“Prioritizing time to nurture what you value most in this life weaves in automatic stress relief daily,” stress relief expert and founder of Stress Solutions University Lauren Miller said. “The greatest teachers in this world are those who teach from the trenches of life, who listen first then lead, who seek to understand rather than be understood.”

Miller, who has published three stress relief novels, travels and speaks to audiences about overcoming the stresses in life and finding balance.

A University of Minnesota study conducted from 4,300 students in 52 Minnesota counties, showed that 39 percent of them have mild to severe depression. Youth often act out negatively to their stress and it may cause extreme mood changes. According to Pew Research Center, 42 percent of the nation has dealt with economic struggles and has developed stress from it. Adults and teens dealing with their respective stress levels may develop extreme eating disorders as a result.

Teen stress is rising due to academics, family situations and lack of self-esteem. According to Jasonfoundation.com, stress is responsible for 5,400 suicide attempts every day nationwide.

“Teens give the power to outside circumstances and allow them to define their worth, value and capability,” Miller said.

According to a recent survey by the American Psychological Association, a large part of teen stress comes from the pressure they put on themselves and the pressure they receive from parents as well as their peers.

“As teens remember that their value and capability stands apart from any outer achievement and situation, they resurrect self-confidence and can handle life in a simpler way,” Miller said.

In the analysis done at the University of Minnesota, they came to the conclusion that students must learn to use coping strategies, communication skills and problem solving skills to overcome stress. Teens must learn to deal with their emotions in a more open fashion, rather than holding in their feelings and problems.

Shelly Hunt is an inspirational public speaker and stress expert out of California. She attracts hundreds of people at all of her speaking events that are held around the nation.

She stresses that communication and acceptance is the key factor when it comes to overcoming stress in not only teens, but everyone dealing with stress. Teens allow their problems to dictate their lives and they lose control.

“When we run our lives, our time, and our reactions we can harness the power of stress and turn it’s energy for something more productive,” Hunt said in a email interview.

“Stress affects our mind, body, attitude, and more,” Hunt said. “If we looked at each obstacle not as a challenge, burden, or punishment, but instead looked at it as simply another lesson in this journey of life and another opportunity to be creative in solutions, then we may have different outcomes during the process.”

It’s not just teens who are stressed, a large portion of that 42 percent of stressed people in the nation consists of adults and families who struggle to make ends meet.

According to the Pew Research Center, six-in-ten low-income Americans say they experienced one or more financial problems in the past year.

Miller points to the fact that when the economy changes so do the people’s mindset.

“As soon as we attach a negative label to the economy, we become vulnerable to feeling threatened and stuck,” Miller said. “We get caught in a lack and scarcity program that says, “There is not enough to go around” leaving us staring at the ceiling all night.”

This lack of confidence, she argues, is as big of a problem as the economy itself-most of the pressures are from added stress.

According to Brown University’s Health and Education program, internal stress caused from the economy can develop sleep disorders, digestive problems, anxiety, and even depression. Outside influences should normally not affect these things, but through stress, it attacks every facet of people’s daily lives.

“When the news announces the economy is down people tend to get nervous and scared,” Hunt said. “Money is simply a tool, not an end all be all in winning the game of life.”

She describes this idea that no one can succeed emotionally or economically if they go throughout life operating on fear and worries.

When it comes to the economy parents are key in showing how to work as a team and to create a safe environment for the rest of the family.

“Our greatest strength, when it comes to our sense of safety and security, lies in our ability to remember that we are resourceful and creative by nature, which equips us with the ability to problem-solve,” Miller said.

As humans we are biologically formed to want to feel and desire a sense of comfort. Sometimes when people can’t find this comfort they turn to food as an outsource.

Tryptophan is an amino acid, mainly contained in junk food, that gives people a momentary boost in their comfort levels and mood.

“The problem comes when people turn to unhealthy food for that momentary hit when they are emotionally down,” Miller said. “As people gain the understanding between the stimulus response loop, they can insert alternative healthy choices.”

Stress can, however, also cause extreme weight loss and health problems. This has to do with the comfort zone of the person and if they find that comfort in eating excessively or by not eating at all.

According to the Korean Journal of Nutrition, unhealthy habits from stress is believed to be a leading cause in the large increase obesity in the world. Not only does weight loss and gain come from stress, the rise of alcohol consumption and smoking increases in males.

Humans must get out of this addiction to unhealthy food as an stress solution, and instead  make healthy food choices which in return will boost their energy levels and awareness.

“As people learn the positive biological response from healthy choices when emotionally bumped, they will be more apt to make a healthy choice for comfort if not for the simple fact that they get a mood and memory boost that enhances their life for the better,” Miller said.

With knowledge and repetition, we can break these bad habits that are caused from all facets of stress.

Hunt said, “If we viewed life as a journey and a lesson we could just let go of our expectations about how our life should look and move forward into inevitable change with more ease.”