Many people experience stress but some especially during their teenage years. This can be due to many things, however one of the causes I was wanting to explore was school related stress, as school takes up a large part of a teenager’s life.  

 

I interviewed Ruth Kendrick, a Children and Young Peoples Therapist from The Practice in Weybridge to find out more.  Ruth Kendrick said teens who are experiencing stress might feel, Irritable, angry, impatient, or wound up, overburdened or overwhelmed, anxious, nervous, or afraid. They may also feel that they are unable to enjoy themselves, are feeling depressed or uninterested in life as well as being worried or tense, feeling neglected or lonely or feeling a sense of dread. In addition to this existing mental health problems may worsen.

 

Ruth Kendrick says that approximately 25% of her clients are teenagers and, in her opinion, “More teenagers would benefit from speaking to a trained professional.  For many teens this is a time of life to play, be creative and enjoy new and exciting things.  However, for some teens because of the many changes adolescents brings, life can be so challenging some may need mental health support”. She also says that there is a high percentage of teenagers who are struggling with school related issues that range from:

 

·       Finding schoolwork difficult or having problems concentrating in class.

·       Exam stress

·       Tricky relationships with friends or groups

·       Finding lunchtimes difficult, particularly if there are eating problems.  

·       Not getting on with teachers or feeling labelled as ‘trouble’.

·       Bullying

·       Receiving inappropriate comments from classmates or teachers.

·       Problems at home – parents’ relationship, sibling issues, housing problems or simply feeling unsupported.

·       Returning to school after having time away.

·       Going back to school after being excluded, expelled, or suspended.

·       Specific difficulties such as dyslexia, attention deficit disorder (ADHD) dyspraxia or autism.

·       Going to school with anxiety, depression, OCD or any other mental health condition.

 

With this Ruth Kendrick highlighted how important it is for teens to have a safe space saying, “It is important for some teens to have a safe space to be able to talk to a professional, with the aim to be better understood and express their feelings, identify and solve problems, and develop healthy coping mechanisms”.

 

Responding to the question “What can teachers and parents do to help” Ms Kendrick advises that for teachers “School plays a critical role in helping students manage stress and anxiety by creating environments where all students feel that they are cared for, supported, and belong.  For teens who are in the midst of racing stressful thoughts and feelings, I recommend validating their feelings.  For instances saying, ‘if I was afraid l would look stupid if I got the answer wrong, I would be worried to answer the question too’, may reduce the impact of anxiety and help a student relax, develop trust, and feel understood.  Anxious students should never be shamed.”

 

For parents she recommends that “It is important for parents to talk to and validate their child’s worries. Telling children not to worry or to stop thinking about their problems is neither supportive or validating.  It’s better to reassure teens, that it’s okay for them to be scared and emphasize that you will be there to help them every step of the way.  Expressing encouragement, empathy and compassion can be a powerful tool.”

 

Ruth also gave some tips for teens looking to de-stress from school or just to de-stress generally. For example, getting plenty of sleep, doing daily exercise, spending time with friends, along with spending time with yourself, trying relaxation techniques, getting outside and taking walks in nature as well as learning to accept – ‘good enough’. She added “Get help with stress relief – don’t be afraid to tell an adult how you are feeling and to ask for help coping with daily stress”.

 

Furthermore, Ruth Kendrick emphasised that “Some teenagers do experience a more significant level of anxiety, which may result in risk taking behaviours and/or hurting themselves.  If this happens it is important to seek additional support via a GP.”

 

For those who want to find out more about this topic here are some reputable resources:

https://www.nhs.uk/

 https://www.youngminds.org.uk/

 

For those looking for support, you might consider talking to a trusted adult and looking at the links below:

https://www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk/

https://www.youngminds.org.uk/

Childline's website