Under Pressure: An essay on school stress and mental health

Immense pressure built into school isn’t consistent with supporting students’ mental health.

school stress essay

I was in my Psychology class taking notes on anxiety when I felt like I had just read my life story. Mid-assignment, I started shaking and had difficulty continuing my work. My thoughts began to spiral: If I didn't write my notes, I would fail the test. If I failed the test I wouldn’t graduate. If I didn’t graduate I wouldn’t go to college, wouldn’t be accomplished, and soon enough, would have failed at life.

This account from a Kentucky student is just a fraction of the plethora of tales that the subject of mental health in schools is incomplete without. Unfortunately, I can relate, because education is one of the most powerful tools we need to change the world. We all want to be accomplished–but now, the biggest milestone we have is surviving it. 

Throughout America, schools give awards for best attendance, but they come with no recognition of the mental toll it takes to be present in the classroom. Academic accomplishment is presented as the Holy Grail–yet for students, the pursuit of schools' measures of success often feels like pushing ourselves to the breaking point. That leads to losing sight of the connections that make school meaningful. In the United States, almost 1 in 7 kids and teens have a mental health condition, and nearly half go untreated. According to recent studies, in Kentucky alone, at least 16% of children ages 3 to 17 have depression or anxiety. Schools aren't meeting the mental health needs of students, but this problem–as well as the students experiencing it firsthand–isn’t being understood or approached correctly. The immense pressure built into school isn’t consistent with supporting students' mental health.  

Somewhere a student is sitting in detention for interrupting class with excessive fidgeting, talking, and physical movements. For this student, having ADHD becomes a punishable offense; they are seen as unruly and wayward. 

In another school, a student is barred from attending Prom or after-school activities—a common punishment for students with too many unexcused absences. Is this fair for students with depression, who can face challenges gathering up the strength just to get out of bed, much less to have the capacity to attend a school that doesn't accommodate their needs? 

Elsewhere, a student not participating in class or activities because of a sense of hopelessness and lack of energy is written off as lazy, rather than having their specific needs met as a student with Bipolar Disorder. 

And when common conditions such as anxiety and depression remain stigmatized and punished in schools, what about students with experiences that remain deeply misunderstood by the general public? Students with such diagnoses often struggle to find understanding and support within the structure of school. 

More in school support and friendly environments are both pertinent needs for students with diagnosable and treatable mental health conditions, as well as ways of tending to overall student mental well-being. We can start now by enhancing awareness among our peers, the staff, and ourselves. Some research shows that academic-related stress negatively impacts mental health, physical health, and school performance. The pressure doesn’t help.

Today, it is a normalized and regular occurrence for  students to be forced to stand in front of their class, despite being petrified, often unable to utter a full sentence. Anxiety is seen as "stage fright,” to be casually confronted and overcome; the complexities of mental health are continuously overlooked in the school building. Little do they know how that simple act reinforces the idea of feeling worthless and not good enough in that student's mind by subjecting them to all that anxiety and worry. Then, that can spiral into the affirmations from classmates who feel pity for you, the blank stares and whispers, the cackles, and then, their own self-pity. Even after numerous presentations, it never gets better. It's always the same ambiance, the same fear, and the same high expectations that seem improbable to meet. Having encountered this countless times, I can assert that the way we approach mental health in school needs to change.  

I hope that one day in America every student will see school as a place to be heard, and won't look at school as a place where dreams are deferred, where we are destined to be misunderstood. What we need is understanding as the basic foundation of awareness. Knowledge of the existence of mental health conditions, without the ability to discern whether school stress worsens it, makes it powerless. It is only when we have sufficient understanding of a problem that we can begin to acknowledge and fix it. The understanding of whether stress from school exacerbates a student’s mental health challenges isn’t easy to acquire, but it’s where we have to start. 

Introduction

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school stress essay

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school stress essay

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school stress essay

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Essay on Stress On Students

Students are often asked to write an essay on Stress On Students in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Stress On Students

Stress on students: a pressing concern.

Stress has become a significant problem for students of all ages. Many factors, such as academic pressure, social expectations, and family issues, can contribute to stress in students.

Impact On Students’ Well-being:

Stress can negatively affect students’ physical and mental health. It can lead to anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues. Physically, stress can cause headaches, stomach aches, and other physical symptoms.

Effects on Academic Performance:

Stress can interfere with students’ ability to learn and focus in school. When students are stressed, they may have difficulty paying attention, remembering information, and solving problems. This can lead to lower grades and a decreased interest in school.

Coping With Stress:

Students need to learn effective ways to manage stress. Some helpful strategies include:

Conclusion:

250 words essay on stress on students, stress on students.

School children always experience stress. Stress can be influenced by various factors including exams, relations with peers, and expectations from parents and teachers. A little bit of stress can be helpful as it can motivate a child to study harder and perform better. However, too much stress can be harmful. It can cause physical symptoms, such as headaches and stomachaches and emotional symptoms, such as anxiety and depression.

Causes of Stress In Students

Stress in students can be caused by a variety of factors, including academic pressure, extracurricular activities, and social interactions. Academic pressure can be a major source of stress for students. Students may feel stressed about getting good grades, taking tests, and meeting the expectations of their parents and teachers. Extracurricular activities can also be a source of stress, especially if students are trying to balance their academic and extracurricular commitments. Social interactions can also be a source of stress for students, especially if they are struggling to make friends or fit in.

Effects of Stress on Students

Stress can have a negative impact on students’ physical and mental health. Physically, stress can lead to headaches, stomachaches, and sleep problems. Mentally, stress can lead to anxiety, depression, and difficulty concentrating. Stress can also make it more difficult for students to learn and remember information.

Coping with Stress

There are a number of things that students can do to cope with stress. These include:

500 Words Essay on Stress On Students

What is stress, causes of stress in students.

One of the main reasons students feel stressed is because of the pressure to do well in exams. Many students feel they have to get the best grades to be successful in the future. This pressure can come from their parents, teachers, or even themselves. Another reason is the amount of homework and assignments they have to complete. Sometimes, there is so much work that students don’t know how to manage their time well. This can make them feel overwhelmed and stressed.

Stress doesn’t just affect students’ health; it also affects their behavior. Some students might become irritable or angry easily, while others might withdraw and stop talking to their friends and family. This can make them feel lonely and even more stressed.

Dealing with Stress

In conclusion, stress is a common issue that many students face. It comes from academic pressure, too much homework, and social issues. Stress can have negative effects on students’ health and behavior, but there are ways to manage it. By organizing their time, taking breaks, and talking to someone about their feelings, students can reduce their stress levels and enjoy their school life more.

Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

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Managing Stress in High School

Our reasons may vary, but everyone experiences stress. Here are some of the common reasons high school students feel stressed, and what they can do about it.

Pamela Reynolds

Exams. Choosing a college. Figuring out what to do with your life.

No doubt, high school can be a high-pressure time in life. And high school students, as a result, get stressed out.  

In fact, according to the American Psychological Association’s Stress in America 2020 survey, teens who are already under stress due to the normal pressures of high school have felt even more stress in recent years, thanks to the pandemic. About 43 percent of teens surveyed in 2020 said their stress levels had gone up, and 45 percent said they had a hard time concentrating on schoolwork. Many reported feeling less motivated.

Although life has mostly returned back to normal, that doesn’t mean the stress that high school students feel has disappeared. 

The typical challenges that anyone faces in high school continue as they always have, and, in some cases, have grown more complicated. Consequently, surveys suggest, many teens continue to experience a decline in mental and physical health. 

If you’re in high school and stressed, we get it. In this blog, we’ll talk about what stress is, what triggers it, and how you can manage it. 

What is Stress?

“Stress” is a term we use constantly in conversation, but what does it really mean? 

Stress can be defined as our physical and mental responses to some external event. The event might be considered “good” like preparing to go to the prom, or bad, like feeling tense after an illness, an argument with a friend, or while preparing for an upcoming test. 

The good thing about most stress is that it usually goes away once the external event causing the stress is over. 

Alternatively, there is a type of stress that results more from an internal dialogue than an external event. We call this “anxiety.” It involves persistent feelings of dread or apprehension that interfere with your daily life, even after the test, the argument, or prom, are just a distant memory. 

Why Are Teens So Stressed? 

Simply being a teenager can be hard. Your body is changing. You may be grappling with your sexuality or gender identity. Add to that the academic demands of high school and throw in the pressures of social media, and the tension mounts. 

“Some of the common triggers of stress in teens might be anxiety to perform well in academics such as getting into a good college, peer pressure, interpersonal relationships, or body image issues,” says Sakshi Khurana, Research Fellow at Harvard’s Weisz Lab for Youth Mental Health. “Other larger issues that the world is going through — for example, climate change or war— might also act as stressors for teens as they are learning about the world.”

The most common source of stress for high school students, according to the 2017 APA Stress survey , is school itself, with about 83 percent of teens identifying school as a major stressor. The second biggest source of student stress, (according to 69 percent of students), was getting into a good college or deciding what to do after high school. The third biggest teen stress was financial concerns for the family (65 percent of students). 

Here’s a quick breakdown of broad categories of factors that may stress you out:

  • Academics. In high school, not only are you worried about next week’s English, History or Calculus exam, but you’re also worried about applying to college and taking the SAT tests, too. It can all feel overwhelming, and you may feel pressure to please your parents and teachers.
  • Social Stress. Even without the pressures of academics, life in high school can be demanding. Dealing with friends and classmates, starting new romantic relationships, handling bullies and peer pressure both online and off, can be a lot to handle.
  • Family Issues. If your parents are divorcing, if your family is experiencing financial problems, or even if you just have trouble getting along with siblings, your stress levels can go up.
  • Trauma . Dramatic life events ranging from a death in the family, to an accident, to emotional and physical abuse, can cause stress. Also in this category, you can include the collective trauma of such global events such as school shootings, terrorism, and natural disasters. 
  • Big Life Changes . Changes like moving and starting a new school can be a major stress for teens. 

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What are Signs of Stress in High School Students?

If you’re a high school student feeling stressed, you may not even recognize the symptoms. 

In fact, many symptoms of stress might be considered normal for teens who are also dealing with natural hormonal and physical changes. For that reason, it’s important to consider whether behavioral changes can be linked in time to an external event. 

Signs of stress include:

  • Feeling more agitated, anxious, short-tempered, or depressed  
  • Getting sick more often
  • Having more headaches, stomachaches, or other aches and pains
  • Feeling more tired than usual
  • Not being able to sleep, or sleeping too much
  • Skipping meals or overeating 
  • Neglecting chores or hobbies 
  • Trouble concentrating and forgetfulness
  • High blood pressure

According to the APA 2017 survey, the most common symptoms of stress among teens were insomnia, overeating or eating unhealthy foods, skipping meals, feeling angry, nervous, or anxious, feeling fatigued, and snapping at friends and classmates.

Why is Stress so Problematic for Teens?

Let’s be clear, a little bit of stress is a normal part of life, and sometimes even desirable. 

Stress can act as a motivator, getting us to do things we might not otherwise. Good stress is called “eustress” and can help get you excited and energized about that first date or taking the stage in your first musical.

But too much unrelieved stress can lead to mental and physical health issues.  

Your body reacts to stress by releasing a hormone called cortisol which regulates blood pressure and immune function. If you’re stressed all the time and your body produces too much cortisol, it can lower your immunity, raise your blood pressure, and impair your cognitive performance.

In teens, the part of the brain regulating the stress response is less developed than in adults, meaning that if you’re a stressed-out teen, you may experience stress longer than an adult. 

“In the teen years, due to hormonal changes, stress tends to influence the emotional functioning of the brain, which in turn impacts the cognitive and executive functioning,” says Khurana.

You might not be able to sleep, you may overeat, or develop digestive, cardiovascular, or immune problems. Stress can even put you at a higher risk for developing mental illnesses like anxiety or depression . 

What are the Best Techniques to Help Students Manage Stress?

Since too much stress is not a good thing for your mind or body, you should think about incorporating a few stress management techniques into your daily life. 

“A few techniques that might help teens manage stress are relaxation through deep breathing, meditation, or mindfulness, channeling energy into sports or creative pursuits such as music, art, theater, and forming meaningful relationships or friendships,” says Khurana. “Additionally, every culture has its own way of enabling young people to manage stress, so drawing from those traditions might be helpful as well.”

Here are few ideas of how high school students can learn how to deal with stress at school: 

  • Keeping a journal
  • Getting plenty of exercise
  • Eating healthy, regular meals
  • Making sure you get enough sleep  
  • Downloading an app that provides relaxation exercises (such as deep breathing or visualization) or tips for practicing mindfulness
  • Limiting excess caffeine in soft drinks or coffee
  • Reaching out to friends or family members who help you cope in a positive way
  • Making time to do fun things
  • Learning to recognize and prepare for stressful periods by doing all of the above

With so many big life decisions ahead, getting through high school happy and whole can definitely feel challenging at times. It’s easy to see why so many high school students feel stressed. The good news is that there are solutions. Adopt the strategies above, take a deep breath, and remember, it’s not forever! 

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About the Author

Pamela Reynolds is a Boston-area feature writer and editor whose work appears in numerous publications. She is the author of “Revamp: A Memoir of Travel and Obsessive Renovation.”

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420 Stress Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

To write a stress essay, you’ll need a good idea to start your research and writing process. We have some for you to check.

📑 Aspects to Cover in a Stress Essay

🏆 best stress topic ideas & essay examples, 🥇 most interesting stress topics to write about, 🎓 simple & easy stress essay topics, 📌 research titles about stress, 👍 good stress essay topics, 💡 interesting topics to write about stress, ❓ stress research questions.

As a student, you’re likely familiar with the subject already. Yet, you may struggle to choose between composing about stress management or mental health issues. That’s why our team has prepared this list of stress essay topics. Look through them to consider every possible title and pick the most suitable one.

Stress has become one of the most common problem individuals experience today. It is possible to say that everyone has felt stressed out at least once in their life.

Stress essays are challenging and engaging assignments that can help students to learn more about the issue. We are here to help you write an outstanding essay on stress.

