Mental Health & Well-Being: Stress

Together for Mental Health: Everyone, Everyday
Developing positive mental health is important to academic achievement and overall well-being. For more information please visit DCDSB Mental Health and Well-Being

Stress is a normal response to life’s changes, pressures, and challenges. It’s a mind-and-body signal that helps you get ready for what’s ahead. 

Sometimes when you’re really stressed, it can cause your body to react. If your brain detects a threat to your safety, your body responds with an instant burst of stress hormones. Your body’s stress response is there to protect you by helping you react quickly, fight hard, or run fast if you need to. Most of the time, stress comes from challenges you can face and deal with. But if your stress feels too strong, happens too often, or feels like more than you can handle, talk with a trusted adult to get help and support.  

Parent/Guardian/Caregiver Information: Mental Health and Stress

We all strive to maintain good mental health, yet unmanaged stress often becomes a barrier—for both parents and children. While stress is a natural part of life and can motivate us to take action and do our best, too much of it can negatively impact our minds and bodies. Rather than trying to eliminate stress entirely, the key is learning how to manage it effectively and finding ways to ease its effects. 

Here is a video you can share with your teen on how stress impacts our brain and how mindfulness helps: The Science of Stress