• Home
• Young People
• Advice & Support

Young People - Coping with Stress

About stress

Everyone feels stressed at times, even in the most ordinary, everyday situations.

At school you may feel that your coursework is piling up, exam revision is taking forever, or you may be having problems with teachers or being bullied. At home you may be arguing with your parents, brothers or sisters, falling out with close friends or breaking up with your boy or girl friend. The situation can be made even worse if your family is breaking up or someone close to you is ill or dies.

Stress can affect you physically and mentally. You may feel constantly tired, lose your appetite, suffer from headaches or an upset stomach and find it difficult to sleep. You may find it hard to concentrate, control your temper or make decisions. Stress that goes on for a long time could turn into depression.

There are several things you can do to help you deal with the situation. Feeling alone and isolated is quite common when you're stressed, but it's often easier to cope if you have some understanding and support from other people. Finding someone you can trust to talk to is also helpful.

People you might want to talk to could include:

• Parents, a family member or family friend
• A close friend
• A teacher
• A social worker
• A counsellor
• A Personal Adviser at the Drop In Centre, Thurrock Learning Shop on 01375 413735
• A Personal Adviser from National Career Service on 0800 100 900

There are also some steps you can take to help you to cope in stressful situations:

• Think about the situations that make you feel stressed, and how you behave.
• Try to work out different ways you could behave in those situations, so that you would feel more in control.
• Take a break when you start to feel stressed, or try to have a change of scene.
• Learn to relax - close your eyes and breathe slowly and deeply and try to relax your muscles if you feel tension building up.
• Find time to eat healthily, get plenty of exercise and enough sleep.
• Write down all the things you can think of that would make life easier or less stressful.
• Get organised - make a list of things to do and tackle them one at a time.
• Focus on the enjoyable and positive aspects of your life.

Back to Top

Exams

Almost everyone feels nervous before taking exams, worrying about the questions being asked and wondering whether they have done enough revision.

A certain amount of nervous tension can help a person perform. That extra adrenaline rush helps the mind to stay focused and alert. But too much stress and anxiety can result in panic attacks and confusion leading to poor exam results.

Before the exam

• Put together a revision schedule that also allows you some time to relax and put it somewhere visible at home so your family can help you.
• Try to avoid revising when you are tired.
• Find out where the exam is due to take place so it feels familiar.
• Make sure you know the rules and regulations about what you can take into the exam room etc.
• Put yourself into a positive frame of mind by imagining how you would LIKE things to go.

On the day

• Make sure you allow plenty of time to get to school or college allowing for problems with transport etc.
• In the exam room make yourself comfortable in your chair. Try to focus on something in front of you such as a picture or clock on the wall.
• Take a deep breath in and a long breath out.
• Focus your mind on the positive thought "I CAN DO this exam" as you breathe out.
• Read the whole question paper first to find out what you actually need to do.
• Decide on the order in which you'll answer the questions and plan your time. It is usually best to start with the question you feel most confident about.
• Plan out your answer for each question as you go. If you find that thoughts about other questions come into your head jot them on a separate piece of paper but don't start thinking about them now.
• If your concentration wanders or you begin to feel panicky you could try the focusing exercise again.

More advice and tips can be found on our page preparing for exams.

Back to Top

Coursework

Often coursework deadlines are close together, causing worries about getting it all completed. If you have problems you should not be afraid to speak to the tutors responsible for subjects but your form tutor/personal tutor or a school or college learning mentor may also be able to help.

Back to Top

Relationships

If you are having relationship problems you could start by talking to your Personal Adviser at the Drop In Centre, Thurrock Learning Shop on 01375 413735. Or you might contact Relate for relationship counselling. You can find details of your local branch on www.relate.org.ukor call 0300 100 1234

Back to Top

Bullying

Bullying is any behaviour which makes someone feel hurt, intimidated, frightened, harmed or excluded. It usually happens time and time again.

Bullying can take different forms, such as:

• non-verbal (kicking, hitting, damaging or taking belongings);
• verbal (name calling, taunting);
• indirect (spreading rumours, excluding);
• cyber (sending nasty or threatening texts, emails by phone, picture/video clip, internet chat rooms or websites).

If you are being bullied, or know someone who is, you will find useful information on the Childline web site www.childline.org.uk and helpline 0800 1111.

Back to Top

Useful web sites

You may also find the following web sites provide useful information on stress and how to cope with it:

• National Careers Service Telephone 0800 100 900
• www.childline.org.uk (Helpline 0800 1111)
• www.samaritans.org (Telephone 08457 909090)
• www.youngminds.org.uk
• www.teenagehealthfreak.org
• www.rethink.org
• www.bbc.co.uk/health/emotional_health/mental_health

Back to Top