Let us start by choosing the subject for your paper. We would suggest choosing one of the following stress essay topics and titles:

  • Stress management techniques and their significance

The effects of stress on the body

  • How bullying increases stress among students
  • Causes and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (you can choose another mental health disorder, too)
  • Benefits of leisure activities to reduce the level of stress
  • The link between nutrition and stress
  • Consequences of workplace stress
  • Common causes of stress among students

Note that you can select one of the other stress essay titles, too. You can search for them online. Remember to only use online examples as an inspiration for your paper and avoid copying the information you will find.

Once you have chosen one of the topics, you are ready to work on your outstanding essay. Here are the aspects you should cover in your paper on stress:

  • Think about what you already know about the subject you had selected. Check out stress essay examples online if you are not sure that your topic is relevant. Research the information about the issue, using credible sources (Wikipedia is not one of them!).
  • Select the sources that you cite in your paper. The general rule is that you should use peer-reviewed articles and scholarly books. Ask your professor about the sources in advance.
  • A well-developed stress essay outline is important. Include an introductory paragraph, several body paragraphs (we would recommend writing at least three), and a conclusion.
  • Think about the purpose of your paper. Do you want to help the reader to minimize stress? Should your essay provide statistical data? Do you want to address workplace stress or school-related stress? Consider these questions while working on the essay.

A thesis statement is a must. Generally, it should be present in the last sentence of your introduction. Here is how a thesis can look like:

Nutrition is directly linked to the level of stress in an individual. / Workplace stress can lead to depression among employees.

  • Define stress. Provide a dictionary definition of stress or select one from the articles you have studied. Your reader should understand the concept of stress clearly. Remember that there are different types of stress based on its causes.
  • Discuss the consequences of stress, referring to the sources you have selected. Address the physical and emotional outcomes of stress.
  • Discuss the potential ways of dealing with stress. According to the purpose of your paper, address one or several methods in detail. What are the positive changes an individual can feel after these interventions? Reflect on this question, too.
  • Remember to support your claims with evidence from the sources you have studied. Cite the literature properly using the citation style guide.
  • Your concluding paragraph should restate the main arguments of the paper. Avoid adding new information or in-text citations in this section.

Please feel free to analyze our free samples and get the best ideas for your essay!

