“Mindful” might not be the first word you think of to describe many of the teenagers you know. However, more evidence has come to light proving that teens may need mindfulness more than any other age group. According to a 2014 American Psychological Association survey, teenagers are the most stressed group of people in America when school is in session. Between the pressures of getting into college, the constant stimuli from social media, and trying to balance school and a social life with extracurricular activities, its no surprise that teenagers could use some more peace of mind.
In response to the growing pressures teenagers are facing, many high schools are beginning to offer mindfulness exercises during the school day. Violaine Gueritault, a teacher, psychologist, and meditation advocate, began offering meditation classes twice a week at a Massachusetts high school. While she originally thought students might see meditation as a joke, she quickly learned they were eager for any opportunity to help cope with stress. Students were so receptive to the classes that the school recently opened a “Zen Room” as an alternative to study hall, where they are provided with yoga equipment and teachers trained in mindfulness. The mental and emotional health of students is far too often overlooked as a part of the curriculum in high schools. Mindfulness meditation can be a used as a proactive way to deal with many of the issues teens face, rather than having to deal with them reactively. Meditation has been proven to help teenage students perform better in school, due to decreasing anxiety and improved memory. However, the benefits are not only being seen in the classroom.
There is arguably even more stress on teenagers to succeed socially than in school. Gina Biegel is a psychotherapist and founder/director of Stressed Teens, a program that teaches mindfulness skills from the preteen years throughout adolescence. Teens in the program reported decreases in depression, anxiety, obsessive symptoms and interpersonal problems after being given mindfulness training. Meditating also boosts confidence and self-esteem, allowing teenagers to be more compassionate and empathetic towards others. These improved social skills lead to better personal relationships between teens and their families, friends, and teachers.
Teenagers can often become too focused or obsessed with one particular problem in front of them, forcing a distance between themselves and the present moment. Mindfulness teaches teens to shift how they perceive situations, allowing them to recognize their emotions rather than immediately reacting to them. Todays teenagers are faced with nonstop noise from social media, parents, teachers, and peers. They often don’t have an opportunity to be alone with their thoughts, much less process them and be comfortable with them. Giving teenagers a tool like mindful meditation that improves their educational, social, and emotional wellbeing can take much of the stress out of being a teen in today’s society.
The Marketing Yogi 