How to Evaluate a Crisis

There are crises that demand action: evacuating during a natural disaster, fleeing from dangerous people, or outrunning a tiger that escaped from the zoo. (Hey! It happens.) There are crises that produce deep feelings: A death of a loved one or the loss of a relationship. Your stress response system is there to get you through these troubling times. But using your stress response system to deal with everyday problems is like using a sledge hammer to drive in a single nail. Teach teens to deal with everyday stuff—arguments with friends or grades—with calm problem solving and empathy. 

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