  • Effects of Stress on Human Health There are numerous theories and researches on stress and health, they all agree that stress has an adverse effect on human health; the statement goes “a stressed man is an unhealthy man”.
  • How to Cope with Stress Essay The identification of the stressor also opens a window for an individual to explore other adaptation methods, which can be of help in the future such as avoidance.
  • Time Management and Its Effect in Reducing Stress among Students One of the causes of stress among high school students and college students is the difficulty in interacting with a completely new set of students and an even larger social group within the body of […]
  • Yoga for Stress Management For instance, Karma yoga, which is one of Yoga types, aids in controlling stress through the development of appropriate attitudes in relation to work environment coupled with enhancing the ability to respond positively to professional […]
  • Stress Among College Students: Causes, Effects and Overcomes Due to stress, college students may experience such adverse outcomes as the decreased levels of cognitive functioning, the impaired ability to study, and, consequently, lower academic performance.
  • How to Manage Stress at Work Essay Work stress is one of the ailments that are acknowledged worldwide to be affecting the healthiness of the organization and the health or workers.
  • Stress Management While undertaking the survey on management of stress in organizations, I came to realize that the sources of stress to employees are many and vary from one employee to another.
  • Working Conditions That Lead to Stress at Amazon For example, among the methods for evaluating the efficiency of warehouse employees is the indicator of the number of processed packages per hour.
  • Stress: Definition and Different Types of Stress Many believe that individual or team performance is susceptible to the effects of stress as there is a requirement for teams to maintain acceptable performance.
  • Factors and Consequences of a Plane Crash: Traumatic Stress The effects from air crash are determined by among other things, the cause of the crash, the altitude and its speed at the time of crash.
  • People Should Consider Owning a Pet Because Doing So Can Relieve Stress These are great techniques, but the issue of having a pet as a best friend is unique and one of the recently discovered best practices of relieving work-related strains or stress.
  • Emotions, Stress and Ways to Cope with Them This means that strong emotions will trigger complex brain patterns and physiological responses due to the nature of hormones the body releases.
  • How to Beat Stress? Stress seems to follow us everywhere and every minute, so that it is not always possible for people to find the time and think of the ways to beat stress and live quietly with no […]
  • Frustration and Stress Managing The stress that is a result of waiting and anticipation is a kind of stress that can be controlled. Humor is one of the many forms that can be used to blow up stress.
  • Improving Stress Resistance in Agricultural Crops The biotechnology involved in producing such crops faces many difficulties and there are a lot of considerations of the methods used to improve the crop’s resistance that need to be assessed.
  • Teen Stress: How to Help Them Manage It? The physiologic changes of the body, the first steps are taken in search of the individuality, examinations, and tests in school or college, the pressure from the parent’s side, the issues in the relationships, diffidence, […]
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: Case Conceptualization Samuel, an 8-year-old black male, lives in an adopted white family consisting of the father, incarcerated for domestic violence charges, the mother, the primary caretaker and the only home provider, and the older sibling.
  • Comparison of Stress Level Among Traditional Learning and Online Learning College Students The distance learners have been perceived to be enjoying a suitable environment of learning as opposed to the traditional classroom learners who experience high levels of stress.
  • Burnout Stress in Nursing Related With Lazarus and Folkman’s Theory According to Lazarus and Folkman, stress is the relationship existing between a person and the environment that compels the individual beyond resources and consequently endangering life. The theory of stress and coping helps individuals to […]
  • Academic Stress and Its Impact on Teenagers Another possible solution is raising awareness about the harms of stress to human health to educate students and their parents on the risks associated with stress.
  • Stress: causes and effects This is due to the research methods used in the process of analyzing and finding solutions to the global psychological challenges and problems.
  • Stress and Deviance in College Education The other concept of the connection between deviance and stress is the stress factors. Management of stressors and the consequent effects on deviance among college students is yet to be investigated.
  • Transactional Model of Stress and Coping in Intravenous Drug Users The purpose of this paper is to explain how the transactional model of stress and coping can be used to explain and assess the process of coping in a group of intravenous users at risk […]
  • Time and Stress Management for Better Productivity Procrastination is the forwarding of events that have to be done at a specific time to another time in the future.
  • Work Stress and Its Effects on Individuals Managers of leading companies have long realized that this phenomenon is dangerous to both employees and companies, and one of their priorities is to remove the causes of work stress and or at least minimize […]
  • Stress and Its Effects on Health The effects of stress on the cardiovascular system are explained in a review by Kivimaki & Steptoe to determine the impact of stress on the development and progression of cardiovascular diseases.
  • Pre-Stressed Concrete The aim of this paper is to discuss the historical developments of pre-stressed concrete, the basic concepts of pre-stressed concrete, and the manufacturing of the pre-stressed concrete.
  • Posttraumatic Stress Disorders: Psychological Assessment PTSD was adopted by experts in the third revision of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders to replace terms like “shell shock, nervous shock, and combat fatigue” that described the response to traumatic […]
  • Exam Stress: Effective Management It is important for a child to get enough rest for the relaxation of the mind and body. In line with Hemmings, it is important for parents to analyze the mood of a child who […]
  • Physiological Mechanism of Stress Stress is defined as any deviation from physical and mental equilibrium, which results in the release of hormones in the body that initiate a fight or flight response.
  • Problem Solving: What Can We Do About Our Stress? Since we can decide on what to believe or think, we posses the aptitude on how we can respond to the exigent events and circumstances in our daily lives.
  • The Relationship Between Self-Efficacy and Perceived Stress The last hypothesis is that there is a significant gender difference in the measures of self-efficacy, emotional intelligence, and perceived stress.
  • How Does Stress Affect the Body? Especially after the pandemic of COVID-19 has made the levels of stress in people worldwide skyrocket, the significance of studying the levels of stress on the human body has grown tremendously.
  • Walmart Company: Reducing Employee Stress The first function of this programme is “to encourage more employees to identify their sources of stress”. In conclusion, the above strategy will train more employees and clients in order to deal with their sources […]
  • Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: History and Symptoms This essay looks into the history, the symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder, and the individuals who are likely to suffer from this condition, psychological problems associated with this condition and the treatment of the disorder.
  • Stress related to workplace conditions Physical factors are those related to the ability of the body to function correctly in the work environment. Unpredictability and uncertainty of work situations are recognized as the main causes of stress in the workplace.
  • The DSM-5 Criteria for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder The inference is backed by the fact that Victor’s traumatic situation is persistently manifesting intrusion symptoms such as nightmares, flashbacks, unwanted upsetting memories, and a lack of willingness to share previous hurtful events. Victor displays […]
  • Family Nursing and Stress Theory The first era in the development of the family stress theory started with the studies in the 1920s and ended in the development of the assumption in the mid-1940s.
  • Stress-Strain Relation of Stainless Steel After Exposure to Fire To study the behavior of stainless steel at elevated temperatures, the material data of the steel obtained through testing is important.ca Steady-state tensile tests and transient-state procedures determine the stress-strain relationships of stainless steel at […]
  • Definition and Concept of Stress in Nursing Managing of stress is a complicated thing due to the connivance of life course, daily activities, stress and the way the three intermingle with each other.
  • Nurses and Stress: Mindfulness Meditation Program The prevention of stressors is one of the best interventions to stabilize human well-being, and lifestyle change is one of the primary recommendations.
  • Managing Stress: A Reflection of Personal Experience The group leader of our group thus assigned each member of the group his or her part of the topic to research on before the end of the following five days.
  • Impacts of High Stress Levels on Teachers This reduction in teacher numbers has made it difficult for the existing teachers to handle the students and perform their duties as required, it becomes equally tasking to recruit and employ new teachers since they […]
  • A Healthy Way To Cope With Stress According to Seaward, stress is “the experience of a perceived threat to one’s mental, physical or spiritual well-being, resulting from a series of physiological responses and adaptations”.
  • Post-Traumatic Stress and Evidence-Based Practice The application of this strategy to work with clients includes concentration on the ideas received due to the traumatic events of the past for the purpose of reevaluation of behavior patterns they dictate.
  • Great Recession Impact on Workplace Stress The recent recession directly increased the level of stress that people experienced in the US and other countries in the following ways. The responses of businesses to the recession affected employees’ stress levels in the […]
  • The Holmes-Rahe Life Stress Inventory – Psychology To evaluate my stress levels using the inventory, I was required to identify the major life changing events that I had experienced in the last one year.
  • Acute Stress and Attachment Theory At the point of stress, the person will feel vulnerable or in danger and will need something to offer them security.
  • Biological Factors Involved in Stress The Role of Brain in Stress In addition, the brain is the main organ that plays a major role in the body’s view and reaction to stress.
  • Stress and Injury in Sports In addition to the possibility of injury that is inherent with sports, stress is also likely to increase the possibility of injury for the athlete.
  • Social Impact of Stress in Childhood Stress in childhood can profoundly affect the cognitive and social development of a person. They can have a life-long impact on the behavior and identify of a person.
  • Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as a Health Issue in the Society The treatment is aimed at relieving the symptoms that the patient seems to be experiencing so that the individual can be able to deal with the traumatic experience.
  • Teachers Wellbeing: Becoming Aware of Work-Relate Stress Teachers who are aware of these stressors early in their careers may be able to minimize their risk of burnout and experience a sense of well-being.
  • Stress Management Techniques for Students: Yoga Yoga’s most major benefits are its capacity to relieve stress and exhaustion, to stimulate and revive, and to be used for anti-aging and calming treatment.
  • Workplace Stress and Absenteeism in the Ship-Repair Industry: A Case Study This qualitative exploratory case study sought to discover techniques that production and project managers of a ship-repair company in the maritime industry use to minimize.
  • Personal Stress Management and Relaxation Techniques In fact, I was rather frustrated and I thought it was all my fault I could not do it. I love the ocean and when I am meditating, I imagine a palm by the ocean.
  • Depression and Anxiety Due to School and Work-Related Stress Many young students are not aware of the roots of their psychological problems and continue suffering from depression or anxiety, which results in low productivity, poor achievements, and a decreased quality of life.
  • Heat Stress in Flight Cockpits in the Desert Climate The results show that heat stress has physiological and psychological effects on aviators and that the cockpit had different sources of heat depending on the amake’ of the aircraft and the climate.
  • Spiritual Life: Avoiding Stress Burnout All I want to do is to be kind to people and believe that these people will be also kind to me.
  • Stress and Eating Behavior The research sample included 101 low-income women, and the evaluation of the sample let researchers find the correlations between stress and severe obesity, independent of unhealthy eating behavior.
  • Stress in College Students, Its Causes and Effects Recognizing the cause and effect of stress in college students is an important aspect in college management and leadership as it will lead to a better understanding and development of the appropriate methods for intervention.
  • Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: Joseph Wolpe Treatment Theory This is similar to the concept of phobias wherein a person is presented with an animal that he is irrationally afraid of and the result is fear or in the case of an inanimate object […]
  • Definition of Fiscal Stress The state government and local authorities may use different services they provide to the public to measure the level of fiscal stress.
  • Effect of Stress on Relations and Marriage Therefore, this paper had the aim of discussing the effects of stress on a marriage and relationships and how the stress can be reduced and controlled.
  • Critical Review of a Mental Disorder: The Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in DSM-IV-TR However, the risk to contracting the condition is always determined by the resilience of the personnel to these exposures, past unsettled concerns in their life history, and the quantity as well as intensity of depiction […]
  • Stress Management and Work Performance in the United Kingdom In this society, it is very important for the management of various firms and governmental organizations to take care of the interests of the employees.
  • Acute Stress Reaction and Acute Stress Disorder The paper will go a notch higher to discuss the symptoms, treatment strategies, including spiritual and professional treatment, and finally the impact of the symptoms to human behavior.
  • How Stress Affects Different Personality Types Type B Personality Type B personality is regarded as the inverse of Type A since people with this type lack the Type A attributes of competitiveness and time orientation.
  • Stress Reduction Programs in an Organization There are different approaches to reducing stress levels in an organization. To choose the appropriate program, it is necessary to assess the available options based on a range of criteria.
  • The Effect of Stress on the Immunity With an increase in the concentration of glucocorticoids, the thymus decreases in size and the formation of immune cells is disrupted.
  • Mindfulness Meditation to Reduce Nursing Stress Levels This project will discuss nurse stress and the implementation of mindfulness meditation sessions as a main intervention for its reduction. Nurse stress should no longer be ignored, and the effect of mindfulness meditation may be […]
  • Stress Among Criminal Justice Workers The criminal justice system is aware of the seriousness of the current problem and is trying to adapt to the emerging trend.
  • Relationship Between Stress and Greying of the Hair The main topic of this study was the study of the influence of a negative psychological state of a person on the increase in the number of gray hairs.
  • Stress and Its Influence on Human Body Prolonged exposure to stress worsens the body’s resistance and the immune and vegetative systems of a person and disrupts the functioning of hormonal glands and metabolism.
  • Aspects of the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder They include direct or indirect exposure to stressors, intrusion symptoms, the persistent avoidance of trauma-related stressors, negative alterations in mood and the development of mental health comorbidities, aggression, and self-destructive behavior, the duration for not […]
  • Family Health Assessment: Child Poverty, Toxic Stress Because of the nature of their work, and the fact that the two were working even during the pandemic, the father was at one point exposed to Covid-19. The model that will help the family […]
  • Dogs: The Stress Coping Mechanisms When the arousal level increases, it helps the body prepare for action and deal with the cause of the stress. The hormone helps them to cope with the stress and to recover from it more […]
  • Self-Reported PTSD (Posttraumatic Stress) Symptoms and Social Support At the same time, multiple authors prove that social support and connectedness with family members, relatives, friends, and other members of the community contribute to PTG and the minimization of the signs of PTSD in […]
  • Coronary Heart Disease Caused by Stress It is essential to study the degree of influence of stress on the development of coronary heart disease since, in this way, it will be possible to prevent it more successfully.
  • Self SWOT: Stress Resistance as the Main Strength However, the irrationality of my organization of time and schedule is a big threat that I will begin to lose control over my studies, which may affect my future career and its trajectory.
  • Stress and Its Adverse Health Effects The article’s topic is Stress and Health: A Review of Psychobiological Processes. For instance, when stress increases or is prolonged, the dangers of mental health challenges and medical complications arise.
  • Stress Management in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients The study also covered the epidemiological and pathophysiology of RA and looked at data linking psychological trauma to the emergence and aggravation of the clinical disease.
  • The Effect of Emotional Freedom Techniques on Nurses’ Stress The objectives for each of the three criteria are clearly stated, with the author explaining the aims to the reader well throughout the content in the article’s title, abstract, and introduction.
  • Pathophysiology of Stress, Processed Foods, and Risky Alcohol Consumption The body starts to see the fats, sugars, and salt in ultra-processed foods as rewards, which leads to increased cravings and overeating.
  • The Traumas from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Measuring the prevalence and incidence of PTSD requires excellent knowledge of epidemiology and biostatistics. The prevalence and incidence of PTSD have increased since 2000.
  • Stress and Related Risks in Vulnerable Communities The case study family is between the ages of five and thirty-five years and consists of a father, a mother, and two male children. My rationale behind the ranking is the impact of the risks […]
  • COVID-19, Secondary Traumatic Stress and Burnout The second part of the hypothesis states that the levels of STS and BO among caretakers during the pandemic will be higher than before it.
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: Preliminary Care Coordination The personal character of trauma and how the patient reacts to it justifies the need to design patient-centered interventions to address this healthcare problem.
  • Understanding and Addressing Family Stress: Parental Responses and Impact on Children The spousal relationship, employment, a lack of structure in the household, and psychological suffering all contribute to stress. They are regarded as potent mediators, and therefore, offending elders indicates disrespecting the father and may lead […]
  • Circumstances Causing Stress in Adolescence Hold one’s breath for many seconds and gently exhale via the mouth to evacuate the lungs, hence easing the body of stress. The more one is stressed, the more difficult and nervous it is to […]
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: Causes and Symptoms The article by Smith entitled Posttraumatic Stress Disorder is valuable because it offers important information on the causes and symptoms of PTSD and ways of recognizing and treating the condition.
  • Mishele’s Theory Applied to Pediatric Medical Traumatic Stress In other words, the theory addresses the problem of the subjective perception of the treatment outcomes and diseases under the prism of uncertainty.
  • Major Depressive Disorder and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Her sleep is turbulent, she has rape nightmares, her mood is depressed, and her affect is congruent and constrained. Her mental process is rational and linear, and her mental faculties are largely intact.
  • Meditation Effects on Anxiety and Stress My goal in this exercise was to use meditation to manage anxiety and stress and improve my general mental well-being. I am not accustomed to meditation and had to turn to YouTube for guidance.
  • Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: Case Presentation Report Date of initial assessment: N/A PSEUDO Name: Ana Ana is a self-referred and re-occurring client who entered counseling after the case of domestic violence. As a result, Ana expressed feelings of anxiety and fear […]
  • Panel: Women’s Stress and COVID-19 It is vital to examine what is known about the connection of women’s stress to COVID-19. Overall, the link between COVID-19 and women’s stress is apparent.
  • Effects of Support on Stress in School Principals Threats to living standards and wellbeing, the strain on families and the escalation of injustices, changes in teaching techniques and the role of technology, and the disruption of higher learning and scholarship are among the […]
  • Early Life Stress: Resilience Development in Children For their own and the children’s sake, school counselors may be assigned to a particular institution in primary schools. An attempt to harness the unique qualities and capabilities that evolve in a high-stress setting is […]
  • Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Treatment Research Therefore, the advantage of qualitative research, in this case, relates to the ability to investigate patients’ PTSD treatment experiences and uncover their meanings.
  • Coping with Stress in Clinical Neuropsychiatry Joseph should be able to identify what is stressing him most, which in this case it is financial issues and the fact that his wife is always annoyed with him because he is always around, […]
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Misapprehension A significant proportion of civilians are affected by post-traumatic stress but ignore the symptoms and fail to seek early interventions influenced by misconceptions about how PTSD develops and its symptoms.
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Opioid Use in Veterans This study examined the proportion of United States veterans who had PTSD and engaged in the use of illegal opioids to cope with it or had done so in the past.
  • The Impact of Chronic Stress on Pathological Conditions Long-term stress is hazardous, as it damages the mechanisms of self-regulation of the body, leading to constant fluctuations in the level of hormones and unhealthy rhythms of breathing and heartbeat.
  • Toxic Stress and Its Negative Effects The experience of toxic stress in the early years of life also negatively affects school performance and the physical development of children.
  • Sex-Specific Effects of Music Listening on Couples’ Stress in Everyday Life Wuttke-Linnemann et al.also highlight the presence of gender-specific differences as to how specifically music listening can impact stress among men and women.
  • Stress as an Important Psychological Issue The ability to complete work on time, learn new skills at the first request of the bosses, and the need to work overtime – all this is among the constant needs of a modern working […]
  • Traumatic Stress Disorders & Treatment It will be based on the hypothesis that trauma has a detrimental impact on a person’s identity and is likely to result in adverse consequences in the future.
  • Smoking and Stress Among Veterans The topic is significant to explore because of the misconception that smoking can alleviate the emotional burden of stress and anxiety when in reality, it has an exacerbating effect on emotional stress.
  • Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in A Journal for Jordan Considering the loss of her husband in the war, Dana had not recovered, and the expression of irate reaction is a symptom of PTSD.
  • Stress Management Benefits for Health Therefore, stress management strategies are crucial to eliminating the adverse impact of tension and anxiety. Physical activity and socializing are the techniques I have successfully applied to manage stress.
  • Nurses’ Mental Health and Stress at Workplace This is the first research to present the viewpoints of mental health nurses on a resilience program. Theoretical ideas of resilience and understanding of mental health nurses’ resilience emerged through constant comparative study and integration […]
  • The Relationship Between Stress and Health: Article Summary The implications of the study allow for stating that the increased exposure to stress at work leads to worsened health of the stressed individuals.
  • Improving Nurses’ Stress Response During the COVID-19 The article is dedicated to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the overall health of nurses. It is necessary to study the mental health of nurses further and develop ways to level the negative […]
  • Stress Management Skills of Student-Athletes Their responses will then be categorized as “low perceived stress,” “moderate perceived stress,” and “high perceived stress”. The students will then be qualified as possessing superior, above-average, average, or below-average stress management skills.
  • Coping with Stress and Physical Health Problems In this regard, Julie, first of all, needs to accept the situation as it is, to appreciate the things and the context that she is no longer able to change.
  • A Theorist View of Stress, Human Body and Mind As one can see, both K bler-Ross and Frankl focus on human stress as a form of suffering in the face of insurmountable life troubles, such as death or suffering.
  • Employee Stress and Burnout at the Workplace This is done by giving outbreaks to those actively involved in the manufacture of the products and giving leaves for some time; the company has also created shift sessions that allow specified workers to take […]
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Development Avoidance of objects that remind you of the traumatic incident is another symptom of PTSD. Identifying erroneous and unreasonable beliefs about the incident and replacing them with a more balanced image is also part of […]
  • Sexual Aversion and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder This aspect causes difficulties in prescribing therapy, since the latter requires a thorough study of the psychological nature of the problems. In the treatment of sexual aversion disorder, a doctor needs to investigate a complex […]
  • Thoughts on Stress Management and Happiness Although she has all her financial needs met overwhelmingly, her failure to proceed with her studies and get employment makes her feel unsatisfied.
  • Workplace Stress Among American Nurses During the Coronavirus Pandemic In this systematic review paper, the researcher seeks to discuss workplace stress among American nurses during the peak of the coronavirus pandemic in the country.
  • Secondary Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in Children The relationship between parents’ experiences and interactions with the onset of PTSD in children will be explored. There is vast information on the management of treatment and prevention of PTSD in children.
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Parenting Style On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being lowest and 10 being highest, how much do you believe that kids need to learn early who the boss is in the family?
  • Heat Stress at Provincial, Federal, and International Levels It formulates the purpose of the report, namely the comparison of norms and regulations for safe work at the provincial, federal and international levels.
  • Durations of Vowels: Effect of Stress, Lexical Focus, and Segmental Focus The article in question addresses the correlation between the duration of a vowel and the type of focus or stress. De Jong and Zawaydeh address this phonetic issue on the basis of the Arabic language, […]
  • Healthcare Workers’ Stress Coping Strategies This is especially relevant for the mental health domain, as the major flows of resources in the healthcare sectors all over the globe are directed towards combating the main adverse physical consequences of the infection.
  • Stress and Depression Among Nursing Students The study aims to determine how different the manifestations of stress and depression are among American nursing students compared to students of other disciplines and what supports nursing students in continuing their education.
  • The Stress of Working with Families There is an intricate shared history that is interpreted in different ways by different members, and the boundaries, psychological distances, and roles within and between family subsystems are constantly shifting.
  • Coping with Stress: Stress and Health In terms of physical, emotional, and behavioral signs, Julia is experiencing severe stress, which requires the help of specialists and the introduction of various techniques that contribute to the normalization of all aspects of life.
  • “Poverty, Toxic Stress, and Education…” Study by Kelly & Li Kelly and Li are concerned with the lack of research about poverty and toxic stress affecting the neurodevelopment of preterm children.
  • Prefrontal Cortex and Effects of Stress Exposure However, the inability to control the stressor can reduce the prefrontal cortex’s capacity to regulate stress responses. Exposure to stress noticeably weakens the effectiveness of the prefrontal cortex while stimulating more primitive responses of the […]
  • Stress as a Result of Combining Work and Family At the same time, it is difficult to say that such a life on a constant clear schedule contributes to the psychological health of a person.
  • Analysis of Stress Management Aspects In the science of stress management, there are a number of practices aimed at strengthening the mental health of the student, thus improving their response to potentially stressful events.
  • Phonetics and Phonology of English Word Stress People have trouble pronouncing some words in their L2 due to the influence of their L1 accent. Many students find it challenging to accurately pronounce words in their second language due to the influence of […]
  • Adaptation to Stress of Endocrine and Sympathetic Nervous System Stress is a non-specific body reaction that occurs under the action of various extreme factors that threaten the violation of homeostasis and is characterized by stereotypical changes in the function of the nervous and endocrine […]
  • The Resilience Handbook: Approaches to Stress and Trauma I was surprised to learn that music is not just the words but also the lyrics in the heart and mind.
  • Assessing the Personal Stress Levels To ascertain the levels of stress in my everyday life, I have used several assessment tools. Implementing the “Symptoms of Stress” methodology, I have discovered that the occurrence of stress in my life is quite […]
  • Stress Management Techniques The proposed strategies and examples should help students to understand different situations and overcome stress disregarding settings and external factors.
  • Occupational Health: Workplace Stress To avoid noise-related stress, Ruth handles her job with a positive attitude and this makes it easy to enjoy work. In conclusion, work-related stress is a major cause of poor performance by employees due to […]
  • Humor as the Leading Strategy of Stress Relief The purpose of this paper is to discuss the importance of humor as one of the leading stress management strategies. In other words, it does not suffice to know the sources of stress, as the […]
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Substance Use Disorder The hypothesis of self-medication is one of the mechanisms that can expound the comorbidity between post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety illness.
  • Stress Patterns in Police Work: A Longitudinal Study The research problem identified by the investigator relates to the prevalence of distress in the police occupation. The primary variable of the study was the mean stress measure, which was derived from the Langner-22 list […]
  • Occupational Stress: Patient Teaching Plan Physical exercise is helpful for the patients with work-related stress and anxiety. Physical exercise helps alleviate work and stress-related pains in different parts of the body.
  • Stress Among Secondary and Tertiary Students The results of the study by Pascoe et al.demonstrate that the majority of students report high levels of stress and negative effects on their mental and physical health.
  • Stress Reduction Among College Students In conclusion, “Calm” is useful in mindfulness meditation to decrease stress and enhance self-compassion and mindfulness among students. However, there is constrained information regarding the palatability and effectiveness of delivering mindfulness meditation interventions through mobile […]
  • Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in the Workplace What are the weakness of the study and how can it be improved. According to I/O psychologist work is done to obtain productivity and to improve the quality of life of the clients.
  • Free Radicals, Oxidative Stress, and Antioxidants The presence of ROS in excess causes oxidative stress in the body, leading to the oxidation of proteins and lipids and the transformation of their structures and roles in the body.
  • Stress From a Biblical Perspective The Bible, in that case, provides a sense of hope and relief which leads to relaxation. In 1 Samuel 30:1-31, Amalekites exploited the opportunity of David and his men’s absence in the south city of […]
  • Dealing With Stress: What Makes One’s Life Complete Carrying the burden of stress, I became rather reserved and unwilling to socialize, which led to certain misconceptions among my friends and me.
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Pathophysiology Sakellariou and Stefanatou, further link threat responsiveness and fear regulation with the signalling of 5-HT within the amygdala; this is an area within the brain deemed essential in comprehending the reaction to fear and aetiology […]
  • Workplace Yoga Reducing Stress in Employees Since the key idea of a project is to sell the yoga and meditation practice program to the other departments of a firm, it is important to understand the expected benefits.
  • Cross-National Job Stress: A Quantitative and Qualitative Study That is why, in order to fill the substantial research gap, the exploratory study of Liu et al.examines the perceptions of job stress in two culturally dissimilar countries the United States and China using both […]
  • The Effectiveness of Occupational Stress Management However, as it relates to analyzing the shipbuilding and ship-repair industries, the level of occupational stress is higher in comparison to other sectors of the economy, and the effectiveness of managing the problem is lower.
  • Coping With Stress in Breast Cancer Patients Therefore, it is important for research experts to ensure and guarantee adherence to methodologies and guidelines that define scientific inquiry. However, various discrepancies manifest with regard to the initiation and propagation of research studies.
  • Changes in Life and Psychological Stress Assessment The vagueness of the evaluation system and the lack of precision in terms of results assessment, however, beg the question whether psychological assessments can be trusted.
  • Stress Management for Patients With Arthritis The study’s primary objectives were to substantiate the hypothesis of the relation between RA activity and stress and find the evidence for the basis of further decisions.
  • Nursing Work Stress Level During Pandemics In the case of this project, the DNP student was able to review at length the issue of occupational stress in nursing.
  • Stress Management Through Transcendental Meditation Thus, to improve productivity and the general wellbeing of its employees, a company ought to offer stress management program. However, transcendental meditation seems to be the most beneficial as it enables people to deal with […]
  • Stress Analysis of Thin Walled Structures and Results This consideration takes the priority of the passengers’ safety to ensure they do not experience the effects of either deformation or heat dissipated by the parts involved in the impact.”At the same time other structural […]
  • Advanced Stress Analysis – Characteristic of Model The choice of approach is done in the preliminary stages of structural design of shapes. 893Kg/mm3 The density of the envelope is 1.
  • The Unified Trauma Theory of High-Stress Level Fatigue a Case of Loyola University
  • Stress Sources in a Detective’s Life
  • Effects of Obesity on Neuroendocrine, and Immune Cell Responses to Stress
  • Health and Wellness: Stress, Diabetes and Tobacco Related Problems
  • Effective Use of Prazosin for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Diagnostics and Screening
  • Effect of Stress Hormones on Brain Cells
  • BMI and Stress Levels Among Students in the US
  • Conger’s Stress and Family With Children
  • Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
  • Dealing With Grief – Stress Factors
  • Stress at Work: Creating Healthy Organisations
  • Wholeness Meeting to Deal With Stress in School
  • Adult Life Stress: Assessment Tools Analysis
  • Relation Work – Stress – Health
  • Stress, Emotional Intelligence, and Job Performance Correlation in Nursing
  • Managing Stress Through Communication Skills in Nursing
  • The Effectiveness of ICU Nurses in Reducing Stress among Family Members
  • Mindfulness-Based Stress and Burnout Reduction in Nurses
  • Identifying Causes of Stress among Nurses
  • Nursing Burnout: Increased Stress Experienced by Nurses
  • Emotions and Stress on the Job
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Among Vets
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: Overview
  • ANOVA Analysis: The Influence of Physical Activity on Stress Levels
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Treatment in Intellectually Disabled Patients: The Promise of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy
  • Stress Management in University Students
  • Women in the West Who Are Put Under Stress Due to Social Media
  • Stress in the Teaching Fraternity
  • Work Related Stress: Symptoms and Management
  • Stress at Work: Main Aspects, Globalization Influence
  • Client Diagnosis: Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
  • Stress Test Process to a Community Issue
  • Employees’ Stress and Burnout
  • Disaster Crisis: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms
  • Yoga and Stress Reduction
  • Personal & Professional Development: Managing Stress
  • Living With Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
  • How Stress Affects Learning in Middle School
  • Motivation, Emotion, Stress, Health and Work
  • The Role of Stress in Our Everyday Life
  • Employee Stress Causes in Different Countries
  • Socio-Cultural and Stress Models in Diagnosis
  • Posttraumatic Stress Disorder After Rape Attempt
  • Stress, Depression and Psychoneuroimmunology
  • How Can College Students Cope With Stress
  • Causes and Effects of Marital Stress on the Health of Women
  • Academic Related Sicknesses: Stress in Medical Students
  • Work Stress: Coping Through Work-Life Programs
  • The Relationship Between Emotion Regulation Suppression and the Academic and Life Stress Levels
  • Health and Stress in College Students
  • Stress: Causes, Sources and Symptoms
  • Sources of Stress Among African American Students
  • Stress and Medical Students’ Lifes
  • Stress of Police Officers and How They Cope With It
  • Educational Psychology: Student Learning and Stress
  • “Stress: How It Affects Us”: Critical Analysis
  • Acute and Post Traumatic Stress Disorders
  • Stress and Higher Education Student: A Critical Review
  • Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: German Researches
  • Preventing Burnout in Preschool Teachers
  • Can Stress Be Fattening: Discussion
  • Sports Demands and Stress Management in Athletics
  • Holmes and Rahe Stress Test and Coping Strategies
  • Reducing Nurses’ Stress: A Web-Based Management Program
  • Student Loans and Financial Stress
  • How Nurses Cope with Job Stress
  • Family Stress and Crisis: We Got Through It
  • Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Veteran Community
  • Evidence-Based Procedures That Reduce Stress and Promote Health
  • UAE: Stress Management and Organizational Performance
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Treatment Effectiveness
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Missouri Veterans
  • Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Management in Children
  • Chronobiology and Stress in Horses
  • Employment and Stress Management
  • Productivity and Work-Related Stress in the UAE
  • Workplace Stress and Labor Law in the United Kingdom
  • Stress Management: Personal Success Plan
  • Does Locus of Control and Motivation Predict Occupational Stress?
  • Occupational Stress in the Maritime Industry
  • Racial Disparities in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Treatment
  • Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Hispanic Teenager
  • Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Treatment in Soldier
  • Stress Impact on Self-Esteam and Personal Growth
  • Employee Motivation, Termination, and Work Stress
  • Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: Modality Treatment Plan
  • Anxiety Disorder: Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction
  • Crisis Intervention Model and Critical Stress Management
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Its Theories
  • Emotion Regulation and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
  • Stress Factors in the Fire Service
  • Stress, Conflict and Misunderstandings in the Workplace
  • Stress Increases the Desire to Eat Sweets
  • How Coffee Affects Stress?
  • Burnout, Compassion Fatigue and Stress at Workplace
  • Organisational Stress and Its Possible Transformations
  • Stress in Policing: Reasons and Effects
  • Stress Management for Life
  • Sexual Harassment and Psychological Stress
  • Discretion, Job Stress, and Other Policing Issues
  • Kant’s and Mill’s Ideas for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
  • Stress Statistics, Definition, and Perception
  • Stress as a Risk Factor for Inflammation
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Assets and Facilities
  • Minority Stress and Health: Societal Issues
  • Housewives’ Compensation and Stress Factors
  • Police Stress Within Law Enforcement
  • To Better Cope With Stress, Listen to Your Body
  • “Stress” Video and “A Natural Fix for ADHD” Article
  • Organizational Stress and Job Satisfaction Relationships
  • The Effect Job Stress on Satisfaction with Life
  • Ethics Code for Human Participation in Stress Reduction
  • Office 2010 Transformation: Stress Management Plan
  • Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or Combat Fatigue
  • Genentech Inc.’s Workplace Stress Management
  • Stress, Depression, and Responses to Them
  • Stress Management in the Adulthood
  • Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: Caucasian Girl’ Case
  • Positive Psychology and Academic Stress
  • Acute Stress Disorder: Cynthia’s Treatment Case
  • Food and Stress Relationship: Psychological Factor
  • Stress Management Strategies in Applied Psychology
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Soldiers
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: Gender Variations
  • Stress, Its Causes and Effects Relationship
  • Stress Impacts on the Human Development
  • Stress: Effects and Management Proposal
  • Health Psychology: Eating and Stress’ Relations
  • Stress and Recovery After Rape
  • Mood and Stress Psychology: Causes, Effects and Treatments
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder – Psychology
  • Managing Stress and Depression at Work Places – Psychology
  • Job’ Stress and Depression
  • Stress and Burnout in Law Enforcement
  • Police and Corrections Officers’ Stress – Psychology
  • Stress and Strains in the Renaissance Society
  • Anger, Stress and Aggression in Violent Offenders
  • Infidelity as a Cause of Divorce and Stress Disorder
  • Defining The Stress Response Across Scientific Disciplines
  • Stress Reduction at Work
  • Stress’ Definition and Effects
  • Suggestions on Stress Management
  • Correlation Study of the Relationship Between Individual Resilience, Hope, Stress and Humour
  • Stress & Its Effects on the Brain and Body
  • Ability to Manage Stress as the Most Important Skill of Effective Communicators
  • Stress Management and Work Performance in the UK
  • The Relationship Between Employee Productivity and Work Related Stress
  • The Caregiver Burnout and Long-Term Stress
  • Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Principles and Types
  • Solutions for Students to Reduce Stress in University Life
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Veterans
  • The Effects of Forgiveness Therapy on Depression, Anxiety and Posttraumatic Stress for Women After Spousal Emotional Abuse
  • Critical Evaluation of Stress Management Approaches
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: Causes, Symptoms and Treatments
  • Stress Management in Work Environment
  • Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Its Treatment
  • Underlying Issues Associated with Sleep Disorders and Stress
  • How College Athletes Deal with Stress and Manage Time
  • Stress and Burnout in Organizations
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Abused Women
  • Stress Management in the Hospitality Industry
  • Posttraumatic stress. The Case of Mary
  • Stress Management among Customer Service Employees: Antecedents & Interventions
  • Depression: Law Enforcement Officers and Stress
  • The Impact of Stress & Unpleasant Feelings on People
  • The Causes of Stress in the Contemporary Society
  • Earthquakes as a Cause of the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
  • Workplace Stress Problem
  • Reducing Stress in Al-Khobar
  • Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Developed in Repeated War Zones Deployment
  • Towards Understanding Stress-Related Issues Affecting First Year Students on Their Transition Into University Culture
  • Family, Stress and Delinquency among Adolescent
  • Effects of stress on physical health
  • Stresses of Being a Student
  • Stress at the Workplace for Correctional Officers
  • Human Stress and Dale Carnegie
  • “Denial: A Memoir” a Book by Jessica Stern
  • The Relationship between Stress Management and Criminal Recidivism
  • Adjustment in Psychology: Stress
  • Stress and Burnout in the Workplace
  • Reaction to Stress: Flight or Fight
  • Conflict and Stress: Their Potential Impact on a Project
  • Abnormal Psychology: Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
  • Diverse Effects of the Work Related Stress
  • Problems of the Employee Stress in Organizations
  • The Problem of Workplace Stress
  • Managing Time and Stress
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Tim O’Brien’s “In the Lake of Woods”
  • Randomized Trial of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Chronic Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders in Adult Female Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse
  • How Stress Affects Your Physical Health?
  • The Experiment to Prove the Fact That Psychological Stress Causes Headache
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Top 10 Stress Management Techniques for Students

