LEADERSHIP RESOURCES
There is little doubt that we are living in an “Age of Anxiety,” maybe even the “Age of Anxiety.” As adults who work with students, we are not strangers to stressed out, maxed out and over-committed teenagers. Many adults are shaking their heads, asking, “What happened?” and “Why are students so stressed out?” Some of us feel as though we are on the anxiety train alongside them.
Anxiety rates are higher than they have ever been, even higher than during WWII and The Great Depression (turnaroundanxiety.com), but what is the cause? In part, cultural shifts, attitudes about work, achievement and success all contribute.
First, it’s important to understand that everyone feels stressed at some point. There are good stressors in our lives; such as getting a new job or promotion, beginning a new relationship, getting into college or buying a new home. All wonderful things, but they bring a certain amount of stress to our lives. Most of us speak about the negative stressors in our lives such as a death of a loved one, poor grades, getting cut from the team, getting fired or laid off from a job or being denied college admission. You get the picture. How does anxiety differ from everyday stress?
