Teens often put more energy on what others think about them rather than how they think about themselves. Coping with stressful situations like these unprecedented times, along with middle and high school experiences, may lead to:
- Self-harm
- Low self-esteem
- Anxiety
Some activities that may reduce anxiety and relieve stress are:
- listening to music
- dancing in your room
- writing or drawing in a journal
- FaceTime a friend
- going for a walk or run
Following a predictable routine can help alleviate stress. If you don’t hear this often, show yourself kindness by reminding yourself that you matter and are likable. Listening to your own kind, internal thoughts may help boost your self-esteem:
- If you notice negative thoughts starting to show up, try writing down or telling yourself affirmations for five minutes (affirmations are short, positive, and present moment statements – such as “today is going to be a good day”). Whether speaking aloud or repeating to yourself internally as soon as you wake up, or before going to sleep at night, doing this during these times is most effective because the thinking mind is less distracted.
Our sense of smell and the process of how our minds perceive scents result in messages being sent straight to the brain – affecting our thoughts, feelings and actions. Essential oils may help keep emotions in check and support coping with anxiety…carrying a bottle of relaxing lavender essential oil and inhaling for a few seconds directly from the bottle may lessen symptoms.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18635155/
Friendly acts of kindness towards others and providing help to those in need has been shown to cancel out negative thoughts and emotions…check in on a friend or someone you haven’t heard from in awhile. It might make their day, and yours.
Aromatherapy is not a cure for illness, but used for reducing symptoms of illnesses. Aromatherapy is not intended to replace medical treatment by your physician, please consult with your physician before using essential oils if you have a medical condition.
https://www.instagram.com/flowermixology/
sources:
- Angela Peterson is an Aromatherapy Advocate and supporter of The National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy (NAHA). https://naha.org/explore-aromatherapy/safety