How to de-stress when you're feeling overwhelmed

No doubt about it, school is stressful. Academic deadlines, worrying about grades, pressure from parents and teachers, and juggling these challenges with your other responsibilities can leave you feeling frazzled and anxious.

The bad news is that all this stress can take a toll on your health, happiness, relationships, and grades. The good news is that learning to utilize some effective stress management strategies for students can help you tame these anxieties and keep your stress at manageable levels—even during midterms and finals.

At a Glance

Most students experience significant amounts of stress. This can significantly affect your academic performance, social life, and well-being. Learning stress management techniques can help you avoid negative effects in these areas. Strategies that can help include:

  • Getting enough sleep
  • Using guided imagery
  • Exercise regularly
  • Practicing deep breathing
  • Using progressive muscle relaxation
  • Listening to music
  • Finding social support
  • Eating a healthy diet
  • Eliminating sources of stress
  • Trying mindfulness

Let's take a closer look at why stress management is so important for students and what you can do to get a handle on the stress in your life.

Why Stress Management Is Important for Students

A study by the American Psychological Association (APA) found that teens report stress levels similar to adults. This means teens are experiencing significant levels of chronic stress and feel their stress levels generally exceed their ability to cope effectively .

Roughly 30% of the teens reported feeling overwhelmed, depressed, or sad because of their stress. According to one Pew Research Center report, 70% of teens view anxiety and depression as major problems for people their age.

Stress can also affect health-related behaviors. Stressed students are more likely to have problems with disrupted sleep, poor diet, and lack of exercise. This is understandable given that nearly half of APA survey respondents reported completing three hours of homework per night in addition to their full day of school work and extracurriculars.

Common Causes of Student Stress

Why are students today so stressed? According to the APA 2023 Stress in America report, Gen Z and younger millennials are overwhelmed by stress. The causes of this stress come from many areas. Financial worries , loneliness and isolation, climate concerns, political strife, the collective trauma linked to the pandemic, and other world events are all factors that play a part in the pressure on young people today. 

