Photo Credit: WeRNative.org

Coping with Stressful Events

There are many life events that can be viewed as stressful. Examples of these include being involved in, or witnessing an accident, being a victim of, or witnessing abuse or violence, or having someone close to you die. Any stressful event can affect your emotions.

When a stressful event occurs, it is normal to feel anxiety, sadness or fear. It can take time for you to adjust to changes and return to a normal routine.

Managing Stress

Check out these ideas for managing stress from WeRNative. 

Dealing with your feelings

It is important for you to find a healthy way to deal with your feelings before they become overwhelming. Here are some tips that may be helpful:

• Keep a diary or journal. Write down your feelings and keep a record of any other activities or events which you’ve experienced.

• Talk to someone. Bottling your thoughts inside you can oftentimes make your reactions worse. It may be helpful to talk to a friend, family member or someone else you trust about the event and your feelings. Another option is for you to share your feelings with someone who was involved in the event.

Acknowledgement: This fact sheet was originally developed by youth and staff at ReachOut.com, a website that helps teens get through tough times.

Many articles in this section were adapted from WeRNative.org, a website for Native Youth by Native Youth