Self-care is a compilation of strategies that encourage health and happiness. These techniques boost your mental, emotional and physical health. Self-care helps you and your teens take time for themselves and do things they love. It can serve as natural anxiety relief for teenager and has other benefits.
Healthy Habits
Self-care focuses on creating healthy habits. For example, you can teach your teens to make healthy food choices. They will learn about eating regular meals and drinking enough water each day. You should also encourage them to exercise because physical activity increases the brain to release endorphins that improve their moods.
Self-care also teaches relaxation techniques and the importance of adequate sleep. Your child will also focus on gratitude and positivity, which improves their mental health and teaches them to evaluate their emotions and thoughts and turn them around. Self-care also encourages deep connections with loved ones.
Boost in Self-Confidence
One of the keys to self-care is acceptance of self. When you and your children learn to accept yourselves, flaws and all, you stop feeling guilty about your shortfalls or beating yourself up for mistakes. Acceptance produces confidence and self-esteem. It encourages self-love and positive feelings. Lack of self-confidence is listed as one of the symptoms of ADHD in teens, but a boost in confidence through self-care can help reduce this sign.
They Learn Coping Mechanisms
Self-care encourages your teens to view situations as they really are, which reduces anxiety. They also learn to stop, breathe and evaluate their environments. They know when to take time for themselves and do something they enjoy.
Your teens also have a more regular eating and sleeping schedule and a healthier lifestyle, balancing their brain chemistry, so their anxiety doesn’t spike so quickly and unexpectedly. They are also encouraged to develop coping skills that take them out of the situation.
Helps Them Build Relationships
Although most teens have lots of friends, they need a few that are close and dependable. They also need a strong foundation in their families. Anxiety can cause them to pull away from people, including you.
However, as your teen learns self-care, they gain the mental and emotional capacity to develop relationships. They will also learn to reach out to their friends and loved ones when they need help.
They Regain Their Happiness
Self-care encourages you to do things that make you happy. Therefore, encourage your teens to do the same. They may have a favorite hobby, such as reading, playing a sport or photography, or an activity that makes them happy, such as playing with the family dog, going for a walk or taking a long bath.
These activities can encourage happiness. However, you need to set boundaries. For example, you cannot allow your teens to avoid homework forever. They can take a few minutes to relax, but they need to get back to the task at hand.
Gratitude is another way to refocus on the positive. When your teens learn to appreciate the good things in their lives, they recognize their blessings.
Even if your child is on medicine like Adderall for ADHD or other mental health challenges, self-care can enhance their treatments and help them reduce their anxiety and solve their problems more naturally.