Another study found that much of high school students' stress originates from school and activities, and that this chronic stress can persist into college years and lead to academic disengagement and mental health problems.

Top Student Stressors

Common sources of student stress include:

  • Extracurricular activities
  • Social challenges
  • Transitions (e.g., graduating, moving out , living independently)
  • Relationships
  • Pressure to succeed
  • World events

Among High School Students

High school students face the intense competitiveness of taking challenging courses, amassing impressive extracurriculars, studying and acing college placement tests, and deciding on important and life-changing plans for their future. At the same time, they have to navigate the social challenges inherent to the high school experience.

Among College Students

This stress continues if students decide to attend college. Stress is an unavoidable part of life, but research has found that increased daily stressors put college-aged young adults at a higher risk for stress than other age groups.

Making new friends, handling a more challenging workload, feeling pressured to succeed, being without parental support, and navigating the stresses of more independent living are all added challenges that make this transition more difficult. Romantic relationships always add an extra layer of potential stress.

Students often recognize that they need to relieve stress . However, all the activities and responsibilities that fill a student’s schedule sometimes make it difficult to find the time to try new stress relievers to help dissipate that stress.

10 Stress Management Techniques for Students

Here you will learn 10 stress management techniques for students. These options are relatively easy, quick, and relevant to a student’s life and types of stress .

Get Enough Sleep

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Students, with their packed schedules, are notorious for missing sleep. Unfortunately, operating in a sleep-deprived state puts you at a distinct disadvantage. You’re less productive, may find it more difficult to learn, and may even be a hazard behind the wheel.

Research suggests that sleep deprivation and daytime sleepiness are also linked to impaired mood, higher risk for car accidents, lower grade point averages, worse learning, and a higher risk of academic failure.

Don't neglect your sleep schedule. Aim to get at least 8 hours a night and take power naps when needed.

Use Guided Imagery

David Malan / Getty Images

Guided imagery can also be a useful and effective tool to help stressed students cope with academic, social, and other stressors. Visualizations can help you calm down, detach from what’s stressing you, and reduce your body’s stress response.

You can use guided imagery to relax your body by sitting in a quiet, comfortable place, closing your eyes, and imagining a peaceful scene. Spend several minutes relaxing as you enjoy mentally basking in your restful image.

Consider trying a guided imagery app if you need extra help visualizing a scene and inducting a relaxation response. Research suggests that such tools might be an affordable and convenient way to reduce stress.

Exercise Regularly

One of the healthiest ways to blow off steam is to get regular exercise . Evidence indicates that students who participate in regular physical activity report lower levels of perceived stress.

While these students still grapple with the same social, academic, and life pressures as their less-active peers, these challenges feel less stressful and are easier to manage.

Finding time for exercise might be a challenge, but there are strategies that you can use to add more physical activity to your day. Some ideas that you might try include:

  • Doing yoga in the morning
  • Walking or biking to class
  • Reviewing for tests with a friend while walking on a treadmill at the gym
  • Taking an elective gym class focused on leisure sports or exercise
  • Joining an intramural sport

Exercise can help buffer against the negative effects of student stress. Starting now and keeping a regular exercise practice throughout your lifetime can help you live longer and enjoy your life more.

Take Calming Breaths

When your body is experiencing a stress response, you’re often not thinking as clearly as you could be. You are also likely not breathing properly. You might be taking short, shallow breaths. When you breathe improperly, it upsets the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide in your body.

Studies suggest this imbalance can contribute to various physical symptoms, including increased anxiety, fatigue, stress, emotional problems, and panic attacks.

A quick way to calm down is to practice breathing exercises . These can be done virtually anywhere to relieve stress in minutes.

Because they are fast-acting, breathing exercises are a great way to cope with moments of acute stress , such as right before an exam or presentation. But they can also help manage longer-lasting stress such as dealing with relationships, work, or financial problems.

Practice Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR)

Another great stress management technique for students that can be used during tests, before bed, or at other times when stress has you physically wound up is progressive muscle relaxation ( PMR ).

This technique involves tensing and relaxing all muscles until the body is completely relaxed. With practice, you can learn to release stress from your body in seconds. This can be particularly helpful for students because it can be adapted to help relaxation efforts before sleep for a deeper sleep.

Once a person learns how to use PMR effectively, it can be a quick and handy way to induce relaxation in any stressful situation, such as bouts of momentary panic before a speech or exam, dealing with a disagreement with your roommate, or preparing to discuss a problem with your academic advisor.

Listen to Music

As convenient stress reliever that has also shown many cognitive benefits, music can help relieve stress and calm you down or stimulate your mind depending on what you need in the moment.

Research has found that playing upbeat music can improve processing speed and memory. Stressed students may find that listening to relaxing music can help calm the body and mind. One study found that students who listened to the sounds of relaxing music were able to recover more quickly after a stressful situation.

Students can harness the benefits of music by playing classical music while studying, playing upbeat music to "wake up" mentally, or relaxing with the help of their favorite slow melodies.

Build Your Support Network

Halfpoint Images / Getty Images

Having emotional support can help create a protective buffer against stress. Unfortunately,  interpersonal relationships can also sometimes be a source of anxiety for students. Changes in friendships, romantic breakups, and life transitions such as moving away for college can create significant upheaval and stress for students.

One way to combat feelings of loneliness and make sure that you have people to lean on in times of need is to expand your support network and nurture your relationships.

Look for opportunities to meet new people, whether it involves joining study groups or participating in other academic, social, and leisure activities.

Remember that different types of relationships offer differing types of support . Your relationships with teachers, counselors, and mentors can be a great source of information and resources that may help you academically. Relationships with friends can provide emotional and practical support.

Widening your social circle can combat student stress on various fronts and ensure you have what you need to succeed.

Eat a Healthy Diet

Niedring/Drentwett / Getty Images

You may not realize it, but your diet can either boost your brainpower or sap you of mental energy. It can also make you more reactive to the stress in your life. As a result, you might find yourself turning to high-sugar, high-fat snacks to provide a temporary sense of relief.

A healthy diet can help combat stress in several ways. Improving your diet can keep you from experiencing diet-related mood swings, light-headedness, and more.

Unfortunately, students are often prone to poor dietary habits. Feelings of stress can make it harder to stick to a consistently healthy diet, but other concerns such as finances, access to cooking facilities, and time to prepare healthy meals can make it more challenging for students.

Some tactics that can help students make healthy choices include:

  • Eating regularly
  • Carrying a water bottle to class
  • Keeping healthy snacks such as fruits and nuts handy
  • Limiting caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol intake

Find Ways to Minimize Stress

One way to improve your ability to manage student stress is to look for ways you cut stress out of your life altogether. Evaluate the things that are bringing stress or anxiety into your life. Are they necessary? Are they providing more benefits than the toll they take on your mental health? If the answer is no, sometimes the best option is just to ditch them altogether.

This might mean cutting some extracurricular activities out of your schedule. It might mean limiting your use of social media. Or it might mean learning to say no to requests for your time, energy, and resources. 

While it might be challenging at first, learning how to prioritize yourself and your mental well-being is an important step toward reducing your stress.

Try Mindfulness

When you find yourself dealing with stress—whether it's due to academics, relationships, financial pressures, or social challenges—becoming more aware of how you feel in the moment may help you respond more effectively.

Mindfulness involves becoming more aware of the present moment. Rather than judging, reacting, or avoiding problems, the goal is to focus on the present, become more aware of how you are feeling, observe your reactions, and accept these feelings without passing judgment on them.

Research suggests that mindfulness-based stress management practices can be a useful tool for reducing student stress. Such strategies may also help reduce feelings of anxiety and depression.

It is important to remember that stress isn't the same for everyone. Figuring out what works for you may take some trial and error. A good start is to ensure that you are taking care of yourself physically and emotionally and to experiment with different stress relief strategies to figure out what works best to help you feel less stressed.

If stress and anxiety are causing distress or making it difficult to function in your daily life, it is important to seek help. Many schools offer resources that can help, including face-to-face and online mental health services. You might start by talking to your school counselor or student advisor about the stress you are coping with. You can also talk to a parent, another trusted adult, or your doctor.

If you or a loved one are struggling with anxiety, contact the  Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline  at 1-800-662-4357 for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.

For more mental health resources, see our  National Helpline Database .

American Psychological Association. Stress in America: Are Teens Adopting Adults' Stress Habits?

Pew Research Center. Most U.S. teens see anxiety and depression as a major problem among their peers .

American Psychological Association. Stress in America 2023 .

Leonard NR, Gwadz MV, Ritchie A, et al. A multi-method exploratory study of stress, coping, and substance use among high school youth in private schools . Front Psychol. 2015;6:1028. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01028

Acharya L, Jin L, Collins W. College life is stressful today - Emerging stressors and depressive symptoms in college students . J Am Coll Health . 2018;66(7):655-664. doi:10.1080/07448481.2018.1451869

Beiter R, Nash R, McCrady M, Rhoades D, Linscomb M, Clarahan M, Sammut S. The prevalence and correlates of depression, anxiety, and stress in a sample of college students . J Affect Disord . 2015;173:90-6. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2014.10.054

Hershner SD, Chervin RD. Causes and consequences of sleepiness among college students . Nat Sci Sleep . 2014;6:73-84. doi:10.2147/NSS.S62907

Gordon JS, Sbarra D, Armin J, Pace TWW, Gniady C, Barraza Y. Use of a guided imagery mobile app (See Me Serene) to reduce COVID-19-related stress: Pilot feasibility study . JMIR Form Res . 2021;5(10):e32353. doi:10.2196/32353

Cowley J, Kiely J, Collins D. Is there a link between self-perceived stress and physical activity levels in Scottish adolescents ? Int J Adolesc Med Health . 2017;31(1). doi:10.1515/ijamh-2016-0104

Harrison OK, Köchli L, Marino S, et al. Interoception of breathing and its relationship with anxiety .  Neuron . 2021;109(24):4080-4093.e8. doi:10.1016/j.neuron.2021.09.045

Toussaint L, Nguyen QA, Roettger C, Dixon K, Offenbächer M, Kohls N, Hirsch J, Sirois F. Effectiveness of progressive muscle relaxation, deep breathing, and guided imagery in promoting psychological and physiological states of relaxation . Evid Based Complement Alternat Med . 2021;2021:5924040. doi:10.1155/2021/5924040.

Bottiroli S, Rosi A, Russo R, Vecchi T, Cavallini E. The cognitive effects of listening to background music on older adults: processing speed improves with upbeat music, while memory seems to benefit from both upbeat and downbeat music .  Front Aging Neurosci . 2014;6:284. doi:10.3389/fnagi.2014.00284

Thoma MV, La Marca R, Brönnimann R, Finkel L, Ehlert U, Nater UM.  The effect of music on the human stress response .  PLoS ONE . 2013;8(8):e70156. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0070156

American Psychological Association. Manage stress: Strengthen your support network .

Di Polito N, Stylianakis AA, Richardson R, Baker KD. Real-world intake of dietary sugars is associated with reduced cortisol reactivity following an acute physiological stressor .  Nutrients . 2023;15(1):209. doi:10.3390/nu15010209

Parsons D, Gardner P, Parry S, Smart S. Mindfulness-based approaches for managing stress, anxiety and depression for health students in tertiary education: A scoping review . Mindfulness (N Y) . 2022;13(1):1-16. doi:10.1007/s12671-021-01740-3

By Elizabeth Scott, PhD Elizabeth Scott, PhD is an author, workshop leader, educator, and award-winning blogger on stress management, positive psychology, relationships, and emotional wellbeing.

Daniel P. Keating Ph.D.

Dealing With Stress at School in an Age of Anxiety

Building a culture of resilience at school counters a growing stress epidemic..

Posted August 15, 2017 | Reviewed by Jessica Schrader

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In our modern age of anxiety , many of us are so stressed out that it’s hard to maintain focus on important goals . This isn’t just in our imaginations, or because of increased sensitivities that in an earlier era we would have simply ignored or overcome. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show sharp increases in stress-related disorders and diseases over the past few decades , and the Brookings Institution’s Hamilton Project found that the physical stress load we carry is sharply higher over a similar time period . Even more worrisome in that report is that this stress epidemic appears to be increasing with each new generation.

Teachers and educational leaders in particular feel the stress coming from all directions—teachers are stressed, students are stressed, staff is stressed, and parents are stressed. Added to the mix are demands for compliance with multiple directives and heightened accountability from numerous sources. Dealing effectively with this system-wide stress is critical, and it helps to first understand how it works.

Early Life Adversity Impacts Mental and Physical Health: A “Vicious Cycle”

We’ve known for some time that toxic stress arising from early life adversity poses a high risk for mental as well as physical health, and recent evidence shows that these risks are long lasting. Excess stress in early life—even in the womb—can “get under the skin” to affect how the brain is wired as well as how genes are expressed . “Stress dysregulation” (SDR) is a common consequence of early adversity . It shows up in most students with a clinical mental health diagnosis, but many students even without a diagnosis exhibit behaviors—such as hair-trigger anger , inability to self-regulate or calm themselves, sudden withdrawal from learning and social interaction—that affect not only themselves but everyone in their orbit. It acts as a silent disruptor in the classroom and in school life generally.

New research findings also show that stress is contagious at a physiological level (Palumbo et al., 2017). More students are arriving at school with SDR and with difficulties in coping, making it hard to build a positive learning environment. The source of this dynamic is more obvious in schools that serve a high proportion of students from families facing major economic and social challenges, but it is also observed in schools that serve students from advantaged families with highly competitive expectations, as Denise Pope documented in Doing School .

This “vicious cycle” of disruption connects the phenomena of more stressed-out students, accelerating stress contagion at school, and increased societal demands and anxieties. This cycle poses a difficult but often unrecognized challenge for teachers and educational leaders. We don’t yet know all the social and cultural forces that contribute to this stress epidemic, although increasing inequality and decreasing social mobility surely play a role in provoking the anxiety that is at the heart of the matter. But even if educational leaders can’t directly change the larger social dynamic, they can work at the classroom, school, and system level to counteract its effects .

