Youth is a free pass to have fun and enjoy. But alongside this “folly” are physical, social, mental, and emotional changes that every teenager goes through to cross the bridge to adulthood.

Indeed, transition and turmoil characterize adolescence. And your teenage son or daughter may have trouble coping with how things are. Your child may be dropping signs and hints of stress. It’s time to pay close attention to what’s been eating up your teenager and how you can help.

Your Teen May Be Stressed, but Why?

You think you’ve given your child everything—attention and material things that they need to grow up responsible and decent. You may think that they have it easy. But young people nowadays experience far too many things that can quickly put a strain on them and their relationships with other people.

1. Social Media

Your child may be among the millions of people across ages plagued by social media obsession. This modern-day condition has been linked to causing depression, anxiety, and loneliness, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America. Another study in 2017 reveals the correlation between the use of social media as evidence in the ownership of smartphones and the rise of levels of depressive symptoms among surveyed 8th to 12th graders.

2. Control (or Lack of) over Their Lives

Teens spend most of their life at school, where everything has been prearranged for them. They are expected to meet their teachers’ and parents’ expectations, or they’ll get failing marks and scolding afterward. If they express disdain toward authority, they’ll be branded as rebels. This whole situation is a stress factor for your child as they have to keep up with everyone’s approval to be good and to do good at school all the time.

3. Self versus Group Identity

Friends are a source of joy and stress for teenagers. Running parallel to hanging out with friends is figuring out one’s identity. It’s a balancing act: the desire to stand out versus the fear of being cast aside for being different. Your teenager is probably worrying about this issue, spending more time alone and becoming more quiet than usual.

4. The Age of Curiosity

Adolescents have a lot of exploring to do, and their curiosity will likely lead them to uncharted and sometimes dangerous territory like drugs, alcohol, sex, and whatnot. Your child may be using drugs to relieve stress, fit in with their peers, or just want to experiment. Or it could be that their drug use and the fear of discovery by you are causing them stress.

A Word to Parents

Your job as a parent is commendable, working round-the-clock to ensure your family is well and happy. While having a teenager is a tough chapter in any parenting book, you or other parents can still catch up with your children to be on the same page.

Drug use, for instance, can still be curbed. There’s only one way to confirm if your child is using drugs like ecstasy: conduct an MDMA test with this kit at home. This test is foolproof and is widely used for preemployment exams.

You can always speak with your child about school and life in general. Opening up with you about teenage stress may be hard at first, but assuring him or her regularly that you will listen without judgment is a good start.