intense or too frequent and persists over time (even if the threat is no longer there) may be an anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorders are the most frequent mental health problems experienced by youth.
What is
fear?
It is an emotion that arises rapidly when you are exposed to an immediate danger or threat. Fear protects you because it is essential to increase your chances of survival. One area of your brain (amygdala) sounds the alarm, and the brain triggers a stress response in your body so that you can survive the danger (so that you can fight or flee from the threat).
What is addiction?
An addiction is a habit that takes up more and more space in someone’s life and causes consequences in various aspects of their life.
Adolescence is a period filled with challenges during which you will be called upon to make choices about your lifestyle. Some habits, though, entail greater risks than others. For example, use of substances such as nicotine, caffeine alcohol, etc., can have an impact on your life. Maybe you have heard about the use of these substances, and you are wondering about them. To ensure that you make informed choices, it is important to learn and talk about them!
What is
trait anxiety?
The degree of anxiety can vary from one type of person to another. Trait anxiety is talked about in the scientific literature as a personality trait. People who experience more trait anxiety tend to perceive things as more threatening than others do.
What is
stress?
It is your body’s physiological reaction that is necessary in the face of a real or perceived threat (based on how you understand the situation). When your brain has detected a threat, various mechanisms are triggered to help you survive the threat. They are accompanied by physical reactions in your body that will generate energy to deal with the threat (adaptation and survival). When faced with stress, you either confront it by taking action, or you run away from it.
What is
hyperconnectivity?
Today, people are hyper-connected, using all kinds of digital devices and media, often linked together, to get information, to communicate, to be entertained, or all at the same time! This technology is so useful and captivating that we can hardly do without it. We use it at home, at school, at work and even at play (for example, have you never videoed a show to share with your friends?). The problem is that we give a lot of space in our lives to screens, sometimes to the detriment of other important activities or spheres of our existence.
What is
anxiety?
It is a normal adaptive emotion which lets you adjust to situations by allowing you to use your resources to “tame” life’s challenges in small steps. It is therefore necessary and useful. Anxiety arises from the anticipation of potential dangers (something not currently present) and is therefore linked to our perceptions of situations. It is a tendency to imagine catastrophic scenarios and to make yourself fearful about things that have not yet happened (you know, the little hamster of your thoughts that never stops?).
What is
trait anxiety?
The degree of anxiety can vary from one type of person to another. Trait anxiety is talked about in the scientific literature as a personality trait. People who experience more trait anxiety tend to perceive things as more threatening than others do.
When can anxiety
become a
problem?
Anxiety becomes a problem when it negatively affects your ability to function, causes you too much distress and makes you avoid anxiety-inducing situations. It is normal to experience anxiety as long as it doesn’t take over your life. Anxiety that is too intense or too frequent and persists over time (even if the threat is no longer there) may be an anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorders are the most frequent mental health problems experienced by youth.
What is
stress?
It is your body’s physiological reaction that is necessary in the face of a real or perceived threat (based on how you understand the situation). When your brain has detected a threat, various mechanisms are triggered to help you survive the threat. They are accompanied by physical reactions in your body that will generate energy to deal with the threat (adaptation and survival). When faced with stress, you either confront it by taking action, or you run away from it.
What is
fear?
It is an emotion that arises rapidly when you are exposed to an immediate danger or threat. Fear protects you because it is essential to increase your chances of survival. One area of your brain (amygdala) sounds the alarm, and the brain triggers a stress response in your body so that you can survive the danger (so that you can fight or flee from the threat).
What is
hyperconnectivity?
Today, people are hyper-connected, using all kinds of digital devices and media, often linked together, to get information, to communicate, to be entertained, or all at the same time! This technology is so useful and captivating that we can hardly do without it. We use it at home, at school, at work and even at play (for example, have you never videoed a show to share with your friends?). The problem is that we give a lot of space in our lives to screens, sometimes to the detriment of other important activities or spheres of our existence.
What is
addiction?
An addiction is a habit that takes up more and more space in someone’s life and causes consequences in various aspects of their life.
Adolescence is a period filled with challenges during which you will be called upon to make choices about your lifestyle. Some habits, though, entail greater risks than others. For example, use of substances such as nicotine, caffeine alcohol, etc., can have an impact on your life. Maybe you have heard about the use of these substances, and you are wondering about them. To ensure that you make informed choices, it is important to learn and talk about them!
References:
- www.stresshumain.ca, article: la peur, l’anxiété et le stress, comment pouvons-nous les distinguer(Fear, Anxiety and Stress, How to Tell Them Apart).
Adapted by the Public Health Department, CISSS des Laurentides. - Caroline Berthiaume, book: 10 questions sur l’anxiété chez l’enfant et l’adolescent (10 Questions about Anxiety in Children and Teenagers).
Adapted by the Public Health Department, CISSS des Laurentides. - www.pausetonecran.com
Adapted by the Public Health Department, CISSS des Laurentides.