A Culture of Resilience at School

In doing background research for my recent book Born Anxious , I had a conversation with the principal of an alternative secondary school for high-risk students, many of whom display this SDR pattern. His approach struck a chord: building a culture of resilience throughout the school. This notion draws on extensive research on individual resilience, explained in Ann Masten’s Ordinary Magic , and extends those findings to considering how any educational organization can build support for resilience to counteract the negative effects of excess stress for everyone. Here are the key elements:

Social connections . The single most effective route to providing a more resilient developmental pathway for students with a history of adversity is through positive social connections. Schools can provide a crucially unique setting to support resilience, offering an opportunity for students to connect with teachers, coaches, and mentors who exhibit caring and concern for students, communicating to them that they do matter to important adults in their lives. In addition, schools can create a context for meaningful engagement and participation in a larger community in which positive social connections can flourish (Eccles & Roeser, 2013).

The principal I spoke with described an exemplary scenario. One particularly troubled student, with an extensive history of early and continuing adversity, seemingly could not be reached when he arrived. A teacher kept probing to find any point of connection, and would not give up. Eventually, finding an interest in popular music that was meaningful to the student, the teacher began making innovative links, both to the curriculum and to broader social issues. Taking the time for this kind of “super-nurturing” doesn’t happen in a vacuum—it requires a culture of resilience as well as committed teachers. This student became one of the school’s best “turn-around” successes.

Neither of these—involved teachers and an engaged community—is automatic. Both depend predominantly on educational leadership within the organization to promote a culture of resilience. And a key part of that culture is that it needs to include not only students but also the whole organization, which in turn requires a collegial, collaborative leadership model, such as the one described by Michael Fullan in The Six Secrets of Change . This emphasis on positive social connections also highlights the reality that effectively counteracting the ravages of excess stress is critical not only for students, but also for teachers, staff, and education leaders themselves.

school stress essay

Mindfulness in action . The practice of mindfulness has received increasing attention in educational practice recently, and for good reasons. Social connections lead to resilience through social support and socio-emotional learning, but also biologically, as they counteract the stress hormone cortisol (Keating, 2017). Mindfulness confers benefits similar to social connection, but using the uniquely powerful part of our brain, the prefrontal cortex, propelling us toward a habitual focus on the present and the opportunities it offers, while minimizing rumination about the past or fear of the future. For organizations, this implies thoughtfully learning the lessons from past experiences combined with openness to a well-considered, collaborative process of change. For individuals and for organizations, a mindful approach provides a valuable “workaround” for stressful times, allowing us to avoid anxiety-driven responses that launch an excessive stress response.

Attention to the physical . A third major approach to supporting resilience and counteracting toxic stress is to attend to the physical domain. Although not always seen as central to the educational mission, there are crucial supports as well as risks that can be identified and implemented. Physical exercise is a readily available, highly effective method of stress reduction, and one that can be promoted in school settings as part of the school day and/or through extra-curricular opportunities that are available to all, not just to elite high school athletes.

A second major physical contributor to personal resilience is sufficient sleep. Sleep deficits are a major risk factor for a range of mental and physical health problems, as well as depleting the ability to cope with stress. The challenges to learning arising from early start times, especially for teens, have been increasingly recognized, but their impact on mental health and the ability to cope with stress are equally important.

The dangers of short-term “remedies” for feeling overstressed and being unable to cope with demands are also essential: comfort food and psychoactive substances can provide instant relief but are highly likely to lead to long-term problems. Education that highlights and explains these risks can be effective, along with the provision of healthy nutrition options during the school day.

It’s important to emphasize that these supports for resilience and for counteracting excess stress are just as important for teachers, staff, and leaders as they are for students . The pathways to teacher burnout and student burnout travel the same route, and benefit from the same protective factors: social connection; mindfulness; and taking care of the physical dimension. A bonus to this approach is that they can benefit everyone, even those not at risk from toxic stress or mental health challenges.

Building a Culture of Resilience for Mental Health, Learning, and Positive Development

Drawing on what we know about how supporting resilience, it is clear that a leadership style that integrates collaboration , social connection, and mindful attention to current challenges offers the best opportunity for moving toward and sustaining a culture of resilience. Articulating this approach as an explicit goal, and bringing all the stakeholders—including parents—on board creates the basis for sustainable progress toward building a culture of resilience.

The impact of the stress epidemic and of increasing SDR among students is felt in all areas of the school experience. It clearly interferes with learning, not only for the students who struggle with staying in the game while feeling highly stressed, but for teachers and the rest of class who need to cope with the resulting disruptions.

When it begins to manifest as diagnosable mental health issues, which will be true at some point for about 25% of students (Merikangas et al., 2010), providing an appropriate blend of services becomes paramount. The need for a comprehensive approach is acute, pulling together a shift toward a culture of resilience but also providing a range of prevention and intervention services. A helpful organizational framework is to think of such services as existing along a continuum from universal services helpful for everyone (mindfulness, coping strategies), to targeted services for at-risk students, to direct clinical or educational services for students with an existing diagnosis. Although these are often not exclusively school-based, they are more effective when there is close coordination between schools and community-based mental health providers.

A hopeful direction for teachers and educational leaders at all levels is that a better awareness of the sources of the stress epidemic will enable a broader and more effective approach to dealing with it. Rather than adding a new stressor, the path toward a culture of resilience has the potential to be helpful in coping with these increasing challenges, both personally and for organizations. This can benefit all students as well as school professionals, and function as a major support for positive youth development.

Center on the Developing Child (2007). The Impact of Early Adversity on Child Development (InBrief). Retrieved from www.developingchild.harvard.edu .

Eccles, J. S., & Roeser, R. W. (2013). Schools as developmental contexts during adolescence. In R. M. Lerner et al. (Eds.), Handbook of psychology: Developmental psychology (pp. 321-337). Hoboken, NJ, US: John Wiley & Sons Inc.

Keating, D. P., (2016). The transformative role of epigenetics in child development research. Child Development , 87 (1), 135-142.

Keating, D. P. (2017). Born Anxious: The Lifelong Impact of Early Life Adversity – and How to Break the Cycle. New York: St. Martin’s Press. stmartins.com/bornanxious

Merikangas KR, He JP, Brody D, Fisher PW, Bourdon K, Koretz DS. (2010). Prevalence and treatment of mental disorders among US children in the 2001-2004 NHANES . Pediatrics, 125(1):75-81.

Palumbo, R. V., Marraccini, M. E., Weyandt, L. L., Wilder-Smith, O., McGee, H. A., Liu, S., & Goodwin, M. S. (2017). Interpersonal autonomic physiology: A systematic review of the literature . Personality and Social Psychology Review, 21(2):99-141.

Schanzenbach, D. W., Bauer, L., Mumford, M., & Nunn, R. (2016). Money Lightens the Load. Brookings Institution: The Hamilton Project. www.hamiltonproject.org

Walker, T. (2016). Educators Look to Parents and Communities To Help Reduce Student Stress. NEA Today . (Retrieved at http://neatoday.org/2016/09/16/reducing-student-stress/ )

Daniel P. Keating Ph.D.

Daniel P. Keating, Ph.D., is Professor of Psychology, Psychiatry, and Pediatrics, and Research Professor, Survey Research Center, Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan.

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Understanding Academic Stress in College

How can you tell if your college stress is unhealthy, signs you may need professional support, get more academic stress tips.

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If you’re like most college students, you experience school-related stress. Stress isn’t always a bad thing. At manageable levels, it’s necessary and healthy because it keeps you motivated and pushes you to stay on track with studying and classwork. 

But when stress, worry, and anxiety start to overwhelm you, it makes it harder to focus and get things done. National studies of college students have repeatedly found that the biggest stumbling blocks to academic success are emotional health challenges including:

  • Not getting enough sleep
  • Depression 

Many things can create stress in college. Maybe you’re on a scholarship and you need to maintain certain grades to stay eligible. Maybe you’re worried about the financial burden of college on your family. You may even be the first person in your family to attend college, and it can be a lot of pressure to carry the weight of those expectations.

Stress seems like it should be typical, so it’s easy to dismiss it. You may even get down on yourself because you feel like you should handle it better. But research shows that feeling overwhelming school-related stress actually reduces your motivation to do the work, impacts your overall academic achievement, and increases your odds of dropping out.

Stress can also cause health problems such as depression, poor sleep, substance abuse, and anxiety.

For all those reasons—and just because you deserve as much balance in your life as possible—it’s important to figure out if your stress is making things harder than they need to be, affecting your health, or getting in the way of your life.

Then you can get help and learn ways to reduce the impact of stress on your life. 

First identify what’s causing your stress.

  • Is it a particular class or type of work?
  • Is it an issue of time management and prioritization?
  • Do you have too much on your plate?
  • Is it due to family expectations or financial obligations?

Next think about how college stress affects you overall.

  • Does it prevent you from sleeping?
  • Does it make it take longer to do your work or paralyze you from even starting?
  • Does it cause you to feel anxious, unwell, or depressed?

If any of that feels familiar, it’s time to find support to ease your stress and help you feel better. Check out these tips to figure out the best support and approach for you. 

It’s important to be able to recognize when stress starts to become all-encompassing, affecting your overall mental health and well-being. Here are some signs you might need to get help:

  • Insomnia or chronic trouble sleeping
  • Inability to motivate
  • Anxiety that results in physical symptoms such as hair loss, nail biting, or losing weight
  • Depression, which may manifest as not wanting to spend time with friends, making excuses, or sleeping excessively
  • Mood swings, such as bursting into tears or bouts of anger

Learn how to find professional mental health support at your school or elsewhere. 

If you need help right now, text HOME to 741-741 for a free, confidential conversation with a trained counselor any time of day, or text or call 988 or use the chat function at 988lifeline.org .

If this is a medical emergency or there is immediate danger of harm, call 911 and explain that you need support for a mental health crisis.

Tips for Managing Academic Stress in College

How to Reduce Stress by Prioritizing and Getting Organized

5 Ways to Stay Calm When You’re Stressed About School

6 Ways to Take Care of Yourself During Exam Time

Related resources

Tips for stressful election conversations, what i wish i knew before coming out, 3 steps to make it easier to ask for mental health support, search resource center.

If you or someone you know needs to talk to someone right now, text, call, or chat  988 for a free confidential conversation with a trained counselor 24/7. 

You can also contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741-741.

If this is a medical emergency or if there is immediate danger of harm, call 911 and explain that you need support for a mental health crisis.

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School Stress Takes A Toll On Health, Teens And Parents Say

Patti Neighmond

school stress essay

Colleen Frainey, 16, of Tualatin, Ore., cut back on advanced placement classes in her junior year because the stress was making her physically ill. Toni Greaves for NPR hide caption

Colleen Frainey, 16, of Tualatin, Ore., cut back on advanced placement classes in her junior year because the stress was making her physically ill.

When high school junior Nora Huynh got her report card, she was devastated to see that she didn't get a perfect 4.0.

Nora "had a total meltdown, cried for hours," her mother, Jennie Huynh of Alameda, Calif., says. "I couldn't believe her reaction."

Nora is doing college-level work, her mother says, but many of her friends are taking enough advanced classes to boost their grade-point averages above 4.0. "It breaks my heart to see her upset when she's doing so awesome and going above and beyond."

And the pressure is taking a physical toll, too. At age 16, Nora is tired, is increasingly irritated with her siblings and often suffers headaches, her mother says.

Teens Talk Stress

When NPR asked on Facebook if stress is an issue for teenagers, they spoke loud and clear:

  • "Academic stress has been a part of my life ever since I can remember," wrote Bretta McCall, 16, of Seattle. "This year I spend about 12 hours a day on schoolwork. I'm home right now because I was feeling so sick from stress I couldn't be at school. So as you can tell, it's a big part of my life!"
  • "At the time of writing this, my weekend assignments include two papers, a PowerPoint to go with a 10-minute presentation, studying for a test and two quizzes, and an entire chapter (approximately 40 pages) of notes in a college textbook," wrote Connor West of New Jersey.
  • "It's a problem that's basically brushed off by most people," wrote Kelly Farrell in Delaware. "There's this mentality of, 'You're doing well, so why are you complaining?' " She says she started experiencing symptoms of stress in middle school, and was diagnosed with panic disorder and generalized anxiety disorder in high school.
  • "Parents are the worst about all of this," writes Colin Hughes of Illinois. "All I hear is, 'Work harder, you're a smart kid, I know you have it in you, and if you want to go to college you need to work harder.' It's a pain."

Parents are right to be worried about stress and their children's health, says Mary Alvord , a clinical psychologist in Maryland and public education coordinator for the American Psychological Association.

"A little stress is a good thing," Alvord says. "It can motivate students to be organized. But too much stress can backfire."

Almost 40 percent of parents say their high-schooler is experiencing a lot of stress from school, according to a new NPR poll conducted with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Harvard School of Public Health. In most cases, that stress is from academics, not social issues or bullying, the poll found. (See the full results here .)

Homework was a leading cause of stress, with 24 percent of parents saying it's an issue.

Teenagers say they're suffering, too. A survey by the American Psychological Association found that nearly half of all teens — 45 percent — said they were stressed by school pressures.

Chronic stress can cause a sense of panic and paralysis, Alvord says. The child feels stuck, which only adds to the feeling of stress.

Parents can help put the child's distress in perspective, particularly when they get into what Alvord calls catastrophic "what if" thinking: "What if I get a bad grade, then what if that means I fail the course, then I'll never get into college."

Then move beyond talking and do something about it.

school stress essay

Colleen pets her horse, Bishop. They had been missing out on rides together because of homework. Toni Greaves for NPR hide caption

Colleen pets her horse, Bishop. They had been missing out on rides together because of homework.

That's what 16-year-old Colleen Frainey of Tualatin, Ore., did. As a sophomore last year, she was taking all advanced courses. The pressure was making her sick. "I didn't feel good, and when I didn't feel good I felt like I couldn't do my work, which would stress me out more," she says.

Mom Abigail Frainey says, "It was more than we could handle as a family."

With encouragement from her parents, Colleen dropped one of her advanced courses. The family's decision generated disbelief from other parents. "Why would I let her take the easy way out?" Abigail Frainey heard.

