School stress

What is it?

Wellbeing Tools

School stress can lead to anxiety, depression & burnout.
Seek support from trusted adults, like parents or counsellors.
Prioritise self-care & stress management techniques.
You don’t have to navigate these challenges on your own.

Here's more detail

Published: 26/10/23

School stress can be a significant trigger for emotional problems among young people. The demands of academics, exams, extracurricular activities and social pressures can create a whirlwind of stress. This can lead to emotional issues like anxiety, depression and burnout. It’s important to recognise that it’s okay to feel overwhelmed by school-related stress, and you don’t have to navigate these challenges on your own.

When school stress starts to affect your emotional wellbeing, it’s crucial to seek help and support. Talk to a trusted adult, such as a parent, teacher or school counselor, about what you’re experiencing. They can offer guidance, resources and sometimes even accommodations to help you manage the workload more effectively. Additionally, you may find it helpful to prioritise self-care and stress management techniques like exercise, relaxation and time for hobbies and social activities.

Learn more
YoungMinds explains that everyone worries about things that happen at school from time to time. There’s a lot of pressure to get good results, make lots of friends, do well in every subject and be a ‘good student’. These stresses during school can sometimes feel too much. The important thing is to recognise when there’s a problem and ask for help as soon as you can.
Struggling with school-related stress can negatively affect your mental health. It might make you feel anxious, withdrawn from your friends, less confident, less motivated, physically unwell or stressed and angry.
Here are some tips from a young person on how to navigate school with mental health difficulties:
Speak to someone you trust at school about what’s going on for you
Remember the basics of self-care – make sure you’re getting enough sleep, exercising, drinking enough water and eating a balanced diet
Ensure that you have enough time to rest and have fun
Try not to put too much pressure on yourself
You may want to consider getting help for school- or university-based stress if:
You’re struggling to cope with it
Things you’re trying yourself are not helping
It is affecting your life or school/ university work
You could try speaking to friends, family or your university tutor. A GP is also a good place to start and they can help you with advice or access to treatments if you need them.
To learn more about school stress and mental health, visit the links below.
Guidance: Problems at school
Blog: How to navigate school with mental health difficulties
Guidance: Student stress self-help tips
Guidance: Tips for coping with exam stress
Blog: How counselling helped me manage my school anxiety

I felt like teachers didn’t understand how much the pressure of school can affect not only our mental health but also the quality of work we produce.

Becky

Through my school years, I had been put in top sets and given extra work. I was considered a ‘high achiever’ which sounds great… right? But this meant that there was so much pressure for me to do well in all my exams and keep improving, it really was bitter sweet. To anyone else who is struggling with schoolwork: remember exams are important, but your mental health comes first.

Becky

This cycle of anxiety, low moods and school avoidance continued until year nine. It was at this point that I decided to reach out to school teachers that I trusted, which really helped me feel less alone.

Ffion, 23

School can be a great place for socialising, but don't feel you have to at the expense of your own happiness or to 'keep the peace'.

Rosie

Please remember that, although school is important, it isn’t worth sacrificing your mental health for. You don’t need to be the best to be good enough.

Laura