But she says dialing down on academics was absolutely the right decision for her child. Colleen no longer suffers headaches or stomachaches. She's still in honors courses, but the workload this year is manageable.

Even better, Colleen now has time to do things she never would have considered last year, like going out to dinner with the family on a weeknight, or going to the barn to ride her horse, Bishop.

Psychologist Alvord says a balanced life should be the goal for all families. If a child is having trouble getting things done, parents can help plan the week, deciding what's important and what's optional. "Just basic time management — that will help reduce the stress."

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What’s Making Teens So Stressed At School? Here’s What Their Teachers Think — And How The Students Responded

school stress essay

Academic stress is a big deal.

A national survey this year cited school pressure as the number one stressor in teens’ lives. For our ongoing series Teens Under Stress , Colorado Matters host Avery Lill sat down with several high schoolers and teachers to talk about it.

school stress essay

Most of the students said their academic stress is ever-present. One compared it to trying to find something in a sandpit. It’s hard to find what you’re looking for. It’s tough to get out of the pit, and the sand gets all over you. 

The teachers know teens are stressed about, as one put it, "everything" — including, sometimes, teachers themselves.

These are select moments from both conversations. They have been condensed and edited for clarity.

The teacher spoke with us first.

Amy Paa-Rogers is from Boulder. She’s taught in public middle and high school for 28 years. She's taught International Baccalaureate classes, Advanced Placement economics and freshman government. 

Young Han Lester teaches high school English at a charter school in Denver. He’s been a teacher for six years.

Matt Borgmann teaches history and economics at the IB program in Palisade, Colorado.

Lori Goldstein recently retired after teaching middle and high school science for 29 years. Now she’s on the Adams 12 School Board in Thornton. 

school stress essay

What’s stressing out their students at school?

Borgmann: Can I just say everything? I deal with a lot of 12th graders primarily, and it's just that point in their life where they actually do have to think of life outside of high school. I think the expectations of that creates some pressure for all of them, and in different ways. Some kids are leaving their parents who are willing to just let them go, and so they don't have a lot of guidance. Or (they have) parents that are trying to overly guide them.

Paa-Rogers: Expectations from their friends, from school, from the academics, from teachers, from their parents. I think there's that little triangle of, "My friends, I don't want to let them down, and I chat with them all the time, and I want to make sure that I kind of keep up my image or my persona."

Lester: I would also definitely say, I see students react pretty frequently to just anytime they feel like someone is telling them what to do or how to be. I think that always is a little stressful, trying to meet those kinds of adult commands.

Borgmann: I might not be a fan favorite for this one, but sometimes it's just teachers. Teachers that are not organized, and kind of throw things at kids last minute or, "Oh, it's the end of the semester, we didn't get through this, so let's hurry up and get this done." And a lot of these kids, with so much on the table they're really trying to plan things out. They're trying to be organized, and you just have so many factors that are outside of their control that contribute to them being unorganized.

Goldstein: I think that you have a sense of competitiveness too. You have on one end the low socioeconomic (students) … you have the high (socioeconomic students), and you have that friction between the two populations — basically the haves and the have-nots. And then thinking about, "Well, what am I going to do when I get out of high school? Am I going to be able to afford to go to college? Am I going to be able to get into college because I'm DACA?" and that sort of thing.

Paa-Rogers: Or, "If I get in and I can't pay, then how do I save face in front of my friends?"

In looking at this over time, it seems like in more recent years it's almost like they don't want to ask for an extension on a due date, especially the really high-achieving kids that are doing the AP and IB classes. It makes me sad because it's like they've internalized the stress so much that they don't feel like they can ask for help. Like the healthy thing for you to do is maybe not do the assignment. Try missing those 10 points and just see what that does. It's going to be fine.

That part has changed a lot, that they're afraid of failing. I think that's a bigger picture of our society of how everything is public because you put everything out on Facebook or Snapchat or wherever.

school stress essay

How students’ background, race or ethnicity, and identity affect the way they experience academic stress .

Lester: I teach at a school where I'm pretty sure the majority of our teachers are white and the majority of our students are not. And I do think that causes some stress for the students. From kindergarten through 12th grade, if the majority of the people with power, the people presenting themselves as your guides for the future,  if those do not reflect you, there's a lot of ways that can cause stress. 

(It can leave students wondering), "Should I really assume this person actually does know what they're talking about? Sure, this works for them. Does it work for me? Can I trust this person's motives when they tell me that I need to change my behavior, that I should change my attitude? Are they actually doing that because that is what is best for me or are they doing this because they're doing what authority always does to me?"

Borgmann: My mind first went to our athletes. I think about a kid who has always been kind of the athlete and nobody recruits them (for college sports). How do you turn around and tell your peers like, "Oh, well actually, nobody wants me."

And I don't think it's any different for academic kids. You know, they've always been top of the class and they want to get into these schools and then they get a letter that says, "No, thanks." What do I put on my Snapchat? What do I put on my social media? Who do I tell, who do I not tell, and how am I going to handle that?

school stress essay

So what’s a teacher to do? How do you help kids manage academic stress?

Goldstein: I think it's important in any system that every student has at least one adult in that building that they can connect with to guide them, whether it's going to college or with dealing with the stresses at home or with your peers.

Lester: I think a lot of behaviors that are really easy to write off as misbehavior are really, actually, student stress responses. So a lot of the time whenever I find myself being tempted to think, "Why aren't they trying harder?" or, "Why are they acting out?" I try and kind of stop and wonder, what are the circumstances that make this behavior adaptive? Because this is this person's attempt to solve whatever they perceive as the problem in their life.

Paa-Rogers: I try to establish individual relationships with kids. And a lot of times the kids in my class that are like super stressed will sort of self-identify and send me an email or stop by my office. And in some sense, that's really helpful because then I can work with them or adjust due dates or things like that. But sometimes kids keep so much inside that you can't really tell. I try to be flexible, try to be approachable. Sometimes we do a little mindfulness stuff.

Borgmann: I'll second what was said about relationships. I think that's the number one thing.

If you need help, dial 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also reach the  Colorado Crisis Services  hotline at  1-844-493-8255  or text “TALK” to 38255 to speak with a trained counselor or professional. Counselors are also available at walk-in locations or online to chat.

Then the teachers left the studio and the teens took their place .

Kyler is a high school senior at a Boulder public school.

Paola is a junior. She’s also from Boulder, but goes to a different public school than Kyler.

Liliana is a senior in Palisade on the state’s Western Slope. Matt Borgmann is her teacher. She’s in an International Baccalaureate program.

Rodrigo is a junior at the charter school in Denver where Young Han Lester teaches.

school stress essay

How did the teachers do in describing their academic stress and its causes?

Kyler: I feel like they did a pretty good job. Personally, for me, the rigor of the class is that it's necessary for there to be stress and it's necessary for there to be hard tests and stuff like that. Especially (what the teachers said)  about the need to communicate with the students. I full-heartedly believe that, because having a connection with your teacher and being able to communicate is really vital in reducing the amount of stress.

Paola: Just building off of that point, self-advocacy is definitely a stress reliever. Just having that connection with that teacher, and being able to directly go without hesitation, is just so much better. Knowing that the teacher will be able to help you is a stress reliever for me.

When you visualize stress, what does it look like?

Paola: My stress visualization would probably be like a ball of just elastics. It's like all munched together and kind of intertwined between each other.

Liliana: Visualizing wise, maybe like a pit of sand, you know? You try and find something in there, but you don't know where it is and it's hard to get out and it's always stuck to you, I guess. 

I will say there's physical manifestations of it. Like my shoulders are always tight, my jaw is always clenched. Sometimes you forget that it's there and you forget that that stress is there, but it's still with you. And you know, sometimes you notice it and try and release it, and it just doesn't work. Then you can't stop thinking about it. And then there are other moments where, you know, you just kind of forget that your shoulders are tight and that your jaw is clenched until you end up with a migraine.

It's hard for some students to detach themselves from persona and social media and all the things that we have to deal with. And I think teachers are getting better and better at understanding that, because that's not something that really almost any of them grew up with.

Rodrigo: Academic stress is like the “Jaws” theme . It just happens, and then once I pay attention, it's kind of too late. A lot of times I'll put it off like, "Oh, I have time to catch up on my homework," and then I will procrastinate for a month. And then once it actually hits me, "Oh yeah, this is due tomorrow," so I will do it the night before. And it's not the best thing.

school stress essay

What kind of extracurriculars are you involved in?

Liliana: There are some basics like National Honor Society. We have a Future Business Leaders of America chapter. I'm involved in marching band. I'm doing choreography for our musical, I work on quite a few political campaigns and I'm the chair of a voter registration organization here on the Western Slope. 

(She gets four or five hours of sleep a night.) I know that sometimes sacrificing my health is not the best thing to do, but it needs to be done for me to uphold the responsibilities that I've committed myself to.

Rodrigo: I'm part of National Honor Society. I am not part of any clubs or anything. I held down a job for half of my years of high school. I probably did one of the major flaws you're not supposed to do — I prioritized work over school, so I’d work a few hours and then go home tired and fall asleep immediately, not do homework, and then be confused in class. 

school stress essay

How do race and ethnicity, socioeconomics and identity affect stress at school?

Paola: My school is predominantly white and sometimes it is kind of hard going into class realizing that you are the only student of color. So like one of the teachers mentioned, minorities need more role models they can actually connect to in order to succeed.

Liliana: In kindergarten through now, I have never had a teacher of color, especially those of my own (Hispanic) ethnicity, other than a Spanish teacher. It has definitely affected me. I think that definitely some stress comes from not seeing teachers who look like me and who have had similar cultural experiences to me.

Rodrigo: I got to agree with that. I come from a single-parent household. My mom did come to this country when she was about 20 and she doesn't have a full high school education. She did leave high school in Mexico. So education-wise, there is such a big disconnect. Because in the United States, we're taught different things based on how much money your school is getting. And I’ve noticed that pretty commonly when I was super young. I went to schools that weren’t really funded, right? Teachers were there just to be glorified babysitters.

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How to Cope With Stress at School

Last Updated: June 24, 2024 Approved

This article was co-authored by Adam Dorsay, PsyD and by wikiHow staff writer, Christopher M. Osborne, PhD . Dr. Adam Dorsay is a licensed psychologist in private practice in San Jose, CA, and the co-creator of Project Reciprocity, an international program at Facebook's Headquarters, and a consultant with Digital Ocean’s Safety Team. He specializes in assisting high-achieving adults with relationship issues, stress reduction, anxiety, and attaining more happiness in their lives. In 2016 he gave a well-watched TEDx talk about men and emotions. Dr. Dorsay has a M.A. in Counseling from Santa Clara University and received his doctorate in Clinical Psychology in 2008. There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. This article has 14 testimonials from our readers, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 323,035 times.

No matter if you’re in grade school or grad school, it’s natural to experience school-related stress. But school stress is also something you can successfully manage. This article lists several strategies for coping with school stress, starting with the “4 As” of stress management, then moving on to quick stress-reducers and longer-term adjustments. So, instead of letting school stress control you, take charge of your stress and enjoy your school experience!

Use the “4 As” to bust stress.

Avoid, alter, adapt, and/or accept your sources of school stress.

  • Avoid . Steer clear of people or situations that cause you stress as much as possible. Take a different route between classes, for example, or pack up your school stuff the night before so you’re not freaking out trying to get everything ready in the morning.
  • Alter . Change the circumstances that cause your stress. If you’re stressed out because your schedule is too overloaded, for example, see if you can either cut back on some of your extracurriculars or adjust your academic schedule.
  • Adapt . Adjust your response when you can’t avoid or change the cause of your stress. For example, work on reframing your perspective so you don’t get overly stressed about a single quiz that isn’t a huge deal in the larger picture.
  • Accept . Don’t try to change the reality that school always causes at least some stress. A manageable amount of stress can in fact be a good thing if it drives you to succeed. Remind yourself that your goal is to keep your stress manageable, not completely eliminate it.

Get to know your stress response.

You can react to stress faster when you know it’s coming on.

Identify your school stress triggers.

It’s hard to manage stress when you don’t know what’s causing it.

  • If you’re experiencing stress due to bullying, seek help from a teacher, administrator, counselor, or other trusted adult. Don’t try to manage the problem on your own. [4] X Trustworthy Source StopBullying.gov Website run by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services providing information related to identifying and preventing bullying Go to source

Replace negativity with positive self-talk.

Quietly repeat positive affirmations to calm and refocus your mind.

  • Try both scheduled and unscheduled positive self-talk. For instance, take a few minutes in the morning and in the evening to make positive affirmations, and also use them when you start feeling really stressed about the book report that’s due on Friday.

Make a schoolwork schedule.

Good time management and good stress management are connected.

  • You might set aside a daily block of time right after school for homework, and right after dinner for studying, for example.
  • Stick to your schedule, but also take little opportunities to get work done. If you're waiting for the bus, pull out your flashcards. Get a head start on your planned study session for later in the evening.

Rebecca Tenzer, MAT, MA, LCSW, CCTP, CGCS, CCATP, CCFP

Rebecca Tenzer, MAT, MA, LCSW, CCTP, CGCS, CCATP, CCFP

Manage school stress with good time management. To manage stress from school, it's really important to manage your time well. Break big assignments down into smaller steps, do things to take care of yourself, ask for help when you need it, and use mindfulness techniques like breathing exercises or yoga. Setting realistic goals and balancing school and fun personal interests can also help lower your stress.

Divide your work into manageable pieces.

Set aside blocks of time for each thing you need to do.

  • Break up your study time as well. Instead of trying to study for your history test for 3 hours straight the night before, break it up into 30-minute sessions each day that week. This makes it easier to process the information and keep up your morale at the same time.

Keep your school stuff organized.

Lower your stress level by keeping things easy to find and accessible.

  • When organizing your desk, for instance, put the things you use most often within arm’s reach and store things you need less often in drawers or on shelves. If you always use highlighters but rarely use white-out, put the highlighters in a cup on your desk and the white-out in an organized drawer.

Exercise to reduce stress.

30 minutes of daily exercise can alleviate stress and increase happiness.

  • When you feel the stress building up inside you, take a break and go for a jog or dance to your favorite tunes. Invite a friend to join you for an even bigger stress-busting boost!
  • Put exercise time into your daily schedule so you don’t get stressed out about finding the time to do it.
  • Chores and other mundane tasks can also count as exercise. Take your dog for a long walk, wash the car like you’re in a hurry, give the bathtub a vigorous scrubbing, and so on. Anything that gets your heart pumping and increases your breathing rate can help you handle stress.

Set aside time to relax.

Work relaxing activities into each day so you don’t get burned out.

  • So what’s the line between relaxation and procrastination? Each person’s needs are different, but you might aim to schedule an hour of dedicated relaxation time per day, along with 5-minute relaxation breaks during each hour of schoolwork.
  • There’s no “right” way to relax. If playing an intense, zombie-destroying video game helps you relax, do that. If reading a chilling horror novel gets you in the zen zone, do that. If you enjoy it and it makes you less tense, go for it!

Improve your sleep situation.

Follow a consistent sleep schedule and aim for 7-9 hours per night.

  • As much as it’s possible for you, sleep in comfortable bedding in a comfortable, dark room with limited distractions.
  • Avoid caffeine, vigorous exercise, and screen time before going to bed.
  • Set a consistent sleep schedule and stick to it—even on the weekend! Aim to go to bed and get out of bed at the same time each night and day.
  • Resist the urge to stay up all night and “cram” for a test. You’ll almost certainly do worse than you would if you studied a reasonable amount and got a solid night’s sleep.

Take a few calming breaths.

Trigger your body’s calming response with 3 slow, deep, breaths.

  • It might also help to roll your shoulders or turn your neck as you breathe, as the muscles in these areas tend to tense up and hold in a lot of stress.

Talk to someone you trust.

Discuss your stress and possible solutions with someone like a school counselor.

  • If you don't have a relationship with your school’s counseling office already, there's no better time than the present! Stop in and say hello even if you’re feeling good today—start building that connection so they can better help you when you need them.
  • In some situations, talking with a teacher, coach, administrator, parent, adult friend, or other trusted figure can also be a really helpful choice. It’s important to share your feelings with someone who will truly listen and really want to help.
  • Never feel ashamed to talk about your school stress—everyone experiences it, and you can successfully manage it!

How Do You Manage Stress From School?

Expert Q&A

Reader videos.

  • Don't be afraid to say no to responsibilities if you simply cannot handle the additional pressure to do them. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 1
  • Don't resort to drugs, alcohol or smoking as stress reducers. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0
  • Write your feelings down in a note or a diary, and if you don’t want anyone to see, just get rid of it when you're done. Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 0

Tips from our Readers

  • Make a 'to do' list and place the things in order based on how time consuming, difficult and important they are. Then, work through the list strategically and you'll feel good when you've done them and you can tick them off. I know it's cliché but it really does help!
  • Don't worry about getting a 100 on every single test, it's not going to happen. As long as you do your very best, that's all that matters. If you make a C on your biology test, for example, study harder for the next one in order to keep the A you want.
  • Talk to friends about issues. Maybe they can help you handle it or take it away. Often your friends are the best people in the world to talk to.

school stress essay

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Deal With Stress

  • ↑ https://www.helpguide.org/articles/stress/stress-management.htm
  • ↑ https://hbr.org/2014/11/how-to-handle-stress-in-the-moment
  • ↑ https://www.stopbullying.gov/resources/get-help-now
  • ↑ https://www.verywellmind.com/top-school-stress-relievers-for-students-3145179
  • ↑ https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/homework.html
  • ↑ https://news.uga.edu/break-large-tasks-down-into-smaller-more-manageable-pieces/
  • ↑ Adam Dorsay, PsyD. Licensed Psychologist & TEDx Speaker. Expert Interview. 11 April 2019.
  • ↑ https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-hygiene/how-to-relieve-stress-for-bedtime

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School Stress: How Student Life Affects Your Teen

School stress can be a significant challenge for teens. Academic performance and relationship issues are just two of the many factors that can take a mental, emotional, and physical toll on teenagers’ minds and bodies. 

To understand how stress affects teenagers and how parents can support them and promote good mental health, we spoke with Madison Little, a licensed associate counselor who has counseled many teens dealing with school pressure. Little is a therapist at the Embark Behavioral Health outpatient therapy clinic in Phoenix, Arizona . 

Table of contents

How does school stress affect mental health .

When it comes to student mental health , it’s important to point out that school stress isn’t always a problem, as stress itself is not always a problem. Good stress, which feels manageable, builds resilience and is necessary for growth. The issue is unhealthy stress (also known as “distress”), which feels unmanageable and can negatively impact teens. 

How unhealthy stress can affect teens 

“With distress, we fear a negative or undesired outcome,” Little said. “It decreases focus, increases procrastination, and is experienced as fear or concern. It’s overwhelming.” 

As a result, teens could experience: 

  • Anxiety. 
  • Depression . 
  • Social withdrawal and isolation. 
  • Low self-esteem. 
  • Insecurity. 
  • Substance abuse . 

How good stress can affect teens 

“A positive response to stress is often experienced as excitement or a healthy anticipation for something,” Little said. “It feels more manageable and is often associated with confidence — when we can expect a desired or positive outcome.” 

Teenagers experiencing this positive response to stress can be motivated to study for exams, complete assignments, and recall information more accurately, leading to: 

  • Academic success. 
  • High self-esteem. 
  • Strong relationships and a good support network . 
  • Newly developed skills and knowledge. 

Why Is School So Stressful? 

Why is school stressful? School stressors can come from several different sources, and it’s important to identify how your teen reacts to and deals with these various aspects of middle school and high school life. 

Homework 

Homework helps students practice the skills they learn in class and prepare for exams. It can be a positive stressor that promotes growth. However, excessive assignments can lead to homework causing unhealthy stress . As a result, teens could experience: 

  • Sleeping problems . 
  • Headaches. 
  • Digestive issues. 

What’s an excessive number of assignments that can lead to homework causing unhealthy stress? According to the National Education Association , many school districts assign 10 minutes of homework per grade level. The NEA noted that amount could be adjusted up or down based on a student’s needs. 

Exams 

While it’s normal to feel some tension and worry about an upcoming test, exam, or presentation, once the stress overwhelms a student’s ability to focus and perform well, it’s unhealthy.   

Midterms 

Midterm stress can happen as students study for their exams and worry about an upcoming test. Excessive worry can show up as difficulty sleeping, headaches, and upset stomachs. 

Finals 

Finals stress can affect any student but can be especially challenging for high school juniors applying to colleges, as their grades will be important to their applications. This can cause students to worry excessively, leading to difficulty concentrating, negative thinking, and self-criticism. 

Going back to school 

The beginning of a new school year can be a difficult time for students worried about entering a new school, handling changing relationships, and adjusting to new routines. The uncertainty they face can cause teens to experience back-to-school stress.  

While working at a part-time job allows teenagers to not only earn money but also learn about responsibility and time management, it can also lead to work and school stress. Students must balance fulfilling their job duties with keeping up with their homework, studying, and performing well on tests. 

Procrastination 

Waiting until the last minute to study for an exam or finish homework has been a problem for students for generations. It’s important to note that procrastination is often about trying to minimize stress by putting it out of one’s mind. It’s an attempt to feel better. However, procrastinating can have negative consequences, and they go beyond poor grades. In a Frontiers in Psychology study, researchers who reviewed multiple studies pointed out that procrastination is also a health issue, as it can cause mental and physical problems. 

Academic performance 

As a parent, you want to encourage your child to do well in school. However, when teens experience too much pressure from parents to improve or maintain their academic performance, this can become a source of school stress. Teenagers may feel they’ll let their parents down by not achieving high grades, leading to higher levels of anxiety, insomnia, and changes in appetite. 

“Success is the status of having accomplished an aim or objective,” Little said. “However, getting straight A’s, kudos from the teacher, and scholarships for higher education are not appropriate indicators of success when your teenager does not believe they’re worthy of love, value, and respect. As parents, our objective is for our teenagers to know that they’re worthy of these things no matter their academic status.” 

Relationships 

Healthy relationships can motivate students to study efficiently so they have more time to spend with their friends — and are key to increasing the ability to tolerate stress. However, negative relationships can interfere with academic performance and be a source of unhealthy stress. 

For example, bullied teens may skip school to avoid confrontations with their tormentors. However, because bullies can post comments about their victims online, known as cyberbullying , students can experience stress at home too.  

School violence and fear of shootings 

With school shootings now an unfortunate reality, school violence and fear of shootings affect many teenagers. Teens who witness or hear about a shooting may experience anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress. Injured students may miss school and fall behind, while traumatized students may refuse to attend school completely. Even students who go to school can be negatively affected. 

“When teenagers don’t feel safe in a school environment, their brains go on high alert for signs of danger and abnormal activity,” Little said. “But when you’re on high alert, it’s much harder for you to pay attention to lectures, complete coursework, study, and be present. You experience high levels of unhealthy stress.” 

9 Stress Management Techniques for Your Student 

How can you help your teenager learn how to deal with school stress? Little emphasized that the most important step you can take is to create a safe, nonjudgmental space for your child to express their thoughts, feelings, experiences, and concerns.  

“Do not jump to problem-solving,” she said. “Most of the time, your teenager is seeking validation and needs a listening ear or shoulder to cry on. As you lean into supporting your teenager, ask the simple question, ‘Do you need me to listen and validate, or do you want me to help you think of solutions?’” 

By asking this question, you and your teenager can clarify your expectations and communicate better.  

If your teen wants your guidance, there are many ways you can work together to relieve school stress. 

1. Make homework less stressful 

To make homework less stressful, Little advised you lower school pressure at home and model the value of resting and recharging before starting any work assignments. People need breaks to eat, sleep, and take care of themselves, so by making these practices part of your regular routine, you and your teen are practicing healthy habits. 

You can further reduce homework stress by:  

  • Creating a homework schedule if one doesn’t already exist. 
  • Designating a quiet study space for homework. 
  • Encouraging your teen to make breaks a regular part of homework. 
  • Helping your child get started with their homework, if needed. 

2. Support your teen as they go back to school 

You can help your teen manage school stress before they even go back to class. Consider the following simple back-to-school-tips for teens: 

  • Make sure your teenager knows where their classes are located before the first day of class. 
  • Help your teen fill out all required forms if needed, especially medical documents. 
  • Encourage your teenager to focus on the positive aspects of being back in school (e.g., making new friends, joining a club, or learning about a subject that interests them). 

3. Help your teen balance work and school 

Learning how to balance work and school can be challenging, but proper communication goes a long way in helping your teen enjoy the benefits of being a working student. Consider the following tips: 

  • Ask your teen how they feel about their overall workload. 
  • If your teen feels they’re working too much, encourage them to talk to their manager about reducing their hours. 

4. Teach your teen time management skills 

School, work, and social responsibilities place a big demand on your teenager’s time. To make sure these demands don’t become overwhelming, emphasize the importance of time management for students by: 

  • Helping your teen plan out their activities. 
  • Teaching them to break homework and studying for exams into manageable tasks. 
  • Showing them how to set realistic goals.

5. Encourage your teen to build and reach out to a support network of family, friends, and fellow students 

While you can do much to support and empower your teenager, it’s important to encourage their relationships not only with family members but other people as well. You can help your teen develop positive relationships and a strong support network by: 

  • Pointing them toward positive influences like guidance counselors, teachers, or mentors. 
  • Encouraging them to include supportive, loving family members in their network. 
  • Reminding them to contact their support network in times of stress. 

6. Teach your teen how to handle peer pressure and difficult relationships 

Peer pressure and difficult relationships can lead to unhealthy stress and challenges in school. To help your teen navigate such challenges: 

  • Teach them how to establish healthy boundaries in relationships. 
  • Show them how to be assertive in communication. 
  • Share your own experiences with peer pressure. 

7. Practice healthy habits with your teen 

“A lot of times, we may not realize we’re anxious or depressed, but our bodies know and start to change our appetite, give us headaches, and alter our sleep patterns,” Little said. “If medical conditions are ruled out, a lot of times it’s a mental health concern like anxiety or depression.” 

To model to your teen how they can become more self-aware of what their body may be trying to tell them so they can respond to these signs appropriately, consider the following suggestions: 

  • Practice deep breathing with your teen. 
  • Help your child get in the habit of journaling. 
  • Get your teen in the habit of taking small breaks. 
  • Encourage your teenager to spend time outside. 

8. Talk to your teen about school violence 

Dealing with the reality of school violence and school shootings is a lot for a teen to handle. To help your teenager manage any fear or anxiety they experience in a school environment: 

  • Observe your teen’s emotional state for signs of anxiety or stress. 
  • Validate their feelings. 
  • Talk about the difference between the possibility of violence and the probability of it at their school. 
  • Review safety procedures so your teen knows what to do in case of an emergency.  

9. Reach out to a therapist for help 

The following warning signs can indicate your teen needs counseling for stress: 

  •  Withdrawing from peers or family members.  
  • Starting to drink or use drugs. 
  • Struggling with symptoms of anxiety in multiple areas of their life, not just school. 
  • Getting into legal trouble. 
  • Seeming constantly angry or showing other sudden changes in mood and personality.

Little recommended you find a therapist who works with the issues your teenager is experiencing. She added that you, the parent, may also need support from a therapist to ensure your mental health lets you help your child.   

School Stress: Wrapup 

If school is stressful for your teen, you can provide them with a safe space where they can reflect on their experiences and come up with ways to manage and reduce their stress. Validate their feelings, and let them know you support them.  

Showing your teen you love, value, and respect them is important not only for addressing school stress, Little said, but also for their overall mental health. 

“We need that affirmation from our parents and the adults around us,” she said. “And when we don’t get that, we’re far more susceptible to experiencing symptoms of anxiety and depression and other mental health concerns. Choose to say, ‘I hear you, and I love you, and I’m here with you.’” 

Embark is the most trusted name in teen and young adult mental health treatment. We’re driven to find the help your family needs. If you’re looking for support,  contact us